BRUTAL MURDER AT WAIAPU.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume VII, Issue 626, 12 September 1878, Page 3

BRUTAL MURDER AT WAIAPU.

A MAORI WOMAN OUTRAGED AND • KILLED. In our last we published a telegram about the murder of a Maori woman near Gisborne. A correspondent of a Poverty Bay paper gives the following account of the matter : — " Awanui, August 28, 1878. " I am very sorry to inform you that last night, or early this morning, a great outrage was committed on a native woman here, who was staying at a public-house at Awanui (of which, I think, Paratene Ngata is the propiictoi). The woaian acted as an assistant or servant at this house. It appears that last night she was the worso for drink, and was. put to bed in the house. A short time after, some natives got the woman out through the window. I think she must have consented to go with them, as the people in the house did not hear her go out. The natives then took her a distance of about five or six hundred yards to a crook (where the scabby sheep had been boiled down last year) and I suppose then they attempted to commit an outrage on her ; but they must have had some trouble with her, for there was every appearance that she must havo struggled with her assailants ' very much for her life. This morning she was found dead, without any clothes on, as they had been torn from her into shreds. When I saw her she was covered up. I saw part of her logs, which were frightful to look upon. She must have been kicked or jumped upon, as her legs wero like a jelly, so badly Avere they bruised. Some of her friends had the body carried in to Waiomatatini. On i Thursday there was a very large gathering 1 to trniffi over the body. In the evening a r untvhja was held to gather what information

they could concerning the death of this woma l2---"The natives know who tho culprits are > and tho groat cry here is 'Will there be anything done to the natives,, as they are still at large" P'' " Henarc Poti, a half-caste, and Pino Tuaka,' are concerned in the murder."

FTJBTHEB PAETICDT/ABS. On Friday, about eleven o'clock,, the principal chiefs of the Povorty Bay diatrict, including Mokoha Kohere, M.H.JJ., met at the residence of the Native Minister, Wellington,, at his request. Mr :Sheehan said that he called themj together to inform them that he had determined to arrest the murderers at all hazards-and that he wished them &> co-operate-■with him-- The assembled chiefs were unanimous in their approval of Mr Sheehan'aaction, and then and there wrote and forwarded telegrams to their respective tribes to assist the in eapturingf the .^accused persons.. Warrants of apprehension were issued yesterday at Gisborne,, and a steamer has been specially chartered to proceed early- ' to-morrow morning to the locality of thecrime, and put the warrants into force. _ • Saturday. The Maoris at Waiapu, East Coast, have captured tho murderers of the native woman and hold them until the arrival of the policeGreat credit is duo !to Mr Sheehan for bisprompt and expeditious measures to securethis result.