TRIAL FOR MURDER.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 June 1921, Page 4

TRIAL FOR MURDER.

CHARGE AGAINST MAORI. CASE FOR PROSECUTION. FURTHER EVIDENCE HEARD. By Telegraph.—Ureas Association. Hamilton, Jufie 22. The Hakaria Te Kahu murder rial was continued to-day. Mrs. Kerepaehi Hamutana said she remembered her son killing a pig during Easter. On IWter Sunday he came home and left again at night. She accompanied him outride and saw a light burning in Elliott’s whare. Paul Tehiko, surfaceman employed by the Taupo Timber Company, said he belonged to the river gang consisting of prisoner, Elliott and himself. Elliott told Te Kahu and witness that he would be back at work on Monday morning. Witness left Mokai at four o’clock on Sunday afternoon and reached Ongaroto about six, when he noticed both Elliott • and Te Kahu’s whares were closed. Ha called out: “Dick, is anyone in?” anX got no reply. He saw neither of the two men that night. Next morning he went to the whares, and, finding both locked, called early on Tuesday morning, but no one was in. About 9 o’clock he saw Te Kahu in the whare with two Native women, Mere Humatana and Here Peka. Witness asked Te Kahu where Elliott was. Prisoner replied that he left Elliot in the whare on Monday morning. Witness went to look for Elliott but could find no trace. The following day he joined the search party. The partyfound blood-stains along the river, on a' stone near the river, and along the track leading from this point through the ti-tree.

Replying to Mr. Hamson, witness said the gang was a happy little party. Te Kahu and Elliott were very friendly, and frequently went shooting and fishing together. Witness was present, in company with Elliott, at the sports at Mokai on Good Friday. Witness took part in a two-up school there on Saturday He did not see Elliott playing two-up. THE SEARCH FOR ELLIOTT. STATEMENTS BY THE ACCUSED. CLUE OF BANK NOTES. Hamilton, Last Night. The murder trial was continued this afternoon. Campbell Hamilton, a half-caste farmer, said he was one of the search party which on Tuesday found blood stains and footprints and a dead duck about half a mile below Cox’s place. They followed the footprint, which led to the stream. There was a good deal of blood about, and the bloodstains led to the river, where further blood was found, while a large stone on the river’s edge was smeared with blood. The following day they went out again, Te Kahu being among the party. Constable Wright asked Te Kahu if he knew what the blood stains were, and he replied that he did not know. The constable asked Te Kahu to lead the party along the track taken on Sunday, Te Kahu took the lead, but did not stop when the spot where the blood stains were first found was reached. Te Kahu waa leading away from the river, and in answer to the constable he twice said that was the track taken on Sunday. About half an hour later Te Kahu said to witness that if it had not been for the blood stains the policemen would not have known that an occurrence had taken place in the locality. His Honor (to the interpreter): “Is ‘occurrence’ the exact translation?” The interpreter: “Well, ‘happening’ or; ‘circumstance’ would be equivalent.” Witness, continuing, said a few daysj later he had a conversation with Te Kahu, whom he asked whether any friends had given him money to change. He replied “No.” Witness told Te Kahu that as there were several police officers in the locality if he desired to flay anything he had better tell witness. Te Kahu replied that he did not like to tell witnea* anything because the police were present and they could not speak Maori. He asked Te Kahu whether he had received a £5 or a £lO note from any friend, and Te Kahu answered that he did not, but he himself had obtained two £5 notes from Mokai, and thjfey were his own money. Te Kahu told . him he went to Mokai on Monday morning, leaving Elliott in bed asleep. John Munro Clark, clerk in the employ of the Taupo Totara Timber Company, said he paid Te Kahu his wages on Good Friday, and also handed Elliott’* pay to Michael Brady, permanent way foreman, to give Elliott. Witnesa kept a record of all the notes above the value of £l, and entered opposite the names of the payees. He paid Te Kahu one p 5 note (No. 348798). Elliott’s pay included two £5 notes (Nos. 486614 and 325986). In February he paid Elliott one £lO note (No. 029027). He was particularly careful to accurately record the names of the persons to whom he paid the notes. It was not possible for . the two £5 notes in question to have got into the hands of anybody but Elliott by mistake. Michael Brady, foreman of the permanent way, described the delivery of the letter to Elliott. Clive Norman, a bush hand, of Mokai, said that on Easter Monday he took part in a two-up school, and Te Kahu there asked him to change a £lO note) Selim Becca, storekeeper, of Mokai, said that on Easter Monday morning prisoner bought boots, tendering a £5 note. Witness next morning banked all the money in the Mokai Post Office. Frederick Caterer, assistant poet* master at Mokai, said he remitted to the chief post office, Hamilton, on March 29 and 31 notes, amongst which were two Bank of New Zealand £5 notes (Nos. 325986 and 486614). He did not know by whom they were handed in. The. case was adjourned until tomorrow morning.