THE WAIRAU MASSACRE.

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14701, 25 June 1913, Page 12

THE WAIRAU MASSACRE.

TO TIIE EDITOR OF "THE r-RES*." | Sir. —Although far away from Christ-1 church I still get "The Press" every day. To-day I got last Tuesday s ''Press,'' ami noticed therein your remarks about the "Wairau massacre. However, you do not do justice to your subject, inasmuch as you have conveniently left out certain very important details. You say a "gun went off." This is true, but you must remember that the "Whites were supposed to come without arms loaded. Also you neglect to point out that the bullet from the gun killed the idol of the tribe—the beautiful princess who was standing at her father's side. There is little,doubt tho bullet was not accidental, but meant for the chief, but instead was the. cause of his daughter's death—just about as callous and brutal a murder