REPORT FROM MR JAMES MACKAY, JUN.

Waikato Times, Volume IV, Issue 199, 19 August 1873, Page 2

REPORT FROM MR JAMES MACKAY, JUN.

We reprint the following report in order that our readers may understand the circumstances attendant on the murder of Sullivan and the subsequent action of the Government. The great length of the report necessitates our dividing it into two pnrts: —

Cambridge, 10th July, 1873. Sib, — I have the honor to inform you that in compliance w ith the request of the Honorable Mr Vogel and the Honorable Pr Pollen, I proceeded to Waikato on the 26t>h April last, to inquire into the circumstances of the murder of a man named Timothy Sullivan, on the Pukekura block, near Cambridge. I arrived at Cambridge on the evening of the 27th, and at once instituted inquiries about the murder and the causes which led to it. In order to properly understand the question, it will bo necessary for me to draw attention to proceedings about the lands of the Ngatihaua tribe, and certain overt acts committed by the Ilauhau portion of them, antecedent to the date ol the murder of Timothy Sullivan. Pnorto the Iw-anuki war in 1860, the Ngatihaua tribe nutnbf ml irom six to seien hundred fighting men ; of these only about seventy under the chiefs Te Kaihi and ilakiriwhi I'urewa remained loyal after the commencement of hostilities in 1862 ; the others, led by Wiremu Tamihan.i Tarapipini (William Thompson) and other influential chiefs, joined in Iho rebellion. At that period the landed estate of the tribe may bo f'v'tlj estimated at four hundred thousand acres. Of (his they lost by confiscation under " The New Zealand Settlements Act," about one hundred and fifty thousand acres, of the remainder one hundred and fifty-eight thousand geven hundred and forty-five acres have been alienated either by sale or lease to Europeans, leaving a balance in their possession of ninety thousand nine hundred and sixtyfive acres, of which about fifty thousand awes arc chinned by the Ngntituuerangi hapti, who are now hostile to Ngutihaua, Icj,\ ing about forty thousand acres for the Ngatihaua proper. In addition to the above, the loyal portion of the tribe received out of confiscated lands fifteen thousand acres of very valuable land at Tamabere, and the rebels who surrendered had ten thousand acres reserved for them at Tauwliare, adjacent to that place. The alienation of lands to Europeans was in some instances sanctioned by William Thompson and other influential chiefs, but as a general rule the loyal natives were tho vendors or lessors of tho tribal estate. The Ngatihaua as a people are addicted to drunkenness and are groat spendthrifts, the consequence is that of (he fifteen thousand acres at Tumahere, awarded to them bv the Compensation Court in 1867, about twelve thousand acres have been conveyed in fee simple to European settlers ; and although, as before shown, the undisputed tribal estate now held by tho Hauhau division of the tribe is only about forty thousand acres, the loyal natives urge their claim to it also. The result of these proceedings is that a bad feeling has been engendered between the llauhaus and friendly people of the tribe. The present strength of the Hauhaus of Ngatihaua is about one hundred and seventy fighting men, and of the friendly portion (including surrendered rebels) about one hundred men, of whom the last-mentioned have received land within the confiscated district, from which those who have stood aloof are debarred from participating in. Having thus sketched the former and present position of the Ngatihaua tribe, it wil^bo desirable for the future to confine my comments to the Maungatautan, Pukekurn, and Pualiuo blocks, and the various proceedings taken about these, and the acts of the hostile portion of the tribe with respect to them. About 1806, Captain (now Major) Wilson, of Cambridge, ontorcd into arrangements for leasing the Pitkekura and Puahue blocks from the fnondly portion of the Ngatihaua tribe, and Mr ilatnlni negotiated for » lease of the Maungatuutari block. Mr 11. E. M. Campbell was engaged to survey the whole of those, and, according to his evidence subsequently given in the Natne Land Court, he met with no opposition in sur\e\mg except in the ease of Pukekura, where Te Tumu and Molu (Hori te Tumu, and Molu Purukutu, the murderers of Sullivan) objected— the iormer "to the survey of tho internal divisions of the block, and the latter, because the block was outside the Government boundary" (confiscated line). (Vide evidence, Pukelcura wise, enclosure A). The surveys being completed, a sitting of the Native Land Court was duly gazetted to be held at Cambridge on tho 17th October, 1866, to investigate the title to the Maungat autari block. The Court sat, Chief Judge Fenton presiding, and Hetaraka Nero and Henn Mjitini assisting as Native At^essors. A complaint had been forwarded to me (I was tlion Civil Commissioner) that certain Ngatiruukawa and A raw a counter-claimants had beon stopped on their way by llnuhaus, and prevented from attending the bitting ot the ('oust. I nwU'uctcd Mr Maiu-

