MURDER SUSPECTED

Wairarapa Times-Age, 3 June 1939, Page 11

MURDER SUSPECTED

DEATH OF MAORI. CORONER’S COMMENT AT INQUEST. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) AUCKLAND, June 2. There seemed to be no doubt that the man had ben murdered, said the coroner, Mr. C. K. Lawrie, J.P., in returning a verdict at an inquest yesterday into the death of George Kahi a Pukekohe Maori, single, aged 24. Kahi was found lying in a semi-conscious condition on the side of a by-road in Te Kauwhata, about 11 p.m. on January 28, suffering from injuries to the head, from which he died later. The coroner’s verdict was that death took place at the Waikato Hospital on February 10, the cause being laceration of the brain resulting from injuries indictee} by some person or persons. Mr. Lawrie commented that the police might.be:, able- to -find- who was responsible. Henry Kahi, a brother of deceased, said that on January 28 he and deceased left Pukekohe late in the afternoon for Te Kauwhata. in witness's car, taking their mother and witness’s wife and children. “When we arrived at Te Kauwhata a party was in progress at Amo Tupuhi’s place,” continued witness. “It was about 7.30 p.m. Deceased accompanied me into Tupuhi’s place. I sat at the table and deceaseci sat at another part of the table. I did not see him again that night. I then drove my car about another 50 yards up Massey Road to turn at the entrance to Watson’s Garage. The car lights were switched on.” He knew where deceased was found injured later —a foot or two from the entrance and was quite sure that he could not have helped seeing him had he been there as the car turned. He was not there then. Charlie Tai said in evidence: “I have a recollection of walking up the road with George Kahi that night. I left him up there and did not see him again until after he was injured." Amo Tupuhi said: “When I walked down the road to go to my home I met George Kahi coming up the road. He recognised me and said that his mother was in the car. I went on down the road and George Kahi continued on up toward the garage. William Alexander Watson, taxidriver. described how he found George Kahi lying by the side of the garage entrance as he turned the car in at about 11 p.m. Detective-Sergeant Nalder said he interviewed George Kahi after his admission to hospital. The injured man did not give any information as to what had occurred or how he had received the injuries. He was apparently struck with a board, about 4Jft. long, taken that night from the hut of New Haranui, a few yards from where he had been found injured.