Another Murder

the Cooks

A WEEK after a coroner’s in. had failed to find the of the death last Decemli a Rarotonga woman, a man arrested in mid-September fo murder of another Raro woman. The two cases weret way connected.

It will be recalled that; Zealand police investigated I appeared to be the murder'* woman at Rarotonga last Decs while a Union Steam Shiji trans-Pacific freighter was« charging cargo at the islan A police officer later fie Canada to interview crew-meK and another officer carrieo; investigations in Rarotonga au by the local police.

No arrest was made, b( statements alleged to have? dictated to the police by wife; were later repudiated when. witnesses were asked to io certain seamen on the ship’s to Rarotonga.

It then appeared that tha| ments had not been signed I witnesses and that nothing be done.

In September the Coroner that there was no satist evidence to indicate how deceased came to be drowned: added: “This death, and the ci: stances, or alleged circums surrounding it, have naj caused great concern too authorities and to many responsible people. Those ? know the truth —and there ? be some persons who do —bui failed to tell the truth, muss with them to their own deaj reproach of this Court an the responsible members o community, for their att Several who have made state> voluntarily to the Police, later retracted them, sayin§j their first full statements; false. Therefore, either thei; or their later statements plainly, lies. In some count is a criminal offence to makes false statements to the Polio Administration is recommenti consider this aspect very full carefully.”

The other murder took pl;l September 10. Mrs. Moerosc Browne, 27, mother of children, was found shot i home at Nikao, Rarotonga, police hunt was quicklv org and two hours later Kurariki, 26, labourer, was as and charged with murder., woman’s husband was on a b:i visit to Fenrhyn Island i time. Mrs. Browne wais daughter of Mr. Fred Sti well-known local resident.