waring, then llesident Magistrate of the- district, to attend a»d ask for an adjournment, which was at once granted by Mr Fenton. (Vide evidence, Muung.itautari case, enclosure B). The Court sat a o -in on tho 30tli November, 1867, to hear the claims to the Maungatautari, Pukekura, and Puahue blocks, Judge Rogan presiding, assisted by Hare Winkake and Hone Mohi Tawhai, Native Assessors. At therequest of Purakaia Te Pouepa, tlie representative of the Ngatirauk wa counter claimants, all the oases were adjourned, aud the Cou.'t did not resume its sitting until 3rd November, 1868, of which due notice was previously given in the Government Gazelle. The uuUves who attended; wi re chielly either of the friendly or surrendered rebel class, am I a few Hauhaus, equally mistrusted by the Queen and rebel natives. Tho principal feature* of the three cases weretho claims set up by the Ngatiraukawa tribe to the whole of the lands ; but on the 7th November, 1868, Parakaia TePouepa, acting on their behalf, withdrew their claims on the Maungatautari and Pukekura blocks, in favor of Ngatihana; he, however, refused to renounce the Puahue block. (Vide Enclosure A). Ihe Court finally gave judgment on, tho 9th November, 18G8, in fa-vor of the Ngatihau for threepieces. (Vide enclosure B.). The certificate of title for the M.iungatautari block, containing, fit c thousand fo«r hundred and ninety-one acres was ordered to be issued to Waata Parakaia, lhaia Tiorion, Te Kuilii, Te Hakiriwhi, ilote te Waharoa, Tana te Waharon, Aperaliama Tuterangipouri, Piripi Wli*natangi, Nopia Muriuo, Aramete te Waharoa, Teni Poiuii, li'Uua te Kane, Eeone, and Tarika- te Hura (fifteen m number;. As the Ngatibaua could not agree among themselves about the proper names to be inserted in. tho certificate for Maungatautari, the Court* on the 16th November, 1868, adjourned tho case. The Court sat again* on 17th December, 18G9, and adjourned uutil 18th April, 1871, when the Maungatautari case was finally disposed of by Judge Monro, and Hori Kukutat, Native Assessor, by dividing the block into two pieces. A certificate of title for Maungatautari, No. 1, was ordered in favor of Te Waati Tahi, Parakaia, Tuterangipouri, Piripi te Whanatangi, Tamtti Turou, Te Baihi, Tene Ponui, Piripi te Matewha, Matene Pototo, Te Eapati Molii (ton in number), and the land to be inalienable except by lease, not exceeding twentyone years. (Vide enclosure B) k The certificate for Maungataataiv No. 2, woe in favor of Hakiriwhi te Purewa, lhaia Tioriori, Keone Taware, Nepia- Marino, Tanu te Waharoa, Hote Titraihana, Tlareta Tamihana, Tanka te Ilura, Silua te Kauae, and Eruera te Ngahuvu, ten in number, suWet to the same restriction as to alienation as Maungalau^iri I No. 1. Tana te Waharoa, Hote te Wabaroa, and Harefli Tamihana, are the only representatives of the Hauhau division of Ngatihaua, in the certificates, the others are eitherfriendly natives or ex-rebels. Judgment was delivered in the cases of* the Pukekura and Puahue blocks on the 9th November, 1868, by Judge Rogan. The certificate of title lor Pukekura block, containing eight thousand three hundred and ninety-three acres, was ordered in favor of Te Baihi, Piripi Whanatangi, Horomona, Hakiriwhi, Irihia, Hori Winbana, Ilemi Kokako, Parakaia Te Xovoko, Maihi Karaka, ''c Waata te Reweti, Te Huia, Te Ngirangira, Huka, Te Waaka Ngai, Meretana, Hon Puaoa,. Hareta Tamihana, Reone, Wiremu te Whitu, lhaia. Tioriori, i Aperahama Tuterangipouri, Nepia Marino, Te feira te Kono, Hone te One, and Teni Poni'i, twenty-six in number, the whole of whom, with the exception of Hareta Tamihana, may be classed as either friendly natives or surrendered rebel 3. The " Certificate of Title" far the Puahue block, containing eight thousand six hundred and twelve acres, wai ordered in favor of Te Beweti Waikato, Penetana, Winikerci^, Hoani