Murder at Waitotara.

Thames Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2997, 23 September 1878, Page 2

Murder at Waitotara.

THE COOK OF A SURVEY PAETY SHOT.

Wellington, Sunday, 10 p.m; \ At the request of the Hon. the Native Minister I send the following narrative of. the facts connected with the murder at Moumahaki. - The name of the suspected murderer is Hiroki. ...'.'.'

Wavebly, Sept. 21. An inquest was held to-day at Waverley on the body of John McLean, cook to the survey party at Moumahaki, who was shot on September 19 in camp. Verdict, " Wilful murder against a person unknown." Suspicion points to a native named Hiroki, at Papitoua, Waitotara, who is said to have fled. An information against Hiroki is now being laid by the police, and a warrant issued for his apprehension.—C. A. Weay, E.M., Coroner. Patea, September 21.

A man of Fraser's survey party was found shot dead, it is supposed by natives, as powder and bullets were taken from the camp. Fraser (my partner) was surveying Moumahaki for the Government. —Edwabd Teegeab. Patea, September 22. To Major Brown.—Constable Hynes, who knows Hiroki. has telegraphed his description to tho Commissioner at Wellington. Hiroki is supposed to have gone in the direction of Taupo or Waikato. I have communicated with Captain Wilson (of Hawe-?a) and Captain Kenny (of New Plymouth).—C. A. Wbat. Wanganui, September 22. To the Hon. Mr Sheehan.—People Jiere are not alarmed. The newspaper reports say it is a private murder, and not connected with the Surveys. —Goodall, Sub-Inspector. Patsa, September 22. To the Hon. Mr Sheehan.—The death lof John McLean was supposed by the,

surveyors to have resulted from his accidentally slipping and impaling himself on a stake whilst drawing water out of. the Mouinahaki creek, and evidence of the minder did not transpire until after the post-mortem examination yesterday, \\ ke.n the bullet was extracted. Hence the affair was not .icportcd earlier. The murder was commillcd dv ing the absence of the survey party from the camp, deceased being tUei cook and alone in charge. No evidence throwing any light on the perpetrat onof the act was elicited from the. survey party at the inquest, beyond the fact thnt .some three weeks previously there iiad been a slight quarrel with the natives about pigs, and a dog, ! which a huvopean' of the' parly charged HirokL wiili sieiling. Tue evidence given oi H.roki was merely hear&ay, and to the effect that he had been heard' to , say (not by the witness) some time previously that he would kill McLean, the brother of the deceased, and also that NOtne natives had siated to the witness's mother that Hirolci hatl told tLcm that he had none to the survey camp and had a quarrel with the cool:, who had fired at him ; that iliroki had returned the fire, and shot McLean dead. lam of opinion that the deed, if-committed by a native at all, is not of political significance, and was not done with the intention of disturbing the survey, but was probably the.act of an individual actuated by personal motive, and carried out wiihout the knowledge of the iribe. Nothing further has transpired, but I am iv communication with the police, and will telegraph as soon as I receive warrant.' Hiroki is known personally to Constable Hynes, who has a warrant for his apprehension, and he has telegraphed the description of Hiroki.to j the district officer at .New Plymouth, and Ito the chief o lice, Wellington. Hiroki is reported to havd made his escape to the King country.—C. A. Wbay! . i , Wanganui, September 22. ■ iJe Wairoa murder. I-first heard of the matter by reading a telegram in' last nijii's Herald. No rumors had reached irv previously intimating an 1 intention on ihsl part of 'he natives to commit such vivjuuco. The alleged offender is not known to me. , I have no information as to where he Las fled to. No alarm here yet. Will lUiike. ii.qiiiry as to the nature of the offr-iire it! connection with the survey and It you know. It seems rather to look I'kr >i simple murder, although the matter !o- ks fuspicious'us coupled with the survey of the confiscated land; I shall at once institute proceedings amongst the natives and procure nil the information T can upon the subject and inform you vrthwith. I£. W.-Woon.- . :>Il . WaNGANUl,.September 22. The Hon. Mr Sheehan, — [ '<aye heard nothing whatever of tho murder of John Vie Lean, rear VVaverly, except from the

/L-ralJ newspaper, in the report of last d'ening. The scene'of ,the murder is not in tny district, hence the local police have' not reported it to me. That district is in charge of the officer at New Plymouth. The officer at Waihi is neartr than at IS ew Plymouth. The offender is unknown to me. I have received no information of the route he has taken, and I am unable to give any information on the point named in your telegram. — Goodall, Sub-Inspecior. • ;

The following letter has been sent in to the Hon. Mr Sheehan by the chiefs of the district, who arp now in Wellington :— ! Te Aeo, Wellington,, Sept. 22. i This is a notification by us, the Ngaruru tribe, who are at present in Wellington, about the news which we have heard that a Eutoneaa has , been killed at Moumabaki, Waitotara. We are very dark about this evil news; we'want to know why this murder has been committed by that man; he was, so far as the Ngaruru were concerned, a madman! The murderer belonged to'Waikato. Mr Sheehan, bad we been at Waitotara we would have caught. that man,' but we,. the chiefs who have the management of affairs, are here in Wellington. We shall send telegrams to the Maori people, requesting them to apprehend that murderer. Mr Sheehan; send our words to the Press, so that the Europeans may see that the Ngaruru are very dark about this news of a murder having been committed. (SigheH.)—Eefeangi,'Te Waeri), Mahutonga, Uru te Angina, Te Kahu, Tautahi, Ketu, Hciare Pumipi. From the Ngaruru tribe, who are in Wellington. . , - The expectation is that the murderer will be speedily captured,'in consequence of the arrangements made for that purpose.—Advertiser. • ;