A TRESPASSER MURDERED.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2389, 12 November 1880, Page 2

A TRESPASSER MURDERED.

[By TicuicuiAi’ii.] Wanganui, Kov. 12. Further particulars of the tragedy at Tuhua are to hand. Moifatt, in company with Henaro, left Taupo for a journey down the Wanganui, giving as his reason that he wanted to obtain some property and money he had left in the Tuhua district. The two travelled together without interruption until they arrived on Sunday last at the native village of Matahanea, which is within a few miles of Taumaurunui, and situated at the spot where the northern branch of the Wanganui joins the parent stream. From the natives of Matahanea Moifatt and his companion received no welcome. The Maories appeared sullen, and told the travellers that they had no right there, and that the land was tapued to "white men. The same night the Maoris sent a message to Taiimanumi to inform the inhabitants of the arrival of Moffat and Henare. The chiefs at Taumanmui at once held a mooting at which it was decided that Molfat should be shot and they sent out an armed party of seven men, under the leadership of Ngatai Maunaku’s nephew, to carry the sentence into effect. The murderers formed an

ambuscade in the fora by the side of the Maori track, along which Moffat and Ilcnaro would have to pass on Monday. The travellers resinned their journey, and when they came within about ten yards off the spot the war party rose up and one of them immediately tired at Moffatt and wounded him. lie staggered forward crying out “ Kati ! Kati !” (“ Stop ! Stop !”), when a second sliot was tired at him, and lie fell in the track a dead man. Upon this his companion, llenarc, called on the party to shoot him also, “ Kill mo as well as my white friend.” But they would not do it, as they knew him well, and he was a "Wanganui native. Henare came on to Taumarunui, but though he received no violence he met with no welcome. He asked for a canoe to take him down the river, and at length a lad volunteered to go with him. They at once started on their journey. They saw Maunaku"wdio did not know what had happened, and appeared much grieved at the news. They also saw Kemp at Porikino, and by him were told to hasten down to Wanganui and inform the authorities, and this they did without loss of time.