Phkura, Winiara, Hori Puno, Makerete Mete, Mata Kaora, Hori Waru, Henare Ngai, Netana Kewene, Wbakatnha, Merc Tana, Hon Winbana, Huka, Wi Huka, Wi te Whitu, Te Waata, 'lanku te Hura, Apprahama Tuterangipouri, Hone te One, Hori Pohi Pohi, Mntenga, Aterea, Motukoura, and Piripi Whanatangi, twenty-five in number. I do not know the exact proportion of Hauhau names in the certificate for Puahue, but consider there are about onethird of that class. On the 12th November, 1868, the Court sat in the matter of the Pukekura and Puahue eases, for the purpose of ascertaining the ten persons who should be entered in the certificate of title to hold the land in trust for the persons who. had been decided by the Court to be the owners according to native custom. Letters w ere read which were handed in> by the claimant* containing a li»t of the names required for that purpose. In the Pukekura case, it was ordered that a. Crown Grant bhoutd be issued to Te Waata Tahi, Hareta, Tamihana, Reweti Waikato, Hakiriwhi, flori Puao, Pinhi. Wbanatangi, Hemi Kokako, Wiremu te Whitu, Pinhi, and Hori Wirihana, ten in number, in trust for themselves and the other persons acknowledged as owners and mentioned as such in the judgment delivered on the 9th November, 1860. There was no opposition to this by any of the claimants. In the Puahue case, the Court on application of the natives mentioned in the order of the 9th November, 1868, ordered that a Crown Grant should be issued to To Eeweti Waikato, Hori Fohepohe, Kori Wirihana, Tarika te Hura, Honnu Pakura, Mata Kaora, Wmikerei, Wmiata, Arameto tp Waharoa, and Ilopatn. Te Ao, ten in number, in trust for the Persons who had been dcilaicd owners on the 9th Novem- £ ber, 1868. Tins did not however complete the proceedings in the Native Land Court in the Pukekura and Puahue cases, it having been found that a Crown Grant w ith a trust clause could not be issued under the Native Lands Act. — Vide enclosures A and B. — The Court sat again on the 16th December, ] 869, and ten persons before named, in each case,, were selected for Crown Grants, and the land was made inalienable except by lease not exceeding twenty-one years. The effect of this was to give the persons named as grantees the right to lease the land and use the rents of it. Thegrants as thus issued are entirely in. favor of the loyal portion of the claimants There was a large amount of evidence giren in the Court — aide enclosure — that there were a number of natives who — had claims to the land living w ith the King party at Toka- " ngemufcu, but at the same time some persona tailing themselves Hauhaus appeared in Court and baid " they were willing that the land bhould be granted to the lriendly natives, and the Hauhaus had given up all claim to it." le Rewiti Waikato, in his evidence on tile Puahue case, says,, "he belongs to Ngatihaua, Ngatiruru, Ngatikoura, and le Werokoko (toapue). There are a number of person* who are living with the King who Lave a claim m this block." Afterwards he says, "I am the only peison of the three bapus I have mentioned (Ngatiruru, Ngatikoura, and Te Werokoko), the rest are among the King natives. They have heard of tins survey : it has been done two years. They have said that ' I should carry the casethrough the Court.' Their w ord is ' Mau tau main,' (you may do your own work)"— a very ambiguous phrase. "I sent them word of the investigation, and they agreed that I should carry the case into the Court." Waata Tahi, another Ngatihaua claimant, says — "I have heard Te Reweti' s statement it is correct. The whole of the hapu mentioned by Te Iteweti own this land. The absent claimants are away \ with the King ; they have consented to the investigation of this land ; they have made this statement themselves to us. i* There nre a hundred men :n all who have claims to this land. The King's party have given the land over to us." Hoani Pakura, one of the Ngatinpakura claimants, says : — " Most of" Ngattapakura nre here (about thirty), the rest are with the King (about twenty). We have informed them of oVr intention to have the land investigated, and they ma*fe noobjection " Winikerei, of Ngatiapakura, also says — '• Some of our hapu are with the King ; they have come to us and we havo spoken to them about the land ; their word was 'Mau atu tau * (yours is for you). This is an assent on their * part (query). They intend to remain inland, and have left the land in our possession." Penetana, another of