INQUEST AT MOTUEKA.

Colonist, Volume IV, Issue 360, 5 April 1861, Page 2

INQUEST AT MOTUEKA.

An inquest was held on the 28th: ultimo, at Motueka on the body of Manalu te Poka, an aboriginal native, who came by his death through, a drunken broil among the natives at that place, on the 26th day of December . last, when he received such injuries at the time tliat his life was despaired ot He lingered until the 25th ult., when death put a period to hU sufferings. • „ The body was identified by Mr. H. W. Harris.

J. F. Wilson, sworn: I am a surgeon residing in Motueka; knew deceased and attended him during his illness; went first to him on the sth January last, and regularly visited him till his death; was called on the above date by a- native to go and see Manahi; was informed that he was suffering from a severe beating which he had received from another native ; the name of the native who had beaten him was mentioned at that time; knew the native whose name was mentioned ;he was not then present; examined deceased head about the temporal bone and found a bruise there; suppuration had taken place on the scalp; there was a great discharge of matter from the ear; laid open the scalp and found it separated from the bone by inflammation; the skin was not broken before I laid it open ; treated him for it and inflammation subsided, and the flesh began to collapse, so that I could feel the state of the bone; it appeared to be slightly fractured in a star; it was not depressed ; there was great excitement in his appearance and manner, with a quick low pulse and excited breathing, with great prostration, debility and weakness; these symptoms continued until his death, which took place on the 25th instant at 10 a.m. There was also a serious Jnjury in lower part of right hip ; he was incapable of standing without help; when I first saw him I enquired how long since it had taken place, and was informed about a fortnight; asked what caused the injury; he replied that a native named Arapata had struck him with his fist, and also kicked him when he was down; Arapata was. not then present; from my first examination I formed a bad opinion of the case; deceased said repeatedly and positively that it was with the fist he was struck; he made no complaint against Arapata; hebelieved they were both drunk. Such an injury might have been inflicted by a blow from the fist, but it was very unlikely;, have frequently since told deceased and his people that* I did not think he would recover; was present at the examination before Mr. J. Mackay, jun., and Mr. Greenwood; don't remember telling hint then, or betore that he would die from his wounds. The examination took place on the 19th February, heard at the examination, that he had received the violence from a heavy stick; on my next visit the same day or the next day I asked him why he had told me an untruth about it; he replied that he was not desirous of bringing a serious charge against Arapata; he thought they were both drunk; he then said it was true that Arapata had struck him with a stick; this was previous to the examination ; never afterwards relieved him from the apprehension of his death; I believe that he continued to consider himself a dying man; in my opinion the cause of death was the injuries he received to his head and body as above specified ; do not believe any surgical attention could have saved him; his legs were paralysed from the effects of the injury in the spine; his general appearance showed that the brain was seriously affected; the pupil of the right eye. was affected by it. I advised his removal to the Nelson Hospital but he and his people did not seem to wish it. His intellect was not affected until very near his death. When I was informed that he had been struck with a stick, told him I thought it was right that an investigation should take place before the Magistrates; told Hakopa, the chief and the people also that I thought it necessary; told Te Rei also, the chief of Arapata's pa, the same thing; they,took no notice of it. It is my opinion that it is more probable that the injuries were received by a blow from a stick than a blow from a fi9t. Deceased had every attention during his illness, also a sufficient supply of necessaries and medical comforts, furnished by the Commissioners of Native Reserves.

J. D. Greenwood, sworn: Am a surgeon residing at Motueka; atn one of the bench of magistrates there; was present at an investigation held on the 19th February last on a charge of assault; was asked by the Resident Magistrate of Coliingwood to attend; he was then in Motueka; the examination was held in the house in which Manahi was lying; was present when the deposition now shewn, and sighed with the mark of Manahi te Poka were taken; the depositions were read over to Manahi in Maori by Mr. Mackay and signed in my presence. Mr. j. F. Wilson, juri. acted as interpreter; he was duly sworn to act as interpreter on that occasion. The statements of deceased as interpreted by him were correctly taken down; have several times seen Arapata te Whare-tuturu; he was present at the examination he put some questions and they form a part of tho depositions then taken.

