MAORI AND PAKEHA DEAD.

Patea Mail, Volume I, Issue 87, 12 February 1876, Page 2

MAORI AND PAKEHA DEAD.

(TO THE EDITOR OF THE PATEA MAIL.) Sir, —Having read your article on the subject of Major Brown’s recommendation, that 36 acres, and a hotel at Whenuakura should be handed over to the natives for cemetery because a few of their late lamented friends lie buried there. I just write a line to tell you how the Government treat land upon which pakehas are buried. At Wairoa, on what was the railway reserve, is a hill, upon which are the graves, one, as indicated by a headstone, erected by his comrades, containing the remains of Constable Glennan late of the A.C., who was killed in action at Nukumaru during Tito Kowaru’s war ; the other containing whatever bones could be collected from the scene of the cannibal feast held at Moturoa after Colonel Whitmore's disgraceful defeat. It may be as well to mention the natives claiming the reserves at Whenuakura are the very men who were condemned to death for the murder of these men at Moturoa, and many of them enjoyed a feed of roast pakeha, they having devoured 14, according to Tauroa’s statement in the witness box during the trial. However, to continue my subject, the laud on which these two graves of our departed heroes stands, was gold by the Government, by public auction at pmacre, and fell thus into'the hands of Mr W. Svmcs, without any condiiion whatever respecting the graves. These ragged savages, whom the (Government wore too' chicken-hearted to hang when fairly condemn M by the Supreme Court, appear to he a terror to the Native Department, ever since they pcrust-d in letting them out of Dunedin gaol. I am, Ac. * CANNIBAL HATER.