Ngatiapakura, says :— " I have come from the King's party ; I ar«nved here on the 25th October ; I have lived with the King natives, and have just returned ; tlieir word was ' Haere hei whakatika lto ratou korero 1 (go to confirm their evidence — Queen natives). I have now come mlo Court; I assent to£ what has been said by the former witnesses. The King ' natives do not wish to have anything to do with [this land ; they have sent me to ' whakatika' (put straight or confirm) the land for the claimants in Court. I shall stay here and then go backwaids and forwards to the King natives." Aperaliama Tuterangipouri, of Ngatibaua, saysj: — " Some of the claimants are with the Hauhaus ; lam a Queen native, 1 He aba maku te Hauhau' (what are the Hauhaus to me). I have heard that the Huuhaiis are unwilling that we should leaie land all over tho island. There are a great number of owners to this land amongst the Hauhaus; they nre more numerous than we nre." Tarika te Hura confirms Rewiti Waikato's statement. Hori Puao says. — " There are persons among t!)O King natives who could dispute the lease, but they have sent word to Te Ueweti, ' Mau ano tau main' (It is for you to do your work). This is an assent (very doubtful). I *■ have heard what Iteweti hns said — it is correct." Wmiata says :—": — " I did not hear of any objections made by Ngatiapakura, on the King's side; I nave heard what Te Reweti has snid— it is correct." Wi Huka says — " Ngatihaua, and all the hapus mentioned, have a claim on this land ; I do not recognise nny other claim." Paraknia te Ponepa, of Ngati-^ ruuLawa, on the 7th November, 18C8, (vide enclosure C) in withdrawing the claims of Ngatnaukawa to Pukekura and Maungatautari. in favor of the resident claimants (Ngatihaua), said that "he wished the investigation of Puahue should be closed, as some of the owners were King natives* and he wished to ascertain their opinion tow ards Ngatiraukawa." I do not see that the Native Land Court could, according to the strict rules of law and evidence,, have decided otherwise than was done m these cases, and it was not to be expected that the Judges could ascertain the names of all th& absentee Hauhaus ; but the difficulty might, perhaps, hav^ been overcome by the issue of tribal certificates. The only practical way to sohe the difficulty,. as the law at * present stands, appears to be, for the grantees to apply totho Native Land Court to sub-divide tbo property, thus cancel the Crown Grants issued for the blocks, and have new grants made out in the names of the right persons Soon after the Native Land Court gave its decision, Captain, Wilaou obtained leases of the Pukekura and Puabue block*

from the grantees, which be, on tho 12th December, 1868, transferred to Messrs Walkor and Douglas. Those gentleman shortly afterwards placed stock on the land, which wero not at first molested by the natives. On the 6th September, 1870, three head af eattlo belonging to the lessees were shot at Maungatautari. On the 20th July, 1871, a hut situated near to Pukekura (but within the confiscated boundary) was burnt On the 22nd, a bullock owned by the lessees was killed and carried away, and (en sheep were killed. The natives drove about sevent\ head of cattle off' the Puahue block on tiie 22nd July, 1871, and three were drowned in consequence. Two horses were stolen from a paddock at Maungatautari on the 27th December, 1871. After this Hie Hauhau natives, under Mohi Purukutu, contented themselves with driving the cattle about on the run A meeting of King natives was held at Maungatautan on the 21th and 25th January, 1873, at which Hunia to Xg.ikau, the King's messenger, is reported to have told Major Mair " to have the cattle removed from the Pukekura, Puahue, and Maungatautari block s"* At that meeting the so-called law of the Maori King, that "the sale and lease of lands to Europeans should be stopped," was dis -ussed, and confirmed. Mohi Purukutu had previously to this taken on himself the charge oi the aukati between Whnrepapa and Otew.i, (a fact which came personally under my observation at Wharepapa, when I went to gee Tawlnao m October last). He appears to have considered that the meeting at Maungat.iutari strengthened Ins hands in resisting Mr Walker's occupation of the PuLekura block, lor he immediately tiller associated with himself Hori te Tumu, Hone Waiti Paekauri, Pere Kapereia Poutururu, Paora Tuhua, Wira Ta<*awhati, Whina, Herewini Ngamuka, Parata te Ahum, and Hohepa