MURDER BY A MAORI AT BLENHEIM.

Waikato Times, Volume XVI, Issue 1371, 14 April 1881, Page 3

MURDER BY A MAORI AT BLENHEIM.

Wk give the following additional partioulars relative to tho late tragedy which was published in tho Waikato Times of Tuesday :— Waikawa Pa 19 distant three and a half miles from Picton, and contains a population of some 60 or more, fairly well circumstanced Maoris. From information received from sources on the fspot, it would appear that a "house-moving " waH taking place on Saturday afternoon, and the contractor for the job, finding that assistance would be greatly accelerated oji tho part of the Maoris by supplying them wi'h some liquor, sent for about ten gallons of beer to Picton, on which it would seem the natives made haste to be merry. At dusk in the evening tho committee were attracted to the residence of one Ropoama PeniPeni, a quiet though intemperate Maori. On arrival at his residence he was seen struggling with his wife, Mary Eopoama, and his nephew, Rawiri. They were beating him with their fists, whilst, from some cause no one (■aw, liopoatna sfcruch either one or other. Some Maoris interfered. The fight was discontinued tor some time, only to be renewed shortly after, when a blow from Rawiri knocked his uncle down, his head very probably coming in contact with a tree stump in the orchard where the fight took place. Whether this was so or not, it is clear that Ropoama never spoke afterwards, and from that minute gradually sank away until he died on Sunday afternoon. Of the origin of the fight the inquest, so far as it went on Monday, revealed nothing ; but there can be little doubt that an intimacy has for some time past existed between JKawiri and his aunt, and that the state of his domestic affairs were suspected by Kopoama. The popular voice, therefore, ascribes the quarrel to have originated out of the husband having discovered such facts as to leave no false impression on his mind of the relations existing between the two. On receipt of information, Sergeants Scanlan and Keily immediately proceeded to the pa. On arrival they were told that Rawiri had left the pa, and gone in the direction of Picton. The police, fearing that Rawiri might endeavour to escape down the Sounds in one of the Maori boats, went to the beach, and took out the oars and sails lying about, and placed them in charge of Dan Love, a half-caste, whom they held responsible for anything that might happen. The police than set to work to search the pa and adjoining scrub, but did not succeed in finding any tra,ce of Rawiri. Towards midnight Sergeant Soanlan and the others returned to town, leaving Sergeant Keily and a young fellow named Frank Godfrey to watch the pa, it being anticipated that Rawiri would come in the early morning for provisions. The night was ,cold, which not suiting the energetic disposition of Sergeant Kelly, he proceeded to an old shod about a mile from the pa, which had been searched on the previous evening. On reaching the shed, Keily and Godfrey groped their way inside, and were walkiug over the hay that was lying about it when Godfrey uttered an ejaculation, and said that he felt something under his feet. A match' was, therefore, struck, and Sergeant Keily stooped down, and, lifting aside the hay, found the object of their search buried^ beneath. He then and there arrested Rawiri on the charge of killing Ropoamo, and brought him up to Piqton, where ho arrived at 4 o'clock on Monday morning. . The,greatest praise is given on all sides to Sergeants Keily and Scanlan for the energy displayed by them in securing the person of the alleged murderer Rawiri. Eawiri, the prisoner, 19 a young man, abont 26 years of age. He has a not unintelligent countenance, and is generally considered to be about -tbe-.best of the Waikawa^Maories. He conducts himself yery qiUetly/but appears downcast at the unfortunate position in which, h.e has been placed by his conduct. ' J^ary Ropoama/wif © '6t--%o -ttian, : iB a'pleasant-featured native of 40 years of age, Shehanbe^oaarrestedj— >2ktrfflL, 'W