The Tarawera Outrage.

Manawatu Standard, Volume X, Issue 1565, 25 November 1885, Page 4

The Tarawera Outrage.

The following version of the Tarawera native disturbance is extracted from a letter written" by a gentleman who was oh the spot at the time :— Mrs Graham laid an information against tho natives for assault, and bringing her out by f orcp. The natives all say that nobody touched her ; and as to being , carried out, I saw her walk out myself. Constable Abraras came out to arrest the men In the house, but could not get m, because the natives had fastened the doors and winddws. Next morning fSunday) about 5 o'clock, one of the natives m possession went ■ down to M'Rae's to get provisions, nnd the conI stable attempted to arrest -him. He called on Kemp, the chief,. to stop the policeman from handcuffing him. Kemp told tho policeman not io handcuff him, he would go without being handcuffed. Tho policeman persisted, and tho. native tried to free himself. The constable then dealt him a heavy blow on the forehead, inflicting an ugly gash. The natives .came rushing up, and the policein nu called on several pakehas to assist him. A surveyor who lashed out right and left, got rather severely handled. About two hours after, the constable saw another of the baliffs, and attempted to arrest him, causing anothor free fight, The constable drew a pistol, and the natives took it from him (it turnr>d out to be empty.) Tho natives kept his hat, handcuffs, nnd pistol. The constable went m to Ohinemntu empty handed. Te Kepa sent m to Mr Johnson, asking him to come out to Wairoa. Mr Johnsoti came out, and told the natives who were engaged m the souffle to conm into Ohinemntu m the morning, which they did, bringing the three nrticles belonging to tho policeman with (hem. The general conviction of people whose opinions are worth listening to is, that the polfceman could have saved all this Irouble by a little tact, for tho natives said they would go to Court, but they decidly objected to be handcuffed. I need hardly say. that is my opinion alsp."