THE UPPER THAMES.

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 471, 27 February 1869, Page 2

THE UPPER THAMES.

ALLEGED FENIAN OVERTURES TO THE HAU-HAUS.

An extraordinary report reaches us from Auckland of the enforced withdrawal of miners from the Upper Thames, in consequence of alleged treasonable and nominally Fenian overtures to the Natives. A proclamation had been issued by the Commissioner, Mr Mackay, warning miners to leave the district, a steamer having been provided for their free conveyance, and the reason he gives is that, "in consequence of treasonable overtures made by certain Europeans to Hauhau natives and others the Queen's enemies it has become necessary for the safety and peace* of the colony that miners and other persons should at once remove from the Olunemuri district." An explanation of this proceeding is thus given in the Thameß Advertiser :—" It is said that certain persons connected with an organisation have pointed out to the Hau-haus that they are a different people from the rest of the English nation and have 8 hatred to the English throne; as»

proof of which they instanced the fact that it was one of them that shot the Queen's son in Australia. They have also, it is said, sent up money to the King. They requested that an alliance should be made between them and the Hau-haus, and that thereupon only such persons as they authorised should be allowed to dig, while, on the other hand ihey would assist the Hau-haus in keeping out all other Europeans." A number of the miners subsequently assembled at Belmont, where Mr Mackay addressed them. He said that although the opening of Ohinemuri had been in a good position, stiJl it had been put back by the action of persons interfering with the Government —notpersons interfering merely in the way of getting leases, but persons who had actually made treasonable overtures to the natives. It became therefore imperative to prevent further transactions of the kind. It was necessary that all Europeans should leave the district for the present. He had no doubt of the treasonable nature of the movements which had been made, and the leaders of it were known. They might rest assumed of this, that some day they would find themselves in the hands of the law when they least expected it, and, if so, they would find it to fall heavy upon them. Most of the men prepared to go at once readily enough, but, some parties having started out on the mountains to prospect, Mr Eice and four or five native policeman have gone out to fetch them back.

NATIVE ATTACK NEAR WAN GANUL

EIGHT MEN KILLED AND ONE WOUNDED.

The following authentic intelligence of the late attack upon a foraging party at the Front is furnished by Colonel "Whitmore, and published in the Wanganui papers to hand by the Wallabi :

" On Thursday afternoon, ten men of Colonel M'DonnelFs division, under Sergeant Menzies, formed themselves into a foraging party, and crossed the Waitotara to pick some peaches which had been observed during the Colonel's expedition towards Turangamutu. They had scarcely reached the peach grove, after mooring their canoe, when the enemy opened fire on them from an ambuscade which he had prepared, and the men hurried back to their canoe. None appear to have been hit by the first fire, but in getting into the canoe Sergeant Menzies was left behind, and, the man who had the paddle not knowing how to manage it, the enemy was enabled to overtake them before they got out of reach. Constable M'Envoy and another man

I swam across, the former being, however, wounded, and the last killed in mounting the beach. Two other men I took shelter in the bush, and escaped, but Sergeant Menzies and the rest were shot from above, or tomahawked in the river, Sergeant Menzies' body alone being recovered. " Colonel M'Donnell turned out his men with the greatest possible despatch, and was on the ground in a very few minutes, the enemy firing at him as he approached; but having I found the canoe, and gained possession of it, he crossed and drove back the enemy, bringing off the two men who who had Bought shelter in the bush." I The following is a return of the killed, wounded, and missing in this unfortunate affair:—Sergeant Menzies, killed and mutilated ; Constable Connel Boyle, killed. Constable John I M'Envoy, wounded. Constables Alfred "Wakeford, and B. Henderson, returned. Corporal George Horspool, and Constables James Banks, John Howe, Able Barris, Matthew Clowen, missing.

THE MASSACEE AT TAEANARI

LATEST PAETICTJLAES. By the arrival of the steamer Wallabi, from Wanganui, we have particulars of the recent massacre of Bettlers at the White Cliffs, Taranaki. A few hours previous to the Wallabi sailing from Wanganui on Tuesday evening, the steamer Start had arrived, and she reported that the settlers were flocking into New Plymouth. It was also reported that the Natives were assembling, and were already under arms,2000 strong, but the previous news received by the steamer Bangatira certainlydoes notjustifiy the supposition that there was likely to be a general rising. The murders were said to be rather the act of a few miscreants, without the co-operation or countenance of the Natives generally. This was distinctly stated in a proclamation issued by the Superintendent, Mr Richmond. A contrary feeling had not, however, been allayed, and a public meeting had been held to take steps for the safety of the Province. The following particulars are contained in the extra editions of the Taranaki papers:— The version given by the Superintendent of the aflair is, that the murders were done by a party of only four natives, who had been entertained previously by the victims, and had been in the neighbourhood from the previous Wednesday; and the impression is that they were the only parties concerned. They are supposed to be Young Philips, (half caste,) Te Wetere (who formerly owned the schooner Paraniti,) Te Koko, and another native. The account given by

