Neighbours: Police knew of pair's rows

The block in which Diane White and her accused killer lived. Photo / Christine Cornege

Neighbours of a murdered Hamilton woman say authorities knew of tensions between her and her alleged killer, and should have acted sooner.

A five-year neighbour told the Herald the victim, Diane White, and her alleged killer had lived in adjoining duplex units and "were at loggerheads from day one".

Post-mortem results show the 53-year-old died of a head injury about midday on Tuesday.

Her alleged killer, a 40-year-old woman, is understood to be a patient at the Henry Bennett Centre mental health facility.

She appeared in Hamilton District Court on Wednesday charged with murder, and was remanded until next month.

She had lived in the unit until booking herself in to the mental health centre about a week ago, the neighbour said.

Police and mental health authorities knew of the situation between the two, he added.

"Everybody knew, but it just carried on and on. It's really unfortunate and very, very sad."

A close friend of Ms White also criticised the lack of action.

"Why didn't they bring Diane over here when they knew there was a problem?

"They could have brought her over here and she would still be alive."

The man said Ms White had no family in New Zealand.

Her son, believed to be in his 20s, lives in Perth and is understood to be returning to arrange her funeral.

Ms White has a sister living in Britain.

Other neighbours told The Waikato Times that up to six other mental health patients had lived at the address before the accused.

All had left partly because of disagreements with Ms White.

James Wilson, who lent tools to the accused, felt mental health authorities should have acted sooner.

Social workers had also been warned about the tensions.

The pair had an argument about two weeks ago and police had to be called in.

A woman earlier told the Herald she twice called the Henry Bennett Centre for help before dialling 111 to contact police herself when the accused came to visit her shortly before the attack on Ms White.

The Waikato police district commander, Superintendent Allan Boreham, said he could not say much on the matter, as it was before the courts.

But he was satisfied with the initial reporting to police from the centre on Tuesday and that agreed procedures were followed for the nature of the call.

Herald questions to the Waikato District Health Board went unanswered, but its chief executive Craig Climo issued a statement saying agreed procedures for such incidents were followed.