TRYING EXPERIENCES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2808, 8 January 1908, Page 14

TRYING EXPERIENCES.

After a brief consultation the party decided to go up the Hungaroa in preference to cutting into the bush, and the wisdom of this step was subsequently proved. Wading against the stream, which was deeper than the Motuwera, jumping from boulder <to - boulder, helping each other over deep and rough places, progress was very slow. Some distance up the river a third camp wae found, with a track marked by broken twigs from the river into the bush. The police and their guide now deoided to. leave the nv«r and strike into the bush in the direction the broken twigs indicated. Wet up tor their -necks, ±hey battled on, tearing through the thick undersctub; and after going for some timethey found where the bush-dweller had spent yet another night. The. .^position of the last camp caused the searchers, to alter their coujse, and they eventually left the forest and got into manuka oonntry; and one evening as the shades of night were fast falling, came in sight of the settlement formerly occupied by thfc " prophet " Rua. A short distance further on they came to the Waima pa, where the chiei invite^ the tired - and worn-out trio to stop for I^6 night, and gave them a <meal of meat and potatoes. After tea the guide, Harry Green, and the old chief had a korero, the result being that tjje paTty learned that about three weeka previous a strange Native had arrived at the pa bootless, with clothes torn,' and in want of food. He told the chief that he was a Bay of Plenty Native, and had been 27 days in the bush. The chief Hukunui did not altogether believe his story, as he knew from his dialect that he wae a Ngatiporou Native and not an Arawa. The wanderer wa6, -however, given t food and shelter and some olothes, and he remained at the pa for about a week, when, on 2nd December, he left going in the direction of Waiwa. The search party w'efe kjndly supplied with deeping accommodation in a large whare, and at daylight Broberg and hi? nmtes were on the warpath again with their^ swags. They shaped in the djreqtion the fugitive

had -taken a fortnight before, and keeping on through the bush headed in the clirection of the Raiitikuri River, and camped that night in the bush. TBo mosquitos were very troublesome, and they were not «orry when daylight appeared. Ihe stock of provisions had now Been reduced" to a small '"jar of beef extract. After having breakfast of, beef tea and a V. refresher, y in ; the creek the swags were again hbisfe'd^ and the tramp resumed. Travelling as 'shearers,' the party learned that • the next Maori pa was only s few miles .down the river, a beejino , was made for it. The heat was intense— . 99 in the shade. On getting to the , pa, known as Erepeti," the party met a Maori, who, on being told ' by the guide that the newoomers were surveyors, ' invited them to have a drink of tea. i CAUGHT AT LAST. This was right "in their line," so they eat down amongst a group of Maoris. After conversing for some time, they noticed that on© man appeared to be a stranger to the tribe, and on being told he -was a Ngatiporou, they thought they had just about located Matenga. They decided to have " a -word " with him, and called him aside. He said his name Tiari, and had 1 come from Mauangapphotu, some miles in. the opposite direction to the r£uku«nuis. His nervousness gave him away. , Broberg put a hand ~lhto his trdusare* pocket— a lady's silver watch ■ an<s 'chain I' and a' photo pendant were- fished out. The j guide at once identified /the photo as that of Mrs Brothers, whose husband's, camp! had been visited at Motu, .and, being; further questioned, the suspect admitted that he was Hare Matenga. Matenga afterwards admitted that he took the watch andl chain from a Motu * camp, and that the j gun, which he previously stated belonged! [ to his brother at Maungapofiotu, -was.stolen. from a. Motu camp- ( J£fa.^eziffc» a* fixat was ! nervous and frightened, 'and kj tp'ok all ' the persuasive powers of the representatives of the law •to pacify v him.' Needless, to \ say, Broberg -and hie mates were -the' : best of terms with themselves, as -theyjiadr cut short what at firat, promised ,to- be •w long drawn out hunt. The .police and! their capti.ve were now ~ t 65 miles from G-is-borne, and about 45 trom 'Where 'they started. 'On -the Toad'baofe Matenga. spoke freely of his experiences >in the bush, andrelated 1 many hardships that he had gone through. He seemed to have it impressed! on his mind 'that he was "to be snot on capture, and this appeared to be the chief reason for his having hidden in te bush so long. TSTO SENSATIONS. ' \ Detective Broberg says there ;was an' entire absence of sensation about the .arrest. Referring to the report that Matenga wa» contemplating giving himself up, ©etective Brbberg says that 4 not even the prisoner •himself suggested it, and that the Natives' of the pa where Matenga' was found, were; .surprised after. ., the arrest „tb know ; that i the man amongst them was, the notorisua. Matenga, and not^ the', apparently quiet; and innocent Tiari. ' " ll I Asked to "compiare ' his last- experience with , the hunt after! > the mutderer- Ellis; i /alias MTtenzie, .Deceptive,. -Broberg .eaict I that the Maori search w«s far harder thaa: , i'the other. In Jhe winter of the "pojiee and their guide, Earle,. hac? iiist as roi'gh, ■a time as anybody could imagine. 'The \ second attempt was fast and short, " and [very "deadly" while it tested. Last jcux they had notihinsr but had luck.. This time they had good luck.