Shooting Affray in Cook Islands
p. 40 · Read in the full issue
From Our Own Correspondent.
RAROTONGA, December 4.
THE community was painfully stir red by the news of a shooting affray at one of the villages (Aorangi) on the island.
The trouble appears to have occurred over the question of removal of a cot tage from a piece of land, the property of a white man, Mr. T. Watson. The other person interested in the matter of possession of the cottage, Mr. D.
McBirney, also a white man, took steps to demolish the structure with the idea of carting it away in sections by lorry.
With a working party of natives, Mr.
McBirney made a start on the work at about 7 o’clock in the morning. Mr.
Watson appeared on the scene with a small shotgun and, it is believed, fired upon Mr. McBirney, who at the moment was on the roof of the build ing.
Mr. McBirney, who was peppered about the arms and body with small shot, was taken to the hospital for attention. In the absence of the doc tor the extent of his injuries is not definitely known, but reports disclose that he is in no danger.
Watson has been arrested and is to be tried at Rarotonga for attempted murder. Conflicting opinions are said to exist in the community as to whether the shooting was intentional.