THE LATE SHOOTING CASE AT ALEXANDRA.

Waikato Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1588, 7 September 1882, Page 2

THE LATE SHOOTING CASE AT ALEXANDRA.

_^ Yestebday's Herald has the following : — " Barlow Mas in town yesterday to see Inspector Thomson, in reference to the stones about the shooting being a^ " put up" affair. Sergeant' McGovern's report reached Inspector Thomson just about the same time as the news came of the alleged confession of Tv Tawhiab and Patupatu. In consequence of £hat news Sergeant McGovern was directed to make another inquiry. Barlow repudiates the very serious accusation which has been made against him. He states that he lent Tv Tawhiao his watch, on getting from him an order to get from Thompson the watch he had given him to have repaired. Barlow says that he had no money with him with which he could have bribed Tn Tawhiao and Patupatu, as stated. He went awayfrom Auckland by the early train, before the bank opened, having only on him a sum under £5, considering that amount sufficient to pay his railway fares and lodging bill at the hotel till his return, and that there) fore, it was not in his power, even if he had desired it, to bribe Tti Tawhiao and Patupatu, with the £5 and £4 respectively, as alleged in the natives' version of the affair." — Seigt. McGovern, acting under instructions, proceeded to Alexandra on Tues* day, his purpose being presumably to interview Wahanui and Whitiora respecting the part they were said to have played in the affair. — Our Alexandra correspondent writing yesterday says :-— "Sergeant McGovern was here yesterday and to-day, and has again inquired into Barlow's affair. Tv Tawhiao acknowledged he was in liquor at the time of the alleged attempt on Barlow's life. Patupatu still adhered to his former evidence, so a mysteiy it still remains — a mystery, however, well known to eveiy native here. Sergeant McGovern interviewed Wahanui, but could gain no information from him, Wahanui saying he had not seen or spoken to Tv Tawhiao since the meeting at Whatiwhatihoe. Notwithstanding the enquiries made by Mr McGovern to elicit the truth of the affair, I am still of opinion ib has been kept from him. It is, however, only a matter of time when the whole will be known to the public as it is generally known to the people of Alexandra." Sergeant McGovern, at all times a most painstaking officer, appears, from all we can hear, to have made a most searching enquiry into the whole of the circumstances surrounding the affair. Tv Tawhiao and Patupatu, who were said to have been bribed by Barlow, were examined under oath before Captain Gascoigne and MrTisdall, J.P. Tv Tawhiao said lie did not remember except himself going witli Barlow to the stable. He was intoxicated, but he did not think Barlow was much under the influence of liquor. He repeated the statement that he had made as to hearing the shots, and declared that he did not know who fired them, but that they came from the left. Barlow could not have fired them himself. The watch business he explains thus : He had sent his own watch to Auckland for repairs, and Barlow gave him his until they met again. The rmg he took from Barlow, but he denied having received any money. As regards Patupatu, Tv Tawhiao said he was in their company during the evening, but he did not believe Barlow gave him any money. He denied having -heard anything about shooting. He had not seen Wahanui or Whitiora since the end of last month, and denied having made any statement to them. He altogether denied having said anything* about the soldiers. Patupatu, who admitted, that he was drunk at the time of the occurrence, said he followed Tv Tawhiao and Barlow out ot the hotel, and heard the shots fired from the left. He also denied having received any money from Barlow. Sergt. McGovern went to Whatiwhatihoe with an interpreter, and interviewed Wahanui, and, in answer to enquiries, the chief said he had not seen Tu' Tawhiao since the May meeting, and had' certainly not spoken to him regarding the shooting. The statements about Tv Tawhiao and Patupatu confessing to him that they had been bribed were groundless. Enquiries ' were made for Whitiora, but it was found that he has not" been in the neighborhood for some time, and ,could not have seen 1 either of Barlow's companions. Several other natives, who, it was said,V. knew all about the matter, were ex- ' amined, but all denied having spread the story .of the t hoax ; As, farasacan be . ascertained, { the result *of ■, the /police ~ enquiry^ is that' Barlow's original, version has been confirmed in all material particulars." ' '' ' '' ' -'" " '•" • J jSergt. McGovern fetiirned. to Hamilton last night. " s"* " v

It is notified that Margaret 1 Nffwei], of Ngaruawahia, arated water manufacturer, a, bankrupt, intends to applyifor-her discharge at the next sitting p^the^Digtnct^Cotirt. ' 3 f l ', j'Cambndro ,' fi'BM*l^j**?raS|a*s«aiid for VWeanesaay, ft©,;WtK}n3t.m afftfieiPublic Hall.