ATTEMPTED RAPE BY A NATIVE AT WANGANUI.

Southland Times, Volume I, Issue 3, 18 November 1862, Page 4

ATTEMPTED RAPE BY A NATIVE AT WANGANUI.

Some excitement has been caused at Wanganui by an alleged a'tempt of a native, named Te Wirihana Mokara, to commit a crimial assault upon a young European girl. A warrant of apprehension was issued by Major Durie, and a policeman sent out to Maiataera, (a settlement near Turakina)on the 15th inst., to execute it. The natives resisted the execution of the warrant, claiming to have the case heai'd by Mr. Buller, at Turakina, on the following Friday. The offender is a Kin^ite, and it was evident that his friends were anxious to place difficulties in the way of his committal for trial in the event of the charge being established. Mr. Buller explained to the natives that as the alleged offence took place at Wanganui, the case came properly within Major Durie's jurisdiction, and on receipt of the warrant, he despatched several of the native police at Matataera to execute it. Te Wirihana, got wind of this, and took to the woods. The police spent the day in a fruitless search, and returned to Turakina in the evening. Early on Monday morning a detachment of ten of the West Coast Police started in pursuit of him. We have heard nothing further as yet, but there is little doubt as to his ultimate capture. Such is the account as gleaned from the local paper, but a corvespendent on whose authority we can rely, has furnished us with a somewhat different version of the ; affair. He writes " that last week Mr. Buller sent several native policemen to apprehend the culprit, but that they were unsuccessful, because he was concealed in the bush. More policemen were afterwards dispatched on Tuesday hst, but in the meantime the friends of Wirihana com. municated with the King natives at Kaiwiliike, who accordingly dispatched six of their followers to prevent the arrest! Then came the tug of war. Tahana, the assessor at Matataera, acted pluckily, and backed by the native police, insisted on the offender beinggiven up. Instantly, the adherents of King Potatau, bring their loaded muskets to their shoulders snd threaten extermination to the native followers of the Queen. Tamata dares them to tight and thereupon a regular manual skirmish takes place between the native police and the friends of the accused, as the result of which the Kingites depart in triumph to Kaiwhike, carrying their compatriot, Wirihana along with them." — Wellington Jnnependent, 28th Oct. The Queen steamer, on her last trip northward, left sevpral of her passengers and mails behind. Captain Pole is much censured in the local papers. Messrs. Holmes and Co. the contractors

for the -Chrijtchurch Railway, have {purchased, a large block of forest at Pigeon Bay, amlJntend erecting two powerful saw mills there.. ....