HIROKI’S CONFESSION.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2549, 9 June 1882, Page 3

HIROKI’S CONFESSION.

Ppbbbs association tblkgbam, 1 NEW PLYMOUTH, June 8.

The following is Eiroki’s confession : —ln January Mr O. Brown and Mr John Sheehan spoke about the land, when the latter was Native Minister at Mahiki. I told McLean you had not better let any white man go on that land, I told Mr Sheehan if I see you put white Imen on my land—that is, the surveyors—l warn them that I will kill them. After that time some more white men oamepn to survey the land. I asked them, ‘ Who told you to come on to my land ?’ They said it was the Government. It was McLean’s brother that told me. Then I told them that they must not go any further. I told them that if they persisted going on surveying the land I would kill them all. They ea ; .d to me, ‘ Never mind what you say,’ I told them to go home, and they went away home. The next day they oamo back again. I and another Maori wont to the place. I told McLean that I told him not to come on the land, or I will kill him. When I told him that McLean said, ‘Never mind, you are a b pig.’ I told him, ‘ I will kill you all, but you will not know the time. I will kill you,’ meaning any of yon. In September I went to the place for the intention of killing any of them that I found there on the land. As I was going up to the place where they camped, at the tent I saw John MoLean looking towards me. When he saw me he went into the tent, for he knew that I meant something. I went towards the door of the tent. McLean stood in one end of tent at the back. McLaan fired at me with a gun, and the ball wont through my right side, as I stood in front of the door, but did not go through my body, only through my clothes, under my armpit. I caught his arm (gun), and pulled it away from him, and MoLean ran away, and I fired at him. That is what killed him, and he fell in the water close to the river. It was a small river. I went away and I took one sheet, some tobacco, and some bullets. That is all I cun remember taking. The reason I took them was to show tho Natives what I had done, I told some of the witnesses that came to the trial what I did. Some cf them told the truth about my killing the white man. I also told a good many of tho Maori people when I wont to Parihaka what I had done. I told about fifty of the Natives. I told Te Whiti and other Maoris. Te Whiti knew all about what I had done. I did not keep it secret from any of them. The whole bother was about the land. I owned some of tho land that was there. Some of the pigs that were mine were killed, I think I have told you all. I should have told you this before. At my trial X asked the Oourt when I was to talk. The Court told mo that I could not speak if the lawyer had done speaking. I was waiting for them to ask me. I was not asked till I saw the Judge putting on the black cap and passed a sentence on mo. I hope that you will telegraph this to the Government about the matter at once. I know I have only four more days to live, as I dreamt the other night as I told you.