MASSACRE BY NATIVES. THREE MEN KILLED. Auckland, August 13.

Te Aroha News, Volume VIII, Issue 394, 17 August 1889, Page 5

MASSACRE BY NATIVES. THREE MEN KILLED. Auckland, August 13.

Arthur Thompson, the Government agent of the labour schooner Archimedes, which has jusfc returned to Brisbane from the Pacific Islands, has reported to the Inspector of the Pacific Islanders that a terrible massacre occurred at Malayta about the 26th June. Thompson's report saj's that on July 13th they were off Savo, and seeing the Albatross at anchor he went aboard and received the following account of the massacre from Captain Tucker :— The Savo, a small trading vessel, left for Howlah, Guadalcouer, with Mr Keating, the owner, Chas. Ladden, the mate, Mr Cooper, of Marran Sound, and three islanders. They went to Malayta, and anchored at Whicissie. A lot of natives came aboard, and as they appeared friendly, the whites never thought they had hostile intentions. At a given signal, a native, picking up a revolver which Ladden had just removed from his belt, shot Ladden dead. At the same moment another native cut Cooper's head off with an axe. Several natives attacked Keating and three boys, wounding them badly ; but Keating managed to get rifles out of the cabin, and arming the boys, they fired several volleys, and the natives left the vessel. They then got underweighassoonaspossible, and sailed for Howlah. Although severely wounded, they arrived safe. It is estimated that 12 natives were killed in the fight. Keating buried the bodies of the two white men at Howlab. When Captain Tucker left Howlah, Keating and the boys, though badly wounded, were doing well ; but he heard from a native, who had since arrived from Howlah, that Keating has since died.