Motuiti. On the 25th February, 1873, James Laney and others were engaged in cutting a ditch near "Rotornngi, on Mr Walker' 9 freehold land, inside the confiscated line, when Paora Tuhua and Pere Kapereim Poutururu, walked past them, and Paora Tuhua struck Laney on the head with a taiaha, inflicting a very severe wound. Laney and his companions seized the assailant, and although there were several of the "Armed Constabulary" cutting fascines in the neighborhood, he was released and allowed to depart to his settlement. Tho success of the attack on Laney seems to have euibokleiied Moln Purukutu and Ins band, for shortly afterwards they gave notice that three Europeans were to be killed, ono as utn (payment or revenge) for the Turangamoana (Fn th's) lease ; one for the bridge at Te Niho ote Kiore, Waikato river ; and one for the Manukatutahi survey. At the same time 'hey mentioned their particular *esire was to capture and kill some of the friendly natives ■who had been concerned in the sale and leasing of land On the 23rd April, Paraknia Te Koran was searching after a missing horse at Pnkekura, and was seized by Moln Purukutu, Hori Te Tumu, and Herewini Ngamuka, who wero armed with guns. He was taken to Te Koukou settlement, where he found seven other armed natives — Paora Tuhua, Hohepa Motui'.i, Wira Tamwhati, Whinii, Hone Waiti Paekauri, Pirata Te Ahuru, and Pere Poutururu. After interrogating him as to his participation in land sales or leases, and finding he had taken no part therein, they agreed to spare his life. They then went to Jigaho-ko-whitu, a settlement distant about one mile from Te Koukou ; here they all remained until about midnight, when seven left, and Hone Waiti Paekauri, Parata Te Ahm-u, and Pere Poutururu, remuined to guard Parakaia. The party were absent the next day and night, and returned at da^igbton the 25th, saying, " that slaying had taken place." Parakaia was then released. From information >eceived from other sources, it appears that on arriving at Te Koukou settlement Paora Tuhua, Wira Pavawhati, and Hohepa Motuiti remained as a guard, and Mohi Purukutu, Hori Te Tumu, Whina, and Herenine Ngainuku went on to search for Europeans to kill. They were aware that men we'-e working for Mr Walker on the Pukeknra block, and travelled by the track leading from Maungataulari to Pukekura. On reaching a point where the paths diverge to Pukekura and Moanatuatua, they saw » man, George Lloyd, diiving a cart loaded with fascines. They theu considered that there weie probably other Europeans working at the place to which the fascines were being carted, and allowed the cart to pass. The four then followed the dray track to a hill overlooking a swamp, where three men, Jones, Rogers, and Sullivan, were laying fascines, about three chains outside the boundary of the confiscated land. The men's at tention was [attracted to the natives by a dog barking, and they at once agreed to abandon I heir work, and run towards Cambridge. Alter going some distance, Sullivan became exhausted from fatigue, and went into a small clump of manuka, where he was speedily discovered by Hori Te Tumu— and shot by Mohi Purukutu who came up lit the time. Whina and Herewine NgnmuU, by direction of Mobi Purukutu, crossed to the north side of the snarap, with the intention of cutting off Jones and Eoge-s, but when they renched the boundary line the cliQ>e was discontinued. Mohi Purukutu and Hori Te Tumu then mutilated the body of Sullivan, and took away with them the head and hen -t, and his hat and waistcoat Shortly after this Mr P.i ker (a partner of Mr Walker) joined Lhnd, who was eaiting the i.iseuies, and they pro^eedec' together to the spot where the thee men had been sir p -ised by thenativei. They suw two natives (Mohi Pui ukutti and Hori Te Tii.nu) on the opposite side of the swamn, and •mother coming down the dray tiack which they had just parsed over. Discovering thai the working party had left, they considered it advisable to return also. They accordingly proceeded up the dray tiack towards the place where they bad seen the native walking. On aniving there, a man (Whina) jumped up from the fern and presented a fowling piece at Parker, at the same time pulling tthe trigger. The cap fortunately missed fi.u Lloyd ran awar, and Parker, after the native had again endeavored to fire bis gun and the cap had snapped a second time, put bis horn to a gallop and escaped. In the meanwhile, Jones hid l eached Cambridge and