The Native Outrage.

Thames Star, Issue 3342, 8 September 1879, Page 2

The Native Outrage.

The Ugatihako before the Tribunal of the Hauraki Tribes.

The last news we published concerning the late sad affair at Ohinemuri was to the effect that the Government agents, Messrs Puckey and Wilkinson, were using all endeavors to brine the rebellious Ncntihako hapu before the runanga' £or high council of Hauraki. Up to .Satur-^ day afternoon we had no information of** the business transacted at Friday'i session of the Council but this morning a long account is to hand from our own correspondent, which we present to oar readers:— ' ■ • -• "

Paxboj* Saturday; On Thursday evening it wai under* stood in the. township thatthe NgatAakoj had at last agreed to come face to'faee' with the runanga*, a<nd had fixedonaspot^ a mite below the township for the koreroi' At 10 o'clock the followirig^morningtht Council assembled at the piaee! indiMtajiii^ there being also present the Gorernmeilt agents and some influential settler*. TJ» facea of man; of the chiefs, w«re aiife a' study.. Moat of them are doe intelligent;. looking men, and they all seemed im« J pressed with the importance of .theiina-t, of the day's meeting. The couhtenaaoea^ of not a few had a tinge of sadness ul them, and all I have spoken to. deprecate? the first spilling of blood atHaurakL .1; had two hours to make those obtervatioM I before the arrival of the Ngatihakcr About' mid-day, however, word- .aniftid*! that the hapu was close at hand,'aid 1. great excitement was caused in the camp thereat, many having feared that the natives- would not come Jo the:scratch. When the news arrived, all turned expectantly to the dense bosh that frinf cc ; the opposite side of the river. In two, or three minutes they filed bat from amoofst the trees, and Mr Wiikinion, Takukioo,: chief of Komata went down to our bask of the river to meet them when they came across the river; in canoes. The party comprised about 30 men and 10 women, about half of the lamer being armed aid dressed for the warpath. Each of the fighting men had a fillet of red cloth round his head, which was frirther adorned with feathers. The weapons chiefly consisted of double-barrelled fowling pieces, and r were loaded, as when they bad approached' to within a short distance of the rannnga they suddenly halted and fired a volley in the air. After . the usual erief of -> welcome and salutations, the natives of n both sides relieved their feelings by a;' good weep over the shedding of blood. Then succeeded a most doleful wailing chant by the Ngatikaho, which I was in* formed was a Hauliau hymn. I noticed however, that alt through the pious caterwauling the natives never removed' their hands from the barrels of their muskets, and their dark eyes watched «s keenly r with apparent suspicion. About thia time everyone felt hungry so an adjournment for dinner took place. After the Jcai I expected them to come to business, bat was disappointed to. find that the afternoon was to be taken up with the usual formal addresses of weU,.. come which- the. natives consider an indispensable preface to a rununga at which such momentous business .was to be transacted. To «■— the Europeans— this nonsensical procrastination was molt trying, and we were glad to hear thai business would definitely commence tomorrow, Saturday. At half-past nine this morning the rununga re-assembled and having been opened with due ceremony, the Council proceeded to the ■ •lection of a chairman. Baika, a Kerikeri rangatira, was chosen to fill that all im- , portant office, and the honorary secretaryship was pressed on the genial Hoani Nahe, late Maori Member of the Executive. The runanga then summoned Epiha, one of the chief perpetrator! and •übmitted him to a crucial 'examination. His evidence was to the effect that the cause of the trouble was the survey. Of the party of surveyors he only law onel— McWilliams —whom he shot. The land belonged to the Ngatihako, which mi known by the Ngatitatnatera and Ngatikqe. \ He considered that all the Ngatihako and ' their relatives were the owners of the block. He did not know if the Europeans instigated the survey. They shot at the European! because of the survey of their land. A great deal of his land had been put through the Court without his eomniiv ■" rence. He referred to the stopping of 1 the snagging operations. On being asked why be had shot at the survey party, and not at the snaggers, ho aaid. that the latter had gone away when they weie told, but the pakehas had " only let :-. fivo months elapse before they mnt 'J up the survey party. After answerju^. ing some questions re the ownership, of the block, Epiha concluded his cvi* ' denco with the assertion * that he was the person who gave forth the word, and ho had stated that if the pakehas attempted to survey the land they would be shot. Mr D. H. Bayldon, " one of the survey party, gave the particulars of the attack which I do not send, as your readers arc all well acquainted: with the details of the shooting. When Mr Bayldon' had been disposed of the runanga proceeded to examine a Ngatikoe native, but it then commenced to rain, and the investigation was adjourned till ; ( Sunday. The Waihou steamers will. commence running again, and the excite-,.. ment is abating, great faith being placed: in the ability of the runanga to arrive at a solution of the difficulty, of which, I<: hope, during the course of a day o* twoi : to have the pleasure of advising yon.. ' 'r.<