THE MURDER OF MCLEAN.

Temuka Leader, Issue 703, 29 November 1881, Page 2

THE MURDER OF MCLEAN.

The Hawera Star, referring to M'Leai > —for the murder of whom some tlm £?n» ago, Hiroki, recently taken a haka, is now being tried—says . —A pam a .'! I were surveying the Momahaki block, and J oh their return to camp, they found th « (V j body Of their cook, McLean in the cre»'& .1 at the spot where water was usually take:_M forthe.uße of ;i ., i At th* ioqow V J

held, the doctor was'of opinion" that de. ceased had fallen into the creek and staked himself, as.h* bada wound in the side, and a verdict was returned to th*.t effect. After this, some natives came to one of the hotels, and said that Hiroki had stated that he had had a quarrel with the cook of the survey party about a dog the natives had stolen from McLean's brothei, tied that he (Hiroki) had shot McLean. Another inquest was then held, and a bullet was found in the body of deceased. Some artie'es were taken by the murderer of McLean, and were •afterwards seen in Hiroki's possession. tew'iie paiticnlars of these, as also the dropped by Hiroki when hard pressed by those on his track, are no doubt recorded at the ;.olice station. We are under the impression that anions: other things he dropped some bullets that fitted guns of the same bore as did the ball found in the body of deceased. On being informed that Hiroki had murdered a European in consequence of a quarrel over a dog, the natives geuenlly cendeu-ned his action, and said he ought to die the dea'h of a dog. S 'trie of his tribe weut to track him, hut lost his tracks near Oeo Finding that his countrymen did not approve of his action, on his arrival at Parihaka he changed his tale, and stated that he murdered McLean in defence of the land that was being taken by'the Government fiom them. In the eyes of the Natives, therefore, he was not regarded as a murderer, but rather as a patriot, who had acted boldly in defending the lands of his tribes.