The Patea Mail. (Published Wednesdays and Saturdays) WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 1878.

Patea Mail, Volume IV, Issue 359, 25 September 1878, Page 2

The Patea Mail. (Published Wednesdays and Saturdays) WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 1878.

Is- last issue wo reported the death by drowning of John McLean, of Waverley, An inquest was held on the body on Saturday, and at the post mortem examination Dr Croft found a bullet in deceased’s head. The bullet had entered the body at the ribs and travelled upwards to near the top of the head.- When first seen the wound on the body was believed to have been caused through deceased falling on a sharp stake. It now appears as if McLean was going to fetch water, and on reaching the edge of the steep bank of the Momahaki stream, was shot by someone from below. That some one is believed to have, been a Maori named Hiroki, alias Williams. Mr Fraser, who was in charge of the survey party, had occasion to go to the camp about three o’clock in the afternoon of Thursday, and found McLean as previously reported. In searching- the tent afterwards it was found that powder and bullets bad been stolen, but there was then no sufficient ground for believing murder bad boon committed, the wound in McLean’s body being too large for an ordinary bullet wound. The Momahaki stream is a Iributory of the Waitotara river, the survey camp being about three miles from Waitotara township. It has since been ascertained that Hiroki returned to his tribe at Papatnpu and boasted of having killed a pakcha. As a pretext for the murder it is alleged that McLean and said native were not on good terms, and that disputes had occurred between them about pigs. Amongst other conflicting statements it was asserted that McLean first shot at the native—the which there was not a tittle of evidence to support, the two guns in the tout being found unloaded as left. McLean was held in high esteem by the surveyor in charge, as a good worker, trustworthy, and obliging, and not at all a likely man to pick a quarrel. On Friday, the day before the inquest, Hiroki was missing, having started early for the King country. Some of the Waitotara natives are reported to be considerably alarmed, and fearing summary vengence, have made themselves scarce. Europeans naturally conclude that Hiroki, having confessed or boasted of the murder, should at once have been arrested by his I own people and handed over to bo dealt with according to law. This not having been done is a serious refhetion on the Waitotara natives, and may be construed into sympathy with the murderer, if not worse. On the other hand there is very little ground for believing the crime to have any political significance. It has been a murder in cold blood, without any warning, and was most likely, as has been reported, the result of private animosity on the part of the native. Had it been intended as a menace to the survey of the block, warning would assuredly have been given, as in all previous cases of predetermined opposition to Government action. Camp was struck by the men on Friday, but so little was the event believed to have any political significance, that general willingness was shown on Monday morning to proceed again with the work. All the native settlements in the district were visited during Saturday and Sunday by the police, but in most cases nothing was known of the murder having been committed, and there was every indication of peaceful intentions. Hiroki was not found, and bad not been heard of. Granting 1 it to be trne 7 n.s seems probable, that no political significance can be attached to the murder, we still think great blame attaches to the Waitotara natives in not having secured and handed the murderer over to the authorities. Naturally enough, the natives must have strong sympathy with their own flesh and blood, even when stained with crime. The more reckless may indeed land unlawful acts as heroic, especially when pakohas arc the victims, whilst others, covertly hostile, may encourage wrongdoing, at the same lime being deemed friends to the pakeha. We think it time a new line was taken. There are native chiefs of high standing, and of large possessions, everywhere adjacent to European settlements, and who could scarcely afford to be openly hostile to Government. Such should be held accountable for the good behaviour of the tribes of which they are acknowledged chiefs. It would be comparatively easy for them to cause delinquents to be captured and given up ; and if the stigma of complicity for laxity of effort to suppress wrong-doing once got well grounded with the different tribes, few of the / reAAess owes, \xow\A escape. pww\s\\ww*.wY ' when guilty of sonons crimes. The Momahaki murder is just one of those j cases alike aVAvowcnt to We better class ' of Maoris as to all law-abiding Europeans, and the one should as readily as the other be willing to bring the offender to justice. We cannot overlook the fact, as disclosed by the evidence, the strong probability there is that this fearful crime, has been committed out of revenge for what from a European view of the case may be deemed a petty matter, but which the Maori has magnified into a gross indignity and wrong sufficient to warrant the taking of life in revenge. It helps to show the

great responsibility devolving both on surveyors niul individual members of any survey party. It almost becomes necessary for parties so engaged to endeavour to see from the Maori standpoint, and to avoid as much as possible from treading on dangerous ground, whether for sport or profit or from pure love of mischief making or spirit of devilry.

Since the above was in type, we have learned that the Native Minister has put himself in communication with all likely and unlikely persons and places, with a view to the discovery and capture of the murderer. Immediately on it becoming known that murder had been committed, a warrant was issued at Carlyle for the auvst ol Hiroki, on suspicion of being the perpetrator. From Wellington we learn that the Government have despatched telegrams to Itewi, Major To Whcoro, and Major Sinclair, and all the officers along the line of country through which the murderer would bo likely to travel, instructing thorn to capture the murderer- if possible. We know that every possible precaution has been taken here to intercept the runaway. The following is a copy of a telegram received by the Native Minister from Itewi: “ I have received your wire, in which yon inform mo of the discovery of the body of a European at Waitotara, supposed to have been shot by a Maori. I, too, am stricken with grief at this news. Let me have tire fullest possible particulars as soon as you can/’ The Waitotara natives appear to have been awakened to a sense of duty, and after bolding a meeting on Monday, sent a telegram to the Native Minister, stating that they believed Hiroki to bo the murderer of McLean, and that they were taking steps to hasten the law. Captain Wray, 11.M., paid a visit to Waverley yesterday, with a view of gleaning information which might bo useful to Government or persons now on the look-out for the runaway. The following letter to the Wanganui Herald, from Colonel McDonnell, will no doubt prove interesting: “'Sir, — Many years ago a young woman belonging to Waikato was taken prisoner in war. She was purchased by the Ngaraura tribe, who provided her with a husband, one of thems tj.s. The result of this match was a son, named Hiroki, who is now a young man, and who has

been living with the tribe at Waitotara since his birth, until the last few days, when lie has been missel. The natives say he has robbed and shot the European engaged in the survey on the Waitotara lauds, possessed himself of the gnu and ammunition belonging to him, and has most likely run away to Waikato, the district his mother came from originally. Such is the account now given of the death of the unfortunate man McLean, and related to me as above, this morning. The natives seem quite satisfied Ins has been killed by a Maori, in revenge, perhaps, they say, for the loss of his land, and from a wish to possess a gun and ammunition. They deny it to be a tribal deed, but oidy the unauthorised act of a single man. As far as my own convictions go, I should say that it was simply an ordinary murder, though none the less to he punished.—Yours very truly, Tnos. McDonnell.”