A STRANGE AFFAIR.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 2681, 17 September 1889, Page 2

A STRANGE AFFAIR.

ABDUCTION OF A MAORI GIRL. [BY TUI.KGHAI'II.— OWN UOKIIESrONDKNTI. Auckland, Monday. Ax extraordinary alfair is reported to have happened at Lucas Creek, on Saturday last, when a girl niui'd Mere I was forcibly carried off by a party of Maoris, notwithstanding the nio.it strenuous oppositi 'ii of herself and friends. ' Her father and *omo other natives attempted to interfere, hut were forcibly thrown to the ground. The danghtei struggled with all her oncrgv, and every slitch of clothing was torn oil" her body before she was overcome. She was then carried off in tho direction of .Ma.hu ransi. When last seen she was being dragged along by a native who was on horseback, N.. weapon of any kind was used during the struggle. The father's party being the weakest thoy decided not to adopt extreme measures for fear the girl would be killed. Maungariri was asked if be knew the object of the attack, in reply he said that he had asked the natives the reason of their hostility, and they renliodthat More Haungariii had said " bad words " about one of their tribe. He explaiue.d that this was not to be understood in the usual sense of using bad language, and that it meant the use of some bewitching word, which, according to Maori superstition, required that the person who uttered it should be killed, as otherwise the person to whom the expression referred would die. Theso facts were communicated to Inspector Broham, who at once took steps to effect the rescue of the girl and capture the abduct us. The s.s. Vivid left the wharf at about half-past three o'clock this afternoon, taking with her a posse of about twelve armed constables, in addition t > Detectives Herbert and Ede.