gave the alarm. Major Clnre, the officer commanding tho Constabulary there, bad only two men on the spot, the remainder of the force being employed working on the roads at some distance <i'om the township. Major Claiw and a party of settlers then went out and brought in the body of Sullivan, which they found mutilated, as before described. (Tide enclosure D.) On the following day Mr Searancke, tho Coroner of the district, held an inquest on the body, (vide oopv of evidence at inquest, enclosure E) and a verdict of wiliul murder was "eturaed against Pere Poutururn, and three other nativesnames unknown, but one supposed to be Whira, and another named Paora. The finding of the jury lias since been discovered to be incorfeet, and tbat none of tho persons mentioned m the verdict were present at the time — those concerned in the muvder being Mohi Pumkutu, Hori Te Tumu, Whiua and Herewine Ngamuka; the two first mentioned actually killed Sullivan, and the two last assisted in the chase after Sullivan and his companions. I arrived at Cambridge on the 27th April, and at once proceeded to collect information as to the actual perpetiators of tho outrage, but it was the 16th May before I was in possession of the facts of the case as hereinbefore related. On the 28th Apiil, I went to the scene of the murder, accompanied by Major Clare, Messrs Walker, Parker, Jones, and othe.'3, and made a sketch of the locality, showing the points at which the various incidents took place. — Vide Sketch Map, enclosure F.— l found that everthing connected with tho murder occurred on the leiisehold land, outside the boundary of the lands confiscated under the New Zealand Settlements Act, excepting the attempt made by Whina to shoot Parker, which was within the line. On the 29th Apr 1 a meeting of the Ngatihaua was held at Tamahere, at which Tana To Waharoa, their principal chief, weu present. I demanded from him that " the murderers should be given up to bo tried by the law ; if that was not combed with, that the tnbe'should stand aside and allow the.n to be captured." He professed his willingnew to do this, and I said as the murderers belonged to his tribe ho could give them up at once, and he must give me an answer in three days. On the 30th April I wrote to Tawhiao, Rewi, and Manuwhiri, as follows .— ' I have come here at the request of the Government to inquire about the murder. My proceeding are being cn.efully taken that peace may be maintained. My idea is, that the guilty should atone for his offence, and the innocent should dwell in peace and security. This is a question of mine to you — Aro you not willing to express your opinion as to the persons who murdered the pakeha f Tho reason I thus speak to you is that I wish to hasten some good arrangement for us, so that both our people — English and Maori— may live, lest the trouble increase for this unauthorised murder. My thought is that men should not bo murdered. The objects which you wish to attain should be carefully considered by us in neace." CooiplainiT we eat this tune made by the Hauhau portion o< the N^'J.vAiliawa tube, that their land wa3 being surveyed by the fdenlly natives without their consent, with the intention of leasing it to speculators, and threats were made that the surveyors would be attacked. Under these circumstance* T suggested to the Government that the survey parties ahouM be requested to discontinue their operations, and wa* at o»tce authorised to take the necessary steps to withdraw them from tho Ngatiraukawa, district. Mr Brissenden, Major Hay, and the persons who had entered into arrangements about the land agreed to stop the survey ; and I feel much indebted to them for the manner in which they sacrificed their private interests for those of the public As native affairs were in a very unsatisfactory state, it was thought advisable to remove the Armed Constabulary from road work, and bring them towards the frontier, ready for any emergency. Colonel Lyon, the officer in command of the district, did all that laid in his power to secure the safety of the settlers, with the limited force (less than one hundred men) under his orders. On the lit May, the friendly Ngatihaua chief Hakhiivhi !u o^a' rct ,» rn «d from Te Kuiti. He reported that on the 29th April he met Hohepa Motuiti, and Hone Waiti Paekaun on their way back to Ar.ititaha from Mannga. mntu, where they had left Sullivan's bent, hat, and waißteoat, m front of Tiaho's (Princess Sophia's) house.

• Hunia te Ngalmu gave no such warning to Major Muir, SariSmg 61 ' ° rnment OffiwP PrCBCUt at MaU " gtt -

He said that he had seen Tawhiao, and his interview was ot an unsatisfactory native. T.iu hiao excused the murder on the ground that he hud forbidden all dealings with lav i. Hakiriwln pressed him to say whit were his intentions about PurukuLu, and he mplied that " the question was f«r him to dcci lv ' The lnfonnation received up to this time was to the effect that the Waikata tribes were very undecided as to the course to be puisued about the murder, and that Hewi and the Ngatimaniapoto tribe stiongly disapproved of it. As no answer had been received to my letter to Tawhiao, Manuhiri, and ltewi, and the Government were desirous of obtaining, if possible, accurate information as to tiio state of affairs at Tokangamutu, I was asked if I had any objection to going there. I replied that " I was ready to go," and accordingly left Cainbudge for Tokaugauuitu via Alexandra on the 4th May, On the sth, 1, accompanied by Hone te One, Native Assessor, Wai ana, a native policeman, and Erueia lloronri, a Xgatihaua Haulian, started from \lexandra for Tokangamutu . Og reaching Mangarangi, we met Te Tuhi (L'ataia), the King's brother-in-law, who was on his way to Ilautui v, to request Tawhiao to attend the meeting then being held at Tokangamutu. After the usual gieetmg, Hone te One said, " Turn, 1 am going to Te Kuiti (Tokangamutu) with Mackay." To which lie replied haere noa atu '•go as a matter of \ couise." In order to prevent any misunderstanding, I said, "Te Tula, do not be deceived about my going to Te Kuiti ; lam not now journeying on my own account, but am in a different capacity to that in which I formerly went to Tawhiao, at Pekanui. 1 went then on my own account, now I am going for the Government, to deliver a message to Tawhiao, Manuhiri, nnd Rowi. After some pnvate talk with Hone te One, he lephed, "Go on, take no notice of any one, if any one tries to stop you, do not listen ; if any one invites you to stay at his place, do net hearken ! Hone, go right on to Te Kuiti, and you and Mackay stop in the house you, Hone te One, recently occupied there " I may mention that on the same morning 1 had sent a messenger to Tawhiao with a letter, informing him that I was on my w.iy to Te Kuiti. Te Tuhi arrived at llauturu just after my letter reached Tawhiao, and told him that I was travelling to Te Kuiti with Hone te One, to which he said, " X pai ana "—all right. 1 had also sent two Ngatipaoa natives, from Kihikihi, on the 24th, to acquaint Tarapipipi te Kopara, of Piako, with my proposed visit to Tokangamutu. He informed Manuhiri, who instructed Tana te Waharoa to write a letter to me to come if I liked. We proceeded on our journey, and no objection or obstruction was offered to our progress. On ai riving at Te Uira, Wahanui and the Ngatimaniapoto invited us to have some food, and remain there for the night This we declined, as Te Tuhi had told us to go on to Te Kuiti. We therefore went there. Te Ngakau invited us to his house, but as the Ngatihaua were encamped in that neighbourhood, and they were the tribe to w horn the murderer belonged, I deemed it advisable to cross the river tr the house indicated by Te Tuhi. We accordingly went theie. Tv Tawhiao (Tawhiao's sou), Tana Te Waharoa, and Te fteiuga (Manuhiri's daughter), and a large number of natives came to see us. Tv Tawhiao ordeied a tent to be erected for my use, and Hone Te One and Warana occupied the house adjacent, which belonged to Tawhiao and Te Tuhi. Te Uemga invited Hone Te One to go with me to Manuhiu's house, and he declined. I did not know this at the time or I would probably ha\o accepted the invitation. (To be continued in our next. )

MKucrny ix the Hcmvn System — Professor Hyatt delivered a lecture on Mercury in Vienna recently, when he exhibited the leg bone of a man whose death had undoubtedly been hastened by mercury. On striking the bone heavily upon the table, out fell thousands of little glittering globules of mercury — bright metallic mercury — winch rolled about upon the black surface before them, collecting here and there into drops. This mercury bad been absorbed during life, undermining the man's ejstem, and proved fatal to him. The mortality among those who work in mines of quicksilver, or in the woiks where it is reduced, is known to be frightful. In the celebrated mines of Idria, the men work alternately one month in the mines, and one in the smelting-house. But notwithstanding this, it appears that of the hundieds employed there, one-fourth become salivated. Tampkgiivg with Cheques. — Numerous suggestions have boen put forward as to the best