SHELLING VILLAGES

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 2017, 19 December 1888, Page 3

SHELLING VILLAGES

(Pbb Prbss Association.) Auckland, December 18. H.M.S. Opal arrived to-day from Noumea. During her cruise m the New Hebrides the veisel shaded several villages m punishment for the murder of Mr V I*' Walker. The Opal was rff the friendly village of Museeso on the the 23rd, when ih« chief there pointed out tbb village of the people who had murdered Mr Walker, and said that it waa quite unprovoked, and committed entirely to get possession Of his trade. Messengers were tent 1o ihe ohfefs of these murderous aavages to come to meet the captain of th« Opal and pay the penalty be should infl'ot, or that war would be made on the following morning. The chiefs, m reply, refuted to come, admitted the murder and offorsd » man and two p'gs m reparation. This was rejected, aa was also the offer of tho " actual murderer," this being obviously • subterfuge, ai there were over forty •hoti fired at Walker* boat,<«rad the whole population was engaged m it ; bnt as a tut they were ordered to bring him down to Ihe beach. On the morning of the 24th the ship approaobed dose to the land whioh is very high and preolpitous there, and there were no signs of natives, the population having apparently gone up the biles oot of the way of punishment, which they knew was to follow The Opal then bombarded the whole promontory on whioh these village! stood.