Family gathers for woman's tangi

Rose Harry's mother speaks out about her popular, fun-loving "free spirit" of a daughter as the family gathers for her tangi in Martinborough.
FRIENDS and relatives from throughout New Zealand and Australia are gathering in Martinborough for the tangi of Pahiatua woman Roseanne Harry. Ms Harry, 33, is from a family with a strong association to Martinborough, being the daughter of Mel Busch, one of Wairarapa's top woman bowlers and a former president of the Wairarapa Women's Bowling Centre. Her body is lying in state at Hau-A-Riki marae prior to her funeral service tomorrow and burial in Martinborough Cemetery. Always known by the shortened version of her Christian name, Rose, Ms Harry was an ex-pupil of Kuranui College, had worked as a shearing shed hand in Martinborough and also on a vineyard. Mrs Busch described her youngest daughter ? one of four ? as a popular, fun-loving woman who would be remembered by those who knew, and loved her, as a " free spirit." Rose Harry shared her mother's love of sport having played softball, netball and touch rugby. Her body was found by police slumped on the floor of her Sedcole Street, Pahiatua home just after midnight last Sunday. Police had rushed to the house and broken into the deserted dwelling after receiving a tip-off from police in Tauranga No one has been arrested in connection with Ms Harry's death but a man is in custody in Palmerston North and helping police with inquiries. Tom Garry Aporo was arrested in Tauranga on " unrelated matters" ? being an alleged earlier assault on Ms Harry, theft of her cell phone and damaging two car windows. He was remanded, without plea, to re-appear to Palmerston North District Court on Monday. Mrs Busch said the people of Pahiatua have rallied around and have been "fantastic" since news of Rose's death became known. She said the police have been " awesome" and help has come from many other organisations, such as victim support. The dead woman's daughters have been trying to cope with the situation as best they could, she said. Ms Harry has three daughters Melodee, 15, who like her mother has worked in shearing sheds, Shyanne, 9, who goes to Pahiatua School and Jayarn who had her first birthday on July 8. For Mrs Busch the death of her daughter is the second time in the last 16 years that homicide inquiries have touched her life. In 1990 her now divorced husband Michael Busch was convicted of the shotgun murder of 14- year- old Ian Silby, in Martinborough, and the attempted murder of another man and was sentenced to life imprisonment. He was released on parole in late 2002 but was recalled to prison six months later for breaching parole conditions, and is still incarcerated. Meanwhile detectives investigating the death of Ms Harry are still not giving details of how she was killed. Officer-in-Charge of the homicide inquiry Detective Sergeant Dave Clifford said "general inquiries" are still being carried out. He said a post mortem was completed in Palmerston North and Ms Harry's body had then been released to her family.