THE NATIVE WAR

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 526, 6 July 1869, Page 2

THE NATIVE WAR

THE DISASTER AT OPEPE. ANOTHER MASSACRE BY TE KOOTI. By way of Auckland, particulars have been received of the recent surprise and butchery of the garrison at Opepe. On Sunday, 6th June, the expedition started, under command of Colonel St. John, with about twenty men, to escort him to Taupo. On their arrival at Opepe they did not take ordinary precautions, but slept that night in the whares as if at home. In the morning the officer, with four men, went to reconnoitre, and during their absence a number of Maoris, supposed to be friendly, visited them, shook hands with young Mr Gi'l, and had a talk with the half-caste boys. They had not been there long before another native came up, wearing a belt or shoulder-knot with a black star on, who immediately ordered the others to fire upon our men, which they did. All our poor fellows were shot down but not killed. Lieut. Ross fell dead, aud Ensign Lawson was shot while asleep, and their bodies therefore were not disfigured with tomahawks ; but all of the half-castes must have been only wounded,audafterwards killed with the tomahawk. Young Gill nearly escaped into the bush, but was discovered, dragged out, tomahawked, aud more frightfully disfigured than any of the others. Bugler M'Gillop, of the Opotiki troop, suspecting from the first the designs of the visitors, and believing that they were Hauhaus, aud not loyal natives, ran into the bush, but afterwards returned and induced his friend Lockwood to escape with him, which friendly act cost the poor fellow his lite, for Lockwood escaped and poor M'Gillop was shot down in the bush. Next day the officers returned and found ail our men killed, with a note, left in a conspicuous place, stating that the Ilauhaus had killed nine men at that place, and one at Huruiwi, aud that they had saved one. The letter was signed "Te Kooti." The bodies were then buried. It is said that but for the assurance of an officer who was an old resident in the district, and one whose assurance might entirely be relied on, the men would not have been thrown oil' their guard, and would never have permitted a party of natives to approach. Te Kooti, it appears, still lives, and has perpetrated another massacre of twenty-one friendly Natives. A Native named Paul Hupi, who, along with a large party, has come in for protection, and he reports that the whole of his tribe, men, women, and children, had been massacred at the hands of Te Kooti, at a settlement on the lake called Tapuaeharuru, Taupo. It is certain, at anyrate, that six men and fifteen women and children have been killed.

Another trooper has been shot. Two troopers, named Alexander Black and Donald M'Donald, Opotiki Cavalry, started from Fort Galatea with despatches for Major St. John. Two orderlies from Bunanga came into Port Galatea afterwards, and stated that on passing through Huruiwi, they found part of a despatch, dated 29th May. This despatch was the one forwarded to Major St. John by Black and M'Donald. They also fouud the stones of the Maori hangi, at which cooking had very recently taken place, still warm. Poor Sandy Black subsequently reached Fort Galatea, but it is believed that his reason is affected, as he gives a very confused account of his escape. The poor fellow managed to stick to his revolver. Poor M'Donald was killed. He was but recently married at Tauranga. The four poor fellows who escaped from Opepe have lost their toes from frost bite. The youngest of them, Leary, with Stephenson, reached Galatea in twelve and a-half hours ; Lockwood and Dette some days afterwards. Lockwood has to crawl about on his hands and knees. Sergeant Dette found his way through a large number of natives, the bullets, after he got away from them, flying all round him.