HIROKI.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2696, 9 November 1881, Page 2

HIROKI.

The crime of which Hiroki is accused was committed on September 19, 1878, at the survey camp near Waver'.ey in the Waitotara survey district. From official records we find that the murdered man, John M‘Lean, was cook to the party. He was found dead, and a bullet was extracted from his body. The official report of the district constable, dated September 28, 1878, was as follows : —“ The Natives tell me that the Native Hiroki has, they believe, fled to Waikato, as his mother lives there ; and that there is no political significance to be attached to it. He had no reason for doing it that they are aware of. He is a man of very bad character ; is of a thievish nature. The whole of the Natives came in from Papatupu this morning,and told me they were very much cut up about it, asking me what they were to do, as they were afraid to live up the river for fear the Pakehas would shoot them down if they caught them prowling about. I told them to go home and have no fear, as Hiroki was pretty well known to Europeans about. They have gone home, and promise to give him up if he attempts to come back ; also to let me know if he is in the neighborhood. The Natives here deny ah knowledge, act or part, in the murder.” From further reports it appears there had been a slight quarrel with natives about pigs and a dog, which a European of the party charged Hiroki w itn stealing. The evidence given against Hiroki was to toe effect that he had been heard to say some time previously that he would kill Murdoch, MfLean, a brother of the deceased, and further, that gome natives had stated to the witness’ mother that Hiroki had told them that he had gone to the survey camp on the 19th and had quarrelled with the cook, who had fired at him, and that he (Hiroki) had returned the fire, and shot M'Lesn dead. Hiroki was afterwards seen by a party sent out to capture him, and fired at. A reliable Native subsequently reported (2nd November, 1878) that Hiroki had escaped unhurt to Parihaka to To Whiti, who asked,

“ Have you fled hither ?” He answered “ Yes.” —“ How many of them did you kill P” He answered, “ One, and put his body and their tents into the river.” —“ Why did you spare them ? Had you killed them all there would have been nothing more of it; no measures would have been taken; but as you spared them, do not meddle further with them.” Hori Tauroa reported that he knew Hiroki would not be given up ; that there was a cause for what he had done. The surveyors had been warned not to proceed, but took no notice, and therefore it was not murder. In April, 1879, Major Brown reported as follows: —“ A small matter, as little desired by Te Whiti as it was by the Government, and that might have happened at any time since hostilitities ceased on the coast—the murder of M’Lean by Hiroki at Waitotara —has changed the whole aspect of affairs. There are not the slightest grounds for regarding the murder as a political one connected with the survey of the confiscated land ; but Hiroki, having escaped and reached Parihaka, although wounded, claimed that it was, and Te Whiti felt obliged on that ground to afford him an asylum, and he became the possessor of a white elephant. Te Whiti said to me very plainly, “ If he had been killed on the way I should have had nothing to say ; as he has reached me, I am prepared to hear what the Native Minister has to say about it.” Since then the aspect of the confiscation question has materially altered. The Native mind sees it in the light that, if the Government cannot deal with Hiroki, it can not deal further with the confiscated lands. And Te Whiti, when recently asked by the Hon Native Minister to give up Hiroki to be tried, feeling himself in a dilemma, lost his temper, and after the departure of the Hon. J. Sheehan, yielding also probably to pressure, ordered that the surveyors should be removed from the plains, which may be taken as a reply to the request to give up Hiroki. I believe still that Te whiti is anxious to avoid bloodshed, but he has felt obliged to take the step he has to maintain his position, and he is not in a position, nor has he the will, to prejudice it by retreating ; nor can ho choose what further steps he will take.” It will thus be seen that the taking of Hiroki along with Te Whiti himself is a very important step, the significance of which cannot fail to be understood by the Natives. It is at once the assertion of the supremacy of the law and the reality of the confiscation. —( ,( Otago Daily Times.”)