Table of Contents

Introduction 9
1. TE AWA, TE WHENUA 15
2. RETURN TO PUKEKAWA 41
3. A TERRIBLE BLOODY MESS 54
4. THE INVESTIGATION 63
5. THE ARREST 93
6. THE FIRST TRIAL 112
7. THE BACKLASH 134
8. THE SECOND TRIAL 144
9. THE GATHERING STORM 167
10. THE PARDON 183
11. THE ROYAL COMMISSION
OF INQUIRY 199
12. INTEREST REKINDLED 211
13. SHORTFALLS 229
14. BULLETS, WIRE, AXLE 247
15. A DISTRICT DIVIDED 274
16. THE COURT OF LAST RESORT 286
Notes 297
Bibliography 308
Acknowledgements 310
About the authors 312
Index 313

About the Author

Kirsty Johnston is an investigative journalist with an interest in inequality, gender and social justice. Her work has helped to change lives, such as the banning of seclusion rooms in primary schools, and the repeal of a law that discriminated against family carers for the disabled. She began her career at the Taranaki Daily News and has worked at Stuff, the Sunday Star-Times and the New Zealand Herald. She was awarded Best Investigation at the national media awards in 2014, Best Crime and Social Issues reporter in 2019, and Reporter of the Year in 2022. She has made two documentaries. She now works for RNZ.

James Hollings is an Associate Professor of journalism at Massey University in Wellington. He is the author of A Moral Truth: 150 Years of Investigative Journalism in New Zealand as well as numerous academic articles on journalism. Before joining Massey, he was a radio and newspaper journalist both in New Zealand and overseas. He has also made two documentaries.