NATIVE VERSION OF THE LATE DISTURBANCES ON THE EAST COAST.

Hawke's Bay Weekly Times, Volume 1, Issue 32, 5 August 1867, Page 194

NATIVE VERSION OF THE LATE DISTURBANCES ON THE EAST COAST.

The * Tauranga Record,’ July 20, has been handed the following communication for publication. It furnishes some clue to the motives which actuated the recent murders at Opotiki, and the condition of the natives there Tauranga, July 15.

. My Dear Sir, —As the murder of Mr White seems to have created some discussion in the papers I will lay a few. facts before you to assist you in coming to a conclusion, and also a letter from Sir George Grey to the Hau-hau portion of the Whakatohea, which Theresa (my wife; delivered to them, and which with the natives amounted to an announcement of a cessation of hostilities :

Opotiki, March 5,15G6.

Salutations to the chiefs of the tribe, —I have arrived in Opotiki. On that account I now call upon you all to come in and surrender to me. Do not delay, but come hack to me at once. If you asseut at once to.come back to me, those people who have been concerned in the murders will be tried by the laws of the land. Large numbers of the native Hauhaus belonging to the eastward have surrendered to me and taken the oath of allegiance. My messengers which carry this letter to you null telL you of all that I have said to them. They will also inform you that I have now along with me Te.Ua, the Hauhau prophet, and that my great desire is to save and.prcserve the Maori race, and to establish a permanent peace throughout thisisland. Sufficient—-from the Governor, - -

G. Grey

A good many natives surrendered at this time, among the rest Waiteria, a Ngatiwai, the chief from whom I got this uarrative. He states that in March last, he fell in with some of his old friends, the Hau-haus, living peaceably at a settlement. The following day, while in the camp he told Major St. John that he had seen a number of natives at Waioweka. This was at once seized upon, by that officer and Waiteria was pressed into the service, (i.e.) he had a gun given to him and was told that he must go with them. Waiteria did go reluctantly, as he -knew that it would bring the vengeance of theHau-haus on his people living in a defenceless state at Opape. However, he went, and two chiefs—Pirihaka and Paora —were slain. A few days afterwards the women from the Hau-haus asked the question, Who brought this taua on us ? . The answer was, Waiteria. While some of the party were out .on another occasion pig-hunt-ing they caught two dogs in the bush, which they knew belonged to the Uriwera. . The Major was informed of this, and the natives told him to call in, all the peoplejfrom the bush. as. they, knew a taua (war party) was out. ..This was poo-poohed by the. Major,, and. two- days, .afterwards poor Beggs and Moore lost their lives. In June Witeria with some other chiefs went to the Native Lands-Court at Maketu, aiid it was while on their way back that Mr Bennett White and Wi Popata were slain. Mr White and his friendwere killed in the evening.. Witeria, accompanied by his son, passed the place, on.the following morning and were fired on by the Hau-haus. . It is.not. improbable that this taua was there; to kill those of the Whakatohea who had been fighting, against them. The Major has implicated these people; after doing so he deprives .them; of their arms which had been served out to therq, and. they, have in consequence been obliged to, desert Opape. where,;they«would- next summer liav.e been more prosperous by cultivating the land, than by fighting but they are quite broken hearted now.? The few, potatoes they, were keeping for seed no doubt.jyill,have .been,destroyed. I should have, got this, account in the native?s own handwriting but. lie is afraid of the Major who he. says would burn down his. settlement and put him ,in gaol. ; Those people have.nothing, everything :Jaas been seized by the. Major,, cattle and -horses' are all taken from, them. I was,one. ofdhe expeditionary Jorce at Opotiki:wh,en the people surrendered, at.which time they were told by Major MlDonnell that they could ,retain ell their , cattle .and.horses, hut this permission has been altered by the present commandant... . > .... Huri aka ka tu.ano ’