LATEST FROM WAIKATO.

Auckland Star, Volume I, Issue 277, 29 November 1870, Page 2

LATEST FROM WAIKATO.

THE MUBDEE, OF ME. TODD. We yesterday published the intelligence of the attack made by armed Hauhaus on the surveying party of Mr. Todd, and the murder of this gentleman. At the time of our going to press there has not come to the Native Office any further account of tho sad affair. The indications, however, are that the origin of the attack has been more of a private than a public nature. We have, however, made every enquiry, and hasten to place before our readers the whole of the information which may be considered reliable. Mr. Todd, who resided at Raglan, and was well known both amongst Europeans and natives, was engaged at the time of his murder in the service of the Government. A block of land of some thousands of acres, at this side of the confiscated line, had. been granted by the. Government to Hone te One and his tribe, in compensation for lands which had bpen taken from them during the war. Mr. Todd was engaged to cut up this block so as to permit of Crown Grants being issued to the native owners. Hone te One expressed a wish that this land should not be surveyed, and had warned Mr. Todd that to do so would be dangerous. Several warnings had been given, moreover, in other quarters, that to interfere with, regard to the block would, be impolitic. The Pirongia natives, had, it appears, felt some alarm in consequence of two diggers having made an attempt, a short time since, to prospect for gold. A band of thirty armed Hauhaus set out in pursuit of the prospectors, but, fortunately, were laughed out of their deadly intentions by a peaceable native. The Rev. Mr. Sehnackenberg, who resides at Raglan, states, however, that the native mind had been in a very unsettled state' ever since that evrat. Mr. Todd found the aukati line almost obliterated, aad had applied for instructions as to whether he should re-survey and cut the same. His exact position, at the time of the murder, we have not ascertained, but it was probably within the aukati. Prom what we can learn the affair appears to have been a kind of ambuscade. The attacking party is said to have been small and to have included two women. Mr. Fritzell and a party we're working on the same block with Mr.'Todd, but the two parties had not seen one another for more than a week. Intelligence has been received that Pritzell and party are safe. The name of the half-caste, wounded at the time of Todd's murder, is f^apera. Colonel Lyons, who is in the district, telegraphed to Dr. Pollen yesterday evening, stuting that no panic existed amongst the European settlers in consequence of the out-1 rage, and that all was quiet. The general .belief amongst those well versed in native matters, and most competent to judge, is that the murder was committed by King natives. Of course thie Government wiil institute the strictest enquiry, and will demand of' the King the bodies of the murderers. We do not wish to assume to ourselves the task of pointing' ;out to the Government a plain duty, but we cannot but state our conviction, which we share in common with many others, that the presence of an armed vessel at Kawhia would effectually prevent the recurrence of anything of this kind—in fact would render the King party powerless. The King natives are supplied with fish, their staple diet, from the harbour of Kawhia, and the fact of the presence of an armed vessel upon their fishing grounds, ready to cut off their supplies at any moment, would render them powerless.

£So doubt further intelligence will reach the city before the closing of the telegraph office to-night.