SCHAFER AMONG THE MAORIS.

Grey River Argus, Volume VI, Issue 438, 3 November 1868, Page 3

SCHAFER AMONG THE MAORIS.

A special correspondent of the Tliames Advertiser gives the following incidents in a trip among the Maoris : — In the course of a few minutes, who should make his appearance but the celebrated individual Mr Schafer, the greatest pedestrian traveller, who at once commenced a complaint of the treatment he had received at the hands of Ropata and his tribe. Mr Richard Matthews, who was present among -the visitors, at once brought his knowledge of Maori into use, and explained to Ropata the expressed dissatisfaction of Mr Schafer, The chief at once requested us to adjourn to a more commodious building, in order that the difference between himself and Mr Schafer might be discussed. We adjourned accordingly to a neighboring whare, where we found a table and some bunks erected, the latter furnishing seats for the occasion. Mr Schafer then stated his grievance as follows : — That he had been living amongst the tribe for a period of two months, and that shortly after his arrival in the settlement he had had allotted to him a young Maori lady in marriage. That they had lived very happily together until recently, when his fair lady, -without assigning any reason for so doing, expressed a wish to leave him. In consequence of this she had been taken away by her parents. The lady in question was then sent for by the chief, and immediately made her appearance. She is a young lady of very modest appearance, and remarkably good-looking. She informed us in excellent English that her name was Lizzy, that she was fifteen years of age, and that she had only left Mrs Kissling's school nine months, and that she was a near relative to the chief Ropata. After some discussion, it was decided, with the concurrence of all present— of ■which the natives formed by far the larger pc rtion — that a jury should be empannelled, consisting of four natives and four Europeans, to be selected by Mr Schafer and his wife respectively. The names of the Europeans who took part in, perhaps, the most remarkable trial on record were Messrs C. F. Quint, R. M. Perston, Richard Matthews, and Captain EUis. . Some delay was caused in selecting four Maori jurors, as Schafer objected to some of those present. Mr Quint was fleeted foreman of the jury, Mr Matthews acting in the capacity of juror and mediator between the parties ; Jack, a native, was appointed interpreter. - Lizzy was first questioned, and stated as follows : — (( I don't wish to live with him (Schafer) now. He has a shawl of mine. I have a ring of Schafer's." In answer to Schafer, she stated that Schafer had given her father £2, that her father had given them to her, and that she had bought a pig with it, which Schafer had helped to eat. She also stated that Schafer had brought with him when he came H cwt. of flour, 3 lbs. of tea, 21b3. of coffee, some candles, find some cooking utensils. Schafer admitted having given Lizzy the ring, but said that he had not given her the shawl. He denied that the pig had been purchased with the £2, and alleged that they were still owing to him by the girl's father. The father had also in his possession a blanket, which Schafer claimed to have returned, and expressed Ms willingness to leave his wife in the settlement, upon having the ring, the £2, the shawl, and some cooking utensils. The father stated that he had given the blanket to a boatman for bringing Schafer's traps from Shortland to the settlement. Mrs Ropata said that as she had cooked for Schafer the whole time he had been in the settlement, she thought she was fairly entitled to retaiu the cooking utensils, which were of a very trifling value. From further evidence, obtained somewhat promiscuously, it appears that some time back a cutter had gone up to the settlement in charge of two Europeans ; that Mrs Schafer had been enticed on board ; thatSchafor felt proportionately aggrieved, find went on board to induce her to return, but was unable to persuade her. A scuffle then ensued between Schafer and the men on board the cutter, in which Schafer received, as he alleged, some very serious injuries. A neighboring chief hearing of this, called together his tribe, and held counsel, when it was decided that Schafer had really received very slight injury — in {act, nothing more ssr'o is than a smack in the face. The council decided that Schafer should leave the' settlement, for being a nuisance, and disturbing its otherwise peaceful repose, and likewise that he should take his wife with him, the chief considering that he (Schafer) was as legally married, according to the Maori custom, as if be had been married by a priest. Schafer's wife's friends refused to allow her to go with him, and he refused to leave the settlement without his things being returned. Before this noted trial took place, Mrs Ropata, we may observe, accused the illustrious German Btranger of being very partial to ladies' society, and accounted for the disagreement that had been caused between herself and husband through jealousy on her part. Returning to the trial, it was shown in the course of evidence that Schafer had been supplied with a whare, and that he had furnished nothing towards his own and his wife's support beyond the few things already mentioned. The jury then retired into the open air to consider their verdict, and after a short deliberation, unanimously decided, first, that Lizzy should retain the ring ; second, that the shawl should be returned ; third, that thecookingutensils should be returned by Mrs Ropata. They also decided that the £2 should not be returned to Schafer, and that Schafer was not entitled to the blankets ; that Schafer should leave the settlement on the following day, and that he should be taken by the Maoris in a canoe on board/the steamer Clyde. The verdict was delivered in both English and Maori, and appeared to give very general satisfaction. The party then adjourned to Ropata's house, in the presence of Schafer and Lizzy, and examined Schafer's box, in which the shawl was discovered, which was gived to Lizzy. The boxes were then carried by two of the jury to Schafer'B whare. We must not omit to mention that the whole proceedings connected with this memorable trial were conducted with the most rigid decorum,