PARIHAKA NATIVE MEETING.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1586, 20 March 1879, Page 3

PARIHAKA NATIVE MEETING.

[Press Special Wire.] [own CORRESPONDENT OP PRESS AGENCY.] Opunakk, March 18.

After the actual meeting was over our agent and Mr Williams, assistant land purchaser for the district, withdrew to the Government whare in order that his Government and the Press messages might be despatched. Hiroki, whom I had seen the previous evening, made a display of himself openly, armed and defiant with protruding tongue, showing, aa he imagined, his immunity from danger, and his defiance and contempt of the Government. The Natives say he did this under and with Te Whiti’s authority who sanctioned that course of conduct. The reason of Hiroki’s defiance cam# about in this way. There was a Government reward hanging over his capture of £2OO, and a half-caste and a white man last evening tried to earn the blood money. Thera is no need to disclose names. They went for the reward but were frustrated. Hiroki goes armed with a tomahawk and a double-barrelled gun when whites are present in Kaikanga, but sits as any other Native in the village otherwise. He lives in a whare on the east side of the creek, close to Te Whiti’s. He has many sympathisers among the Natives. This singular people think the blood of Hiroki can be conserved by acquiescence in the confiscation of the Waimate. This is one of the objects they want Mr Sheehan to discuss with them. They want Hiroki thrown in with their reserves. Their action is the result of hunger for race conservation. His capture, I am told, could be easily accomplished, but then many want his safety to be secured. It appears there is no direct evidence against the man for McLean’s murder, only circumstantial. There is no warrant out for his arrest, and no authority by which the Government could offer a reward for his capture. I heard it suggested that ho should prosecute the Government for malicious wounding. Direct evidence as to his killing McLean, it appears, can only bo obtained from his own confession. The fact remains that he is at Parihaka, thrust info a prominent position, and held as part of the price of Whemiamuru. He is a short, muscular, and compactly-built man, with prominent lips, and slight beard with red tinge, untattoed, prepo sensing in _ appearance, fluent in tongue, speaking Maori and broken Engli h. His version is as follows :—Ho was a resident at Monuhaki, and the surveyors’ men were unauthorised in killing his pigs, and charged him with having killed their dog. This caused a demand for utu, for here, it should bo remembered, some two months previously ho had robbed and burnt a settler’s whare, and had taken a gun, which is now his at Parihaka, a cheque book, a cheque, and

some money. Hiroki-’s wife took the cheque to Fisher’s, at Wuitoiara, to buy goods, when detection ensued. A fear of the result of the robbery then took possession of Hiroki’s mind. He beat his wife for having _ presented the cheque. She left him, he staying as a moki moki, or stranger —a lone man from her—while she remained at Kaikanga, at Waitotara bridge. It is asserted when the charge of robbery was thus brought home to him he declared that only for a far graver offence would he be arrested. But to return to Hiroki and pigs. He asserts that he had had a dispute with the owner of the dog, the man, it is believed, he intended to have shot instead of McLean. Next day he went to the camp, however, and declares that the man ho shot first fired at him and wounded him. after which he shot him and returned to a wharo where he was living, and told an old man that ho had shot a pakeha, after which he went and saw Tamsnui, seating ho was going away. The facts of the case are thus Hiroki went to the survey camp with the purpose of committing another robbery, wbicb ho effected. On arriving at the camp he saw McLean drawing water from the creek and shot him ; he then took some things from the camp, a sheet and McLean’s cap, and some ammunition with other things. After shooting, he went and told the old Native what he had done, and his aged confidant then went to Hay Southcombe at Waitotara, and told him that Hiroki had killed a man. Had this intelligence been given earlier his capture should have been easy. All details of pursuit and being shot at inland of Waipoklna are public property. Mr Williams, when he was shot at, found things he had pilfered from camp, which ho threw away as an encumbrance to ensure his escape. When he went to Parihaka he assorted ho had shot McLean, because he was pouri aboutthe survey of the confiscated land, and thus obtained protection, sympathy, and condolence. The men there still believe the story, and hence the demand for his life as a portion of ihe price for the Waimate Plains.

After the midday meal was over there was no more speaking, but in the evening Tohua, Te Wheti’s brother, found it Inecessary to explain to the multitude the cause of his brother’s reticence. He told them Te Wheti’s work was done, and nothing more could be done until the Tahapu was present. There is a rumor of talk to-morrow, but nothing of any political importance can transpire until Tahapu appears.