ESCAPE OF MAORI PRISONERS.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1035, 14 August 1879, Page 2

ESCAPE OF MAORI PRISONERS.

Inew Plymouth, Aug. 13. About seven this morning two prisoners made their escape from the New Plymouth Gaol in a very daring manner. They were Hall, a prisoner transferred from Dunodin to New Plymouth, undergoing a a sentence of ten years, and a native prisoner named Hirnki, who was recently convicted here of horse stealing, and sentenced io twelve months. The prisoner Hall rushed past the gaoler, and bolted out of the prison, quickly followed by in.-; companion liliro'ci. Tile gaoler at once gave pursuit, and whilst pursuing Hiroki he called to 31 r. Morl«u, who lives in the vicinih- of iho gaol, to follow the prisoner Ball, and not to lose sight of him. The native was cleverly captured before he had reached {.he outside of the prison, and iu the meantime Mr. Morton had followed Hall, and kept him in sight until they reached the wood by the stream, where Hall dashed into some scrub, and was lost to sight. Mr. Morton was joined by one of the constabularly, and they at once made search for the prisoner. After they had searched about the scrub a short time without success, the constable went into the stream and followed its course distauce, when he espied the head of the prisoner Hall above the water, the remainder of his body being submerged. The constable made a cautious approach, and succeeded in capturing Hall, who little expected to bo pounced on in that manner. The whole of the affair did not occupy the space of an hour from the time the prisoners first escaped until Hall was brought back. From particulars learnt since their capture, it is ascertained that the prisoners' iurention was to have made for Parihaka, and have sought the protection of Te Whiti. Extra precaution has to be kept over the prisoners, owing to the conversation amongst the men that if they escaped To Whiti would protect them the same as Hiroki.