THE WHANGAREI CASE

Auckland Star, Volume III, Issue 631, 19 January 1872, Page 2

THE WHANGAREI CASE

Considerable interest attaches to the recent case tried in the Supreme Court, in which Mr Pratt, of "Whangarei, was charged with a breach of the Arms Act in selling arms to natives, It wijil be recollected that the informant and ose of the principal witnesses against Mr-iPratt was one Eiwi. We have this day rr t'iyed the following extraordinary cobs, inication, which he forwarded to us w jh the aboriginal form of delicate flattery jb the effect that he " heard that the > Stab was the paper with the strong arm." Owing to the prominent part which this native took in the prosecution, we feel it right to give insertion to his letter without vouching for the correctness of his assertions. If the person whom he charges as being the instigator of the prosecution feels the charge to be unjust, it will afford us much pleasure to give him opportunity for rebutting it, through, our columns. If the charge is true we must hear more about it.

To the Editor of the Evening Stab. Akarana, Hanuere 16,1872. He whaka atu ra nga tenei naku kia koutou c nga pakeha i te take i poata tia ai a Parati mo te hoko pu. Ka hore aku kino kite na pakeha i mua no te taenga mai o Hone Keeti ki Wangarei, ka tahi ka tonoa kia au kia whaka atu ahau ia Paraati. Ka ki mai kia £300 maku te utu mo te whaki tanga ka ki mai taku mahi tena i te Temi he whaki pakeha kia raru ai na kia rongo mai koutou i ki mai a Hone Keeti kia matou kana ia c whakina he tangata ia mo te Kawanatanga. Na, c hoa, ma he aha te pai o tenei mahi whaono i a au i ngoa kino ai ahau i oku hoa pakeha o Wangarei o Akarana hoki ko tenei hooi to matou whaka ronejo. Kia ia kite na a whekaihe korero teka pati moni a to Kavranatanga hoi ano- Na to koutou hoa. Na Eiwi Taikana, 0 Wangarei.

[tbahsiation.]

Auckland, January 16, 1872,

I 'wish to make the following statement to the Europeans—the reason I laid the infor J3a-< tion against Pratt for selling guns. I was at all times friendly with that white man until John Gage came to "Wangarei, and urged me to turn informer against Pratt. He promised to pay me £300 for doing the work, and told me he had informed against some white men at the Tiiames and got them into trouble. John Gage made me promise not to mention his rname, because he belonged to the Govern* ment. O, friend, why did he draw me into this trouble, and injure mo in the eye 3of my white friends at Wangarei and Auckland. We will never listen to the talk of _ that lying half, caste again. He is only deceiving the Government.

Sufficient. Prom your friend. (Signed) Erwi TjIEAXA