WAIAPU.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume 1, Issue 2, 12 October 1872, Page 3

WAIAPU.

From the following letter, which has been kindly placed at our disposal by Captain Porter, it will be seen that no very alarming consequences are likely to ensue from the recent fracas between sections of Natives at Waiapu. The letter is from Timoti Tautohi, and is as [follows : —“ A man named Taraka has been killed by Wiremu Keiha. It appears Wi Keiha had been killing some of his pigs for destroying some sheep, also belonging to him. A pig belonging to Paora .Puku was among them. Wi Keiha sent a message to Puku stating that such was the case, and telling him to come and fetch the pig away, or to receive payment for it. When Paora Puku heard the news, he said he should take payment at the mouth of the gun (ma te ngutu pu e tiki atu e rapu he utu). He called his men together on the flat, armed with rifles, and went and shot nearly one hundred pigs belonging to Wiremu Keiha and his tribe. Wi Keiha was absent at the time, but as soon as he hetfrd what had happened, he and his friends armed themselves and proceeded to the ground where he found them in the act of killing the pigs. Puku’s party, on , seeing JWi Keiha, bolted. Wi Keiha then told his men to fire on the retreating party: they did so, and Taraka fell dead.” Major Eapata has been active in suppressing any further outbreak, and Paora is inclined to let the law take its course.