NAPIER.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3322, 15 August 1879, Page 2

NAPIER.

;; ' ; .' , . „ , . |*«t night.;; An extraordinary case it reported from Eeponare, a Maori settlement near Gisborno, Poverty Bay. A native named Henare, at the beginning of last week was found by Mr Chambers, Junior, lurking in the bush near his sheep run; he came out at night and begged for food, but in thedaytimehe again returned te the bush. His strange conduct caused Mr Chambers to question him, when the poor fellow stated that he had been accused of witchcraft, fonnd

guilty, and sentenced to death, and he wfs now lying in concealment to avoid the natives. Mr Chambers at once communicated with the police at Ormond, and Sergeant Kidd despatched a constable named Villers to Eeponare to make inquiries into the truth of Henare's assertions. The result of the inquiry was to establish the accuracy of the poor fellow's tale. It seems that nearly a dozen natives made a formal complaint about him, alleging furious acts of witchcraft, and demanding an investigation. A runlnga was accordingly held, and a committee of influential chiefs, including a native clergyman, was appointed to hold the inquiry. Henare was found guilty, and sentenced to death, though the precise manner in which the sentence was to be carried into effect does not appear. He returned to his whare, but at nightfall quietly escaped. Soon after he had got clear of the pah the natives surrounded his whare, and set fire to it, probably thinking that he was inside. Henare then made his way td Mr Chambers' station. The natives found when they burned the whare that he had escaped, so they ted themselves to the task of discovering his whereabouts, and, succeeded, in spite of his watchfulness*^ tracing him to the bush. As he was dearly on Mr Chambers' land, the Natives. appear to have doubted their right to follow him, and held a meeting to discuss the matter.' They then decided to demand Henare from his protection, and the next day requested Mr Chambers to give him up, threatening to carry him off by force if their demands were not complied with. Constable Yilliers, however, apSared on the scene, and at this juncture enare gladly placed himself under the protection of the law. He was evidently in great fear lest his people should capture him, and accordingly Constable' Villiers took him to Ormond, and provided him with temporary lodgings at the police station. : .,., , , „ j i The requisition asking Mr Sheehau to contest Clive with Mr Ormond baa been numerously signed, and those whb should know state that Mr Sheehan wijl probably consent to stand for the Napier Electorate. ' The only. candidate! definitely announced are Bussell and button in the interest of the Opposition* and Buchanan on the independent Government ticket. There wiU, be a sort of field day on Tuesday, whan Colonel WhitmpreAnd ; Mr Sheehan,. aadjressl ft mass meeting after driving the first pile of the Port, Ahuriri bridges.

(Per P*BB9^GEHGy.)