THE MURDER OF PETERA KOIKOL—NATIVE MEETING AT MAUNGATAPU.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume IV, Issue 361, 23 February 1876, Page 2

THE MURDER OF PETERA KOIKOL— NATIVE MEETING AT MAUNGATAPU.

A' most important native meeting was held on Monday at Maungatapu, relative to. tKe murder of PefceraEjoiicoi. l All the Tauranga chief s were present; Tlie • proceedings ! were * commenced i: byr. Mr • Hopkins Clarke reading over to- them; his instruetHiris> afteir which Ke^ called upon the chiefs to assist Tifnq ip. -08Xij~ iijg.out. the reqidrements of the law. . He also -infornafed : th'em ; thia't •& warrant for the apprehehsidii of the murderers . was out, and "he expected tpse.e;: the Ngaiterangi 'chie'f s execute it. , ; |Sonie of. the .chiefs; were strongly oppo^e^ to • the Gove'rhiient: taMng action'in'the matter, as it' was a purbly xiatiye affair ; bringing- forward 1 the T ; eko : muT'd'erV and asking why Himiona was not given/up to justice for; tKe ihurder off

Tukeno?' Bet 1 h'inv Ye given up first' and then demand ; the murderers of Koikoi. The question^ was • asked of Mr Clarke if the murdered, man was a relative of ; his that he should be so urgent for the arrest of the murderers of Koikoi. Mr "Clarke replied yes, in the eyes ok the law he was his brother, though he had a dark skin, and as- he j was his brother he demanded those men. The chiefs then expressed a wish that the warrant should not be immediately exeouted, and regretted that Sir Donald McLean and Mr- Henry Clarke were not present at the meeting. They were told if they were present they could say only the same as Mr Hopkins Clarke — " give up the murderers that they might be dealt with accQjjjfcing to law-" The general opi^^of the chiefs is, that the murderers will shortly be given up. They are now waiting reply to a communication sent to the Honorable the Native Minister. The tone* of the meeting was very different at its close to what it was at the beginning It is the wish of Mr Clarke to make the Ngaiterangi chief s execute the warrant. We have heard a rumour that Himiona, the murderer of Tukino, is likely to be given up by the Urewera to justice. This will greatly facilitate the arrest of the Tairua murderers. There will then be no excuse for keeping them back.