AUCKLAND.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 16, Issue 883, 3 December 1870, Page 2

AUCKLAND.

Thursday, Bee. 1, On the 28th November the natives attacked a survey party at Pironga, near Alexandra, on the boundary of the cor.iiscated land of Waikato. At eight o'clock in the morning four armed natives emerged from the bush, and fired a volley into the tent where the surveyors were breakfasting. Hi chard Todd, the head of the party, was shot through the heart, and dittl instantly. A half-caste, one of the party, was wounded in three, places, but he, with the four others, effected his escape, and subsequently arrived safely at Alexan dm.

Todd'.-, body was brought in by the Volunteers, and buried witli masonic honors. A coroner's inquest was held, and a verdict returned of wilful murder against natives unknown, The supposed cause of the outrage is jealousy of the prospectors. The murderers belong to Kawhia, and the chiefs Pato and JSgaru of the Ngat.itamii (?) tribe are supposed to have been at their head.

The s.s. Auckland has arrived from Fiji. A meeting had been held there respecting ownership of the u Daphne " natives, and a committee was appointed to consider the matter. Another committee had drawn up a statement for {be San Francisco Chamber of Commerce, respecting the suitability of Fiji as a port of call. The Auckland left for Sydney to-day.