NATIVE TROUBLE Rawenu, July 25.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 213, 30 July 1887, Page 1

NATIVE TROUBLE Rawenu, July 25.

Thk Hauhau fanatics at Waihau were cleverly captured yesterday morning by Inspector McGovein and a party of police and special constables. The fanatics, malo and female, fought like demons, but were taken by unarmed men. Two constables fired upon the natives, but only at the last desperate extremity. The three wounded have been under the skilful treatment of Dr. Graham, of this place, and are progressing favourably. The "copper Maori " intended for their cannibal feast could be plainly seen at the camp. For several months past these fanatical natives have conducted themselves in a manner calculated to seriously endanger the peace of the district. Repeated representations were made to the authoxities about their iumoure.l cannibalism and out- ! rages, and tho proceedings in connection with this religion, which seems a compound of Te Whitibin and Hauhauism, but without effect, as there had been no actual breach of law. Last week, however, a man named W, Hearn wib .seai ching for his horses during the fog in the morning, and happened to trespass on their ground unu ittingly. They immediately seized him, took oft his boots and burnt them, also his ve->t and hat, and after having threatened to roast him, demanded L 5 from him in order to save his life. The man had only Ll on him at the the time, which they accepted, and then allowed him to leave in a semi-nude state. Having reported the matter to the police, warrants were issued for the arrest of the natives implicated in the assault, in the wanton destruction of their neighbours' cattle, and in having in other ways endangered the peace of the district, by H. W. Bishop, Eso., R. M. Iro pursuance of this, Inspector McGow an, with ten regular censtables, proceeded to Okarhau, where eleven special constables were sworn in for the oeaasion before the R.M., and at 'A p.m. on Thursday la-t the company started for Upper Maihau, where the fanatics reside. After a ride of three hours over one of the worst roads in New Zealand the expedition reached the house of Mr Blundell, situated about a quarter of a mile from the fanatics' settlement, and leceived every kindness from them. There they slept for the night, about thirty of them in one room. During the night they were suddenly awakened by a strange noise, which some imagined was caused by the Hauhaus stealing a march upon them, but which proved to be proceeding from onp of their comrades, who was evidently having a preliminary tussle with the dark skins in a nightmare. At grey daylight on the morning they proceeded to arrest the fanatics. The settlement is situated on a small hill by the side of a tidal cieek, and has on the top of tho hill a large tent, which they call the ark— no one being allowed to enter without walking round it barefoot seven times. Round this, on the slope of the hill, are the tents, which are en closed by two lines of fencing. On the police arriving here some of the natives were found to be already as f ir, and' the Inspector commenced by reading the warrant and explaining it to them through Mr Leon, Licensed Interpreter. The natives declined to listen, treating all overtures with contempt. They were told that if they came quietly to Rawene they would be well treated, but come they muse, so that the charges made against them might be investigated by the R.M. They replied by ordering the police outside of their fences, and proceded to attack them in the most savage manner, armed with long-handled tomahawks and sharppointed sticks, some of which had edged chisels fastened on the ends. The men fought in their white calico garments with headbands of the same material. Inserted on each hung a piece of paper containing a list of the followers of the pro phetess. The women fought even more fiercely than the men some of them being in a state of nudity. The police had succeedsd in handcuffing one woman, when the attack began again very violently ; even the handcuffed woman again going in and fighting like a tigress. To save their own lives two of the constables fiied their revolvers at a man who was slashing all round with a longhandled axe. In a tew minutes the police had completely mastered them and the men and women were securely handcuffed. During the fight several of the police had narrow escapes of being killed, probably in the case of Inspector McGovern, at whom a blow was aimed with an axe which he barely avoided by rushing towards his assailant and so escaped with only his tunic being cut. Constable Moor, from Mongonui, had his tunic cut from the shoulder downwards by a blow from an axe. Constable Hughes received a nasby gasli on the forehead. Constable Coughlan had one of his fingei's,' slightly injured and several of the specials were severely handled. Had the natives been in possession of firearms probably few of the Constabulary would have escaped Tne regular con stables and specials behaved splendidly and deserve the greatest credit for the manner in which they carried out an arduous duty under most trying circumstances. Mr Bishop, who deserves the greatest praise for the judicious manner with which he acted in arranging the matter, refused to allow any special constables to carry firearms. The wounded were conveyed in a cart to Waihou bridge, then they, with the prisoners and constables embarked on board the s.s. Piako and proceeded to Rawene. Dr. Graham was in attendance, and he forthwith examined the wounded. One of them was found to be suffering from three bullet wounds, bub fortunately these had glanced off and the Doctor is of opinion that nothing serious will result. Another man received a nasty flesh wound on the body which required sixteen stitches to close it up.

A woman also was suffering from two scalp wounds and several others rcceccived slight injuries, all of which were attended to by Dr Graham. The prisoners, fourteen men and nine women, will be brought before the R.M., charged with various offences. Inspector McGovern is to be congratulated on having been successful in rooting oub a nest of scoundrels, and it is believed that the firm action on the part of the authorities will have the effect of preventing similar doings amongst the natives of this district in tho future, and the settlers are greatly elated upon -tieing freed so completely from what lias been a standing menace to the peace of the district for a long time past The wounded are comfortably housed by Mr Bryers, and Mr Bishop had made every provision for their comfort. Several women were left on their settlement to take care of the children. It appears that the YVairau natives have started a new religion, the principal rites of which consisted in burning the dead — the chiefs of Ngapahe going so far as to allege that two old native women had been burnt alive. The chief sometime ago called on the Native Minister to put the movement down by force ; but, on enquiries being made, it was found that nothing in the shape of evidence could be proved against them. Great credit 13 due to Interpreter Leon, for his having remained amongst the fanatics unarmed, while in pursuance of his duty.— Auckland " Star."