WAIKATO.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 14, Issue 706, 5 August 1869, Page 3

WAIKATO.

The following telegram appears in the New Zealand Herald : Ngaruawahia, July 25, 10.5 p.m. Four strange Maoris, en route to Tofcangamutu, were stopped at the ferry here to-day, on suspicion of having ammunition concealed on them. On their swags being searched, were found twenty-four canisters of powder, one small parcel of blasting powder, fourteen boxes caps, four new guns, and one needle gun cartridge. Natives and swags in safe keeping Prisoners say they purchased the articles in Auck land. There is no doubt now as to how the rebels are supplied with ammunition. Other natives with large sways are expected here to-night or to-morrow. Several natives known to be now in Auckland collecting ammunition for i'e Kooti. Beware ! The correspondent of the Daily Southern Cross writes as foliow* : Ngaruawahia, July 27. To-day the three natives charged with having a quantity of munitions of war in their possession were brought before the Resident Magistrate and Captain Steel, J.P., at Ngaruawhia. At the close of the examination, they stated that what they told the authorities yesterday about where they purchased the arms was all gammon, that they bought them of a Maori in Auckland, and that he had them from a pakeha. Paraihe, Mohi, and Rih-iri, of Tokangamutu, were charged, on the information of Mr Sylvester Maguire, with having in their possession at Ngaruawahia, on Sunday, July the 25th, 4 double-barrel ' guns, 24 canisters powder, 14 boxes caps, a sample of blasting powder, also a needle gun cartridge, contrary to the provisions l of the Anns Act, section 30. Prisoners I pleaded guilty. —Sylvester Maguire, sworn, ! said : I am in charge of the lerry 1 ' brought the natives across the river on Sunday, 25th July. They had five horses | ]Uy suspicions were aroused by seeing their horses so heavily laden. I informed ' Lieutenant Rauier, and Captain Hay the ' officer in charge, and strongly urged on ! them the necessity of hiving their swa-s ' searched. A native in their compam ' nroduced a pass sign-'d by Wi te W.eoro, ' stating that it was all right.- 1 the.' ' searched their bin.dies, and found th< ' different articles mentioned in the infer- ' mation. They strongly objected to being ' searched except by Te YVhooro. Pataiiu- ' stated that they were g ing to Tokanga- j main. —James Molloy deposed : 1 am ' of militia, stationej '• at Ngaruawhia. 1 was called by M.guliv to assist in searching some natives on [Sunday evening, wiio he suspected had arms, &.C., in their possession. On doing , so, the arms before-mention d were lound in their swags. There w.>,s u female in '" company witn them. They oil'.-red no resistance. (The guns, <xc., were produced and identified by Maguire and witness as t being the same.) —Andrew Barton, sworn : v I am clerk and interpreter to the Resident ■ Magistrate's Court. On the 25th July I ' received instructions from Captain Hay to f go to the landing on the river, and see i some natives. I asked where they came * from and where they were going. They i answered from Puii:t Russell to Tokanga- r mutu. I asked them to permit a search s of their swags, but they refused. A Maori t in their company produced a "pass" for Wi te WheorOj but it had no reference to i the prisoners. Paraihe said it was a pjss ( for them all. Captain Hay then ordered t Maguire and Molloy to examine their traps, r and found the guns and ammunition now i produced, and several otlier articles, the } whole being tied up in their swags, —By r the Bench : The prisoners are strangers to j !ne. I have since found they belong to the t Aua tribe formerly belonging to Pukaki r (Mangere),near the Maiiukau. —Theße seii \ decided lu remand prisoners to Auck- I land on August 8, to enable them to pro- s duce Iho party they purchased the articles from.—The Chairman passed a high y euiogium on Maguire for tact and shrewd- 1 ness shown by him in urging on the officer s commanding (contrary to his views) the i necessity of searching the prisoners, where- t by such a large amount of ammunition e was recovered. He would also feel great ? pleasure in recommending him to the do- i Yerument for a reward. I

The New Zealand Herald thus refers to tho above intelligence -. — Vv r e draw attention to our telegram e!sfTvhere respecting the seizure of arms and ammunition made at JNgaruawhia on the persons of four natives seized en route fur iokungamutu. These natives were travelling from Auckland to the former place, ftncl they *tate that it was in Auckland that they procured the guns and the ammunition, equal altogether to 1,000 rounds We trust that these natives taken prisoners will be detained by the authorities, iliey are liable to severe punishment ; bui tlif punishment of these men is after all a secondary consideration. The veal ciitmnals, the most deserving of punishment, are those of our own race who supplied these natives with the guns, powder, and caps. Let the natives taken at Ngaluuwuhia give up the names of those Europeans in Auckland who supplied thein with the ammunition, and give sufficient evidence of the truth of their confession, 80 that we can bring the crime home to the more guilty parties, and we might with public benefit forego any prosecution h o' d inst themselves. To do this would be Do difficult matter. Let the authorities, Without u hiDt of their intentions, and so as to give no opportunity for-a preconcerted story, at once separate the four natives, §H take the separate confession of each

jone. if their accounts tallied, there woul I 'at once be strong evidence of guilt against the accused parties. Whatever is done must be done at once, and such an opportunity of putting a cheek on this nefarious trade in the blood of our settlers should not be lost. |