OPOTIKI.

Hawke's Bay Weekly Times, Volume 1, Issue 35, 26 August 1867, Page 212

OPOTIKI.

(Prom the Tauranga Record, August 10.)

The news from Opotiki is distressing, nay heartbreaking, in fact Providence alone knows what is to become* of this, the garden of the Bay of Plenty, but more recently ill-fated settlement. Day after day, and week after week has it become our painful and distressing duty to record the barbarous and brutal murders of our fellow settlers, and what is more lamentable is the fact that these outrages are all being committed within a few miles of a renowned military settlement. By the arrival of the s.s. Tauranga we receive the painful rumour of another cold-blooded murder having been committed near the spot where poor Bennett White met bis Late.

It appears from information received from u respectable settler, who was a pasr senger from Opotiki, that before leaving the river, messengers arrived at Opotiki, stating that a butcher of tlie name of Cannon, who had about ten days previous left Opotiki for the purpose of bringing cattle from Whakatane, whilst on his return was waylaid and brutally murdered. Cannon was a butcher, formerly in th® employ of Mr Kelly, the contractor, and is spoken of as a respectable settler, who for some time past has been living there. The horse on which Cannon was riding was found shot, but nothing could be found, or' heard of him; The only conclusion being that he was shot in the same manner as Mr White.

It appears that the Uriwera tribe, who' hold the back part of the country, outside the confiscated block, have , joined issue with the Ngatewhakatolieas, and for that ourpose have drafted out of their tribe 100 of their picked men, whose duties are to attack or intercept in any way' they may think best, Europeans or friendly natives. .... .

The friendly chief, Wiremu Kingi, who resides at Torere, a settlement about fifteen miles to the eastward of Opotiki, was warned some two or three weeks ago that he might expect ati "attack from this marauding party, consequently he set To work in good earnest, and built a pah, which is considered to .he impregnable. At the time William King received this news, there were living with Him about fifty of the Opotiki natives—Ngatawhakatoheas—who instantly fled, and. are. supposed to have joined the Hauhaus'. ..:v :. . A very large pah-has beeh' built by tließe fanatic.savages, home thirty / miles . inland of Qpotiki, are extensive cultivations.: 'The.' Gorge lias Been carefully ;;recqiihoitered by our forces,.tliereisaiO;jeasori:to.::believethat there are any secret lurking: parties in that direction. / A \