M'Donnell seems to be the one best tc be relied upon. He states that foui natives, one a half-caste, whose father a white man, resides with the natives at Mokau, were for several days seer prowling about the neighbourhood. The two boys came to him while he was putting up a whare, and one remarked to the other that it was little good, as it would be cut down in a few days ; they then left and rejoined the old men, who were by this time returning in the direction of the blockhouse. This was on Saturday, and nothing more was thought of it. The Rev. Mr Whiteley passed about dust and promised to call upon the familj next day. On Sunday one of Mr M'Donnell's sons proposed to go up to the block-house to look for some cows, but in consequence of the rain delayed till Monday, when he found the block-house and Mr Gaseoigne'e house destroyed, and, coming upon the body of Eev. Mr Whiteley, just outside, lying dead by the Bide of his house, he turned and did not slack his speed until he got home, a distance oi about five miles, and gave the alarm; and the family immediately made for the Meme, about three miles nearer the Waitara, and crossed in safety. Immediately on the news being received, the steamer Wellington, which was at New Plymouth, was despatched to the Crenui river, to bring in several families, and she returned with a party, of Volunteers who were landed at the White Cliffs. Mounted men and bush-rangers were also despatched overland," making a force oi 150 altogether. They searched for the bodies, and recovered five, which, • with the exception of Mr Whiteley, were partially buried. His body was not mutilated, but he had been shot ! through the forehead and stomach, Lieutenant Gascoigne, his wife and three children, and two settlers named Edward Eichards and John Milner were the others killed, Their houses had not been ransacked. As soon as the news of the murders were received in New Plymouth, the public offices, and the bank, besides the stores in town, were all closed, and the ensign at the signal station hoisted half-mast high. The funerals were attended by thousands of people, and in the evening an indignation meeting was held to which upwards of six hundred attended. A deputation consisting of the Superintendent and other gentlemen, were appointed to proceed at once to Wellington, and petition the Government for assistance. One circumstance which indicates unfavourably for the peace of the district is the fact that the Chatham Island natives have threatened by the Mokau Natives, who have left that district, and come to this side of the TTrenui. The Superintendent, however, states that a careful watch is being kept, and repeats that there is no immediate danger. The following is a list of the names and ages of the deceased as they appear on the plates fixed to the coffins:— Eev. John Whiteley, aged 62 years j John Milne, aged 40 years; Edward Eichards, aged 35 years; Bamer Gascoigne, aged3B years; Annie Gascoigne, aged 27 years; Laura Gascoigne, aged 5 years ; Cecil John Gascoigne, aged 3 years; Louisa Annie Gascoigne, aged 3 months. In papers later than those we received by the Wallabi, the following shocking description is given of the finding of the bodies :—The body of the Eev. John Whiteley was first seen. He was lying on his face, a few yards from his dead horse. His coat and waistcoat were gone, and one leg was doubled under him. He had five bullet wounds; and must have been killed by a volley fired from some bushes to his right as he was going towards the block-house. They next disinterred the family of the Gascoignes. Lieutenant Gascoigne's face had marks of bruises on it, and his head had four deep tomahawk wounds on the back of it. Mrs Gascoigne had two tomahawk wounds at the back of her head, and the left side of her face much bruised, as though she had been beaten with the clenched fist of a man. The skin was off her knees, showing that her body must have been dragged along the ground. The third finger of her left hand been chopped, and the wedding-ring taken therefrom. The body of the eldest girl, Laura, had a mark as if something had been drawn very tightly round the body, and two wounds at the back of the head. The boy, Cecil John Gascoigne, had three wounds on the back of his head, and the baby, Louisa Annie, had its head nearly severed from its body. Edward Eichards appeared to have been hit by a long tomahawk, as he was in the act of running away. He was dressed, but his cap was off his head and was lying a few feet from him. About eighteen yards from him, the body of John Milne was found, and beneath his body was a part of the handle of a tomahawk.