MASSACRE AND CANNIBALISM ON THE HON. MR. SEYMOUR’S RUN.

Marlborough Express, Volume IV, Issue 170, 10 April 1869, Page 5

MASSACRE AND CANNIBALISM ON THE HON. MR. SEYMOUR’S RUN.

By the arrival of the Jane from Tauranga we ( Herald) are in possession of an interesting letter from our own correspondent at that place, giving a detailed account of some more of Te Kooti’s atrocities. The Arawas under Major Mair are apparently riding rusty, and Major Mair has been obliged to fall back on Opotiki. As the Tauranga Cavalry have gone out to support the Major, the arrival of our little corps of Artillery will be extremely opportune. Tuuranga, March 22nd.

The story of this atrociously cold-blooded affair is soon told, and is quite in keeping with the other acts of the monster Te Kooti. The particulars were conveyed by one of the tribe named Rangitaiki, who was the only one who escaped (how, does not appear,) to recite the awful fate of his friends.

On the 18th, Te Kooti with a party of 300 crossed the Rangitaiki river from the Hauhau settlement at Te Whaiti, called Tauaroa, where the enemy is encamped, hourly receiving fresh reinforcements from the interior of the Uriwera country. Te Kooti then proceeded to a new settlement called Te Motu-maka, belonging to a hapu of the Arawa tribe, called Nga te Manawa. There were only eleven of them at the settlement. Te Kooti called upon them to come out and speak to him in a friendly manner, promising to do them no harm. Thus thrown off their guard by this brutal savage they somewhat reluctantly obeyed, and were at once killed, cut to pieces, and cooked in their own copper Maoris. The settlement was then ransacked, and some desirable loot fell into their hands, in the shape of a good supply of Government rifles and ammunition. These unfortunate men had done good service for the Government in their time, for which they have been handsomely rewarded—far more so than any other hapu of the Arawa. They were present at the Native Lands Court at Taupo, and only left a few days before in anticipation that Mr. Mitchell, of the survey staff, would follow them, in order to

define certain land-marks on the Kaingaroa plain, to render the investigation of that block in the. Native Lands Court more satisfactory. Mr. Mitchell, not being at all satisfied with the reported movements of Te Kooti, abandoned the idea of completing the survey ; otherwise, it is almost certain he would have shared the fate of the unfortunate Nga te Manawa. The scene of this tragedy was a portion of the run belonging to the Hon. A. P. Seymour, and but a few hours’ ride from the place where the Court was held. It will be seen the Court did not break up an hour too soon. It is also fortunate that Mr. Seymour’s sheep have not arrived on the run.

Soon after Messrs. Warbrick and Davis came into Te Papa (the same evening), Captain St. George arrived with the above sad intelligence. The object of his coming in person appears to be in order to impress upon the authorities the importance of sending support to Major Mair, who requires all the strength that can be supplied.

I learn from another source that Te Kooti escaped with very few followers, and was overtaken at Tauaroa, where he was almost surrounded. Here he again escaped, during the night, into the scrub, and some of his horses captured. Before daylight dreadful cries were heard from the pa which Te Kooti held; the Arawas became excited, and wished to attack the pa while it was still dark. But this was not permitted until after breakfast, when, lo ! the old tale repeated, the pa was empty. All that remained was the poor victim from whom the cries had proceeded, and who it was found had first his hands tied behind him, and was then cut to pieces whilst alive ; hence the shrieks heard by our forces during the night. The unfortunate person on whom this cruelty was perpetrated was a native youth called Te Tohea, a near relative of the great Arawa chief Arama Karaka Mokonuiarangi, of the Nga te Rangitihi tribe. This young man, who was for some* time on Capt. Heale’s survey staff at Taupo, had only arrived at the settlement where he met his cruel fate a few days before, and was waiting the arrival of Mr. Mitchell to proceed with the completion of the survey of the hon. Mr. Seymour’s run when he fell in with his murderers. Te Tohea was] very highly esteemed by all the Europeans inland, and was the pet of Adam Clark’s tribe.