Elizabeth Inwood, sworn : Am the wife of William Inwood, laborer of Motueka; remember, a day about the beginning of this year; on that day I was standing at the door of my own house near one of the Maori pas; saw Manahi and Arapata walking in the road ; Arapata was first and Manahi was following him ; when they had proceeded a short distance, Arapata stopped a little wayifrom Manahi and threw a fire-stick, and hit Manahi on the side of the head* which'caus'ed him to fall down; Arapata picked him up, and when he found he could not stand, he dragged him along the ground by the arms and afterwards by his feet; then went into the house and saw nothing more; only saw Arapata strike Manahi once; Arapata appeared to bejvery angry and much excited; did not hear anything said by either of them; did not see Arapata kick him ; they both appeared to be very drunk; cannot say whether or not they went out to fight; only saw them as they went out into the road; it was between 4 and 5 o'clock p.m.; they were the only two natiyes I saw drunk on that day; saw no other natives with them. V

Mr. W.. Jenkins having bten sworn as interpreter, administered the oath to T.e Rei Ngahilii, who said : I reside at Motueka, and am a native chief of a tribe there; know Manahi te Poka; now deceased; lemember 26th December last: saw Manahi in company with, Arapata on.that day ; they were both drunk; saw them quarrelling, but did not then know the cause of their quarrel. Went to separate them; they ceased quarrelling then; told Manahi to go away in another direction, and he went. When he had gone a short distance Arapata followed him, and when they got to the gate of the pa Arapata caught hold of him; he then struck Manahi on the head with a stick ; I did not interfere any more; saw Manahi fall down : I then loft them to themselves. I was at some distance when I saw Manahi' fall; they appeared both of them to be very drunk; saw Afapata kick Manahi when he was on the ground ; Arapata threw the stick at Manahi from a distance of two or three yards; Manahi stood up alone after he was struck down; I only saw Arapata kick him once: saw Arapata drag Manahi along

the ground. I heard nothing from them as to the cause of their quarrel;, they had appeared on good terms with each other up to that time : saw them every day ; did not know of any cause of quarrel previously: never heard any angvy word from Arapata to Manahi before this time. It was a common stick with which Arapata struck him—it was not with an axe ', Arapata kicked him on the Jback; Manahi was walking with his back towards Arapata when the stick was thrown at him; I was turning round to look just as the blow was struck; Arapata lifted him up, and kicked him in the act of lifting him : Arapata had no shoes on at that time. The stick with which Manahi was struck was a piece of manuka, about the thickness of a man's finger; the stick was broken by the blow. It was nearly dark: Manahi walked into the pa, and Arapata came and panted to make friends with him. They were about two yards distant from, each other when the blow was struck. ■■*:■■

Te Peina, sworn: lam a cultivator of the soil at Motueka; know Manahi te Poka; he professed Christianity. lam a teacher among the natives; attended Manahi, and read prayers to him during his illness; perceived the state of his mind more particularly on the day in which he died : I then asked him if he knew who was his Saviour; he replied, " Jesus Christ is my Saviour." From all our conversation, I conclude he was of sane mind. Saw him almost every day during hisillness; never heard him refer to the party who struck him. Ido not belong to the same tribe as Manahi; know Arapata, and belong to his tribe. Went to see Manahi first on my own account, and afterwards by the request of James Debloise. James Debloise,'sworn: Am a farmer residing at-Motueka; I knew deceased; had regularly attended him during his illness until his death. He was attended constantly and carefully,, and Dr. Wilson frequently visited him; he had a sufficient supply of necessaries and of medical comforts; he appeared rational during his illness until his death on Monday last. Never heard him make any statement as to who had hurt him; the place where he died was in Hakopa's pa; he had previously lived in Rei's pa. I first saw him after the assault at Hakopa's pa; it was there that his body was this day viewed by the jury: from the first day I saw him after the assault he was unable to walk. '■.''■■ '

Te Rei, recalled, said : Manahi remained in my pa a fortnight after the assault; he waited upon himself during that time; he went about and cooked his own food. After that he got worse, and his sister came to him and induced him to go to another place that she might attend to him. His sister is since dead ; at her request he went to Hakopa's pa, the place where he afterwards died. The distance from one place to the other is about 200 yards: he walked alone from my. pa to Hakopa's pa. : ''■'.";'■'.'■■''■

The jury, after a long deliberation, returned a verdict of manslaughter against Arapata, who was immediately arrested. t

The natives behaved in a very respectful manner during the inquest—^-a good muster of them being in the adjoining room. They all expressed their determination to abandon their drinking habits, which had caused so much evil amongst them. They quietly submitted to the arrest of Arapata, remarking that it was quite right that the laws should be enforced and respected. " :

Race Ball.—lt will be observed by an advertisement in the present issue that the usual race ball will be held at the Freemasons' Hall, Tra-falgar-street, this evening.

Eccentric Cucumber.-1-Yesterday a cucumber of immense size was shown to us; it measured 3 feet 10 inches long, with a circumference of 7^ inches, and weighed slbs. It is of a snake-like form, or rather it has curvatures like the letter S. It was grown in a garden adjacent to the Waimearoad. ■...-.-: