CAPTURE OF WIMATA

Dunstan Times, Issue 1054, 30 June 1882, Page 2

CAPTURE OF WIMATA

w . . iUt'KI.AND, .Tune,27. at Glegh°rn a tar", Epsom, in January, !; 7 ) ‘ * Lo b;,s since been in refuge in t Jio King Country, was captured to-day, aiK p brought lino Hamilton by Constable Gillies . P la, “ for . capture were laid by the pome at the Whaliwhatihoo ineetino ” itnala was then living at le Kiuti. 45

miles inland. The police enlisted the services of a half-cast named Barlow, who went to Te Kiuti trading for pigs with Winiata, supplying him with grog, and making himeplf agreeable. Having ingratiated himself in this way in Waniata’s confidence, he induced him to come into his (Barlow’s) settle-

ment, twenty-five miles from ’Kihikihi. Here Barlow, who is 'a very powerful man, ■Seized him and conveyed him single-handed to Te Awamutu, where ho delivered him to the local police. He will be brought up before the Bench at Hamilton to-day. Later. The police have been actively working in the matter of Winiatft’s capture since the Native meeting at Whatiwhatihoe, and the £SOO reward induced Barlow to undertake the capture. Winiata always carried a loaded revolver and slept with it handy. Barlow having made Winiata and other guests at his settlement drunk, ultimately administered chloroform to Winiata, whom he succeeded in taking behind him on horseback and brought him on to Kihikihi at 4. 30 this morning. On arrival at Hikihiki W aniata recovered and succeeded in getting his hands untied, and made a desperate but ineffectual attempt to escape. On tbe road to Hamilton Winiata asked Constable Gillies to shoot him, knowing his fate would not be far distant. Winiata was cautioned and questioned by Sergeant M’Govern in his cell, Mr John Edgecombe anting as interpreter, at the Hamilton lockup. He says that Mr Whitaker said at Whatiwhatihoe that all back offences were buried, and that be is under Tnwhaio’s sovereignty, and asked permission to telegraph to Tawhaio. The request was granted, the police seeing the telegram. Winiata is apparently in no way disconsolate, and seems to take the whole affair as something altogether unexpected. He smokes his pipe as contentedly as if he we-e in his own whare, and speaks cheerfully to a’l who go and look at him. Great credit is due to Constable Gillies for his tact in cam ing out the instructions. ■Sergeant M Govern had a horse in the stable for the last fortnight in readiness for a start at any moment. Barlow . had previously sold out all his belongings in tbe King Country, and is now with his wife and family in Te Awamutu, He is a Ngatimaniopoto half-caste, and was present at the Whatiwhatihoe meeting. Later telegrams discredit Winiata’s being chloroformed. He was made dead drunk with rum and brandy. Winiata relies on the prosajses [of Mr Whitiker sent to Tawhaio in Auckland, that a l past offences were condoned. He had carried two revolvers til! rhen, but lias not done so since. He says that' a half-caste commenced the dime, and ho ran away for fear of being suspected. Another time he extenuates the crime, and states that at the time of his escape he vi-ite 1 the Mercer Store, tbe Uan-

gin Hotel, and crossed the Ngarnwhaia 15 idge, going up the banks of the Waipa and Te KorL He then swam across the Waipa into the King Country. Winiata telegraphed to Tawhania, I have arrived at H imiltou. It is for you to s[)e<ik or act.”