MAORIS TO THE RESCUE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 814, 19 February 1910, Page 4

MAORIS TO THE RESCUE.

The Sydney Daily TVlegiap l, m - counts an cxCi l.iK episode winch occurred at Cb nlar , where lh; VI:-ori village (the inhabitants ol which left on Friday on their return lo New Zealand) was 1 Cited. A picnic was in po grcs-, dining the ruuue of which tntee con stabl'S attempted to a-rc-t a man for drunkemuss, and were a-sa 1 d by the crowd. What woiud i a.' happened to the police had assi-i----ance not arrived f-o n an nr,ex pected qnai ter it is hard to ;a,., but just as the mob was a: out to “ deal it out” to thin. a blood curdling war c:y mug clear above the din —f'e Maoris had c> me to the rescue. Nearly a dozen stalwart warriors, who we;e preparing lo give a “ liaka ” for the amusement of the pul lie, rushed in full array from their village and were so .at iu the thick of the tight. At first it was uncertain which cause they intended lo embrace, Iml, mu. h to the iclief ol the police and law-abiding ciUzens. all dor,his weie soon setl.ed, and with many fear nl ni s ;n d hi li cose gesi icn’aliuns, liiey loughl their wiy to the side of tiie guard ians of the law, an I formed cordon to protect them. Theii weird cries and ferocious appear ance blunted the zest for hatth previously shown by the ring leaders of the mob, who did not care to match their bottles and other impromptu weapons against the murderous looking granite meres which ilie warriors deftly wielded. At this stage the police again arrested their prisoner, and while the Maoris covered their retirement and held the crowd at bay, managed to haul him to the wharf. The wharf gates were then barricaded, and the prisoner was safely shipped to Sydney.