means of preventing the simple form of forgery known as " tampering with cheques." It has been proposed, remarks, Iron, that the drawer should, on all cheques for a less sum than £10, write in red ink the words " Under ton pounds " When the hurry and bustle of active life are taken into account, this remedy w ill appear but clumsy and inefficient. A system of cheques ready perforated with the words " Under ten pounds," "Under forty pounds," " Under four hundred," and " Under a thousand," would surely be an improvement on the crude red ink plan. Or, still better, a rule might be made that all cheques under ten pounds should be written upon white paper; under foi ty upon red j under a hundred upon blue ; under lour , hundred upon green j under a thousand upon yellow ; under four thousand upon tricolor paper, &o. The reason for making a break at four rather than at five is the extreme temptation offered to " young hands " to transmute a care-les«.ly-wntten "one" to a "four" by the addition of a single letter, and the slightest possible alteration of the rest. The Arabic 1 can obviously be changed into 4 by the mere addition of a couple of strokes. The adoption of either these rules, and of the practice of writing close up to the left side of the paper, would throw many obstacles in the way of thoso who write " not wisely, but too well." A correspondent of a Dunedin contemporary pictures the following scene as highly probable in the Mayor's Court, had a certain aspirant to the office of Mayor (whom he does not describe as Mr John Barnes) been lately elected : — His Worship (to defendant) : So complainant called )cv ahar, did he? — Defendant : Yes, your Worship —His Worship (to complainant) : All as I say is, then, that it sarved you light; and if yer'd called me a liar, I'd a-smashed yer the aume as thia mon has doon. I'll dismiss the case. — Counsel : But, your Worship, in the parallel caseof Robinson v. Wright . — His Worship : I doan't care about larapel cases, and I arn't agoing to be domineered over by you lawyers. I'll give the verdict how I loike. Counsel : But I submit, your Worship that the law strictly provides that no man shall take the law into his own hands and strike — — -. i — His Worsliip (foaming) : Dom the law, and ye too ! I' i | Mayor of Dunedin, and I'll be guided by my own comm- a sense. [Counsel mutters something about ignorance, whereupon the Mayor throws a book at his head, and the Court is dispersed amid general confusion. Referring to military titles, which are as plentiful in Melbourno as they are in this colony, "Atticus," in the Leader, writes :—": — " The assumption of titles by our Volunteer officers when off duty is ridiculous. Colonels, majors, captains, and lieutenants crop up at every turn, I wonder if it would astonish Hie officers of our Volunteer force to learn that a Volunteer officer in England assuming or permitting other persons to address him when off duty by a military title world — if not quite guilty of conduct unbecoming an officer aud a gentleman— be set down as an an.intsnob." The Guardian states that it is in contemplation to issue an illustrated edition of the Christian Year. A similar project was more than once proposed to Mr Keble, and he strongly objected to it ; in fact he disapproved of the publication of a small volume of pictures which had been prepared as lllust 'ations of some of the single verses of his poems. The Sultan of Turkey returns the exclusive services of a lady physician, to attend the females and children of his household. The physician is a New Hampshire lady, who graduated in Philadelphia. An auctioneer, at a late sale of antiquities, put up a helmet, with the following candid observation — " This, ladies and gentlemen, is a helmet of Romulus, the Roman founder; but whether he was a bra^, iron, or typo founder I cannot tell." Dr. Buight's Phosphodyne — Multitudes of peoplo are hopelessly suffering from Debility, Nervous and Liver Compl.iints, Depression of Spirits, Delusions, Unfltness for Business or Study, Failure of Hearing, Sigbt, and Memory, Lassitude, Want of Power, &c , whose casee admit of permanent cure by the new remedy Phosphodyne (Oxonic Oxygen), which at once allays all irritation and excitement, imparts new energy and life to the enfeebled constitution, and rapidly cures every stage of theso hitherto endurable and distressing maladies. Sold by all Chemists and Storekeepers througout the colonies, from whom pamphlets containing testimonials may be obtained. — Caution: Bo particular to ask for Dr. Bright's Phosphod)ii c as imitations are abroad; and avoid purchasing singj c bottlei, the genuine article being iold in caso* only. — Ax Vfl