LAST NIGHTS NEWS. [BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.] [FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.]

Waikato Times, Volume XV, Issue 1307, 13 November 1880, Page 3

LAST NIGHTS NEWS. [BY ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.] [FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.]

Wanganui, Last Night. Further intelligence regarding the murder of Moffatt shows that he left Taupo with a native named Henare, for a journey down Wanganui river, and reached the Pahat, junction of Wanganui and Pome river. The natives appeared sullen, and told the travellers that they had no right there that there land was tapued to white men. The same night the Maoris sent a messenger to Aumaruni to inform the inhabitants of the pah of the arrival of Moffatt, and Henare, chief at Autnaruni, held a meeting, at which it was decided that Moffatt should be shot, and sent out an armed party of seven men, under the leadership of Ngatai Mammakau's nephew to execute sentence. The murderers formed an ambush in the fern by the side of a Maori track, along which Moffatt and Henare would pass. On Monday the travellers resumed their jonrney, when within about ten yards of the spot, the war party rose up, and one of them immediately fired at Moffatt and wounded him, he staggered forward crying out " kati kati " (stop, atop). When the second shot was fired he fell in the track of a dead man. His companion, Henare, called en the party to shoot him, but he would not. He knew him well ; he was a Wanganui native. Henare asked for the canoe to take him down the river. Major Kemp, at Parikano, was told by him to haste down to Wanganui and inform the authorities of this. He did without loss of time. Grahamstown, Last Night. A party of seven men contracted with the Council Council for forming and cutting work upon Leaoha road, and have been stopped by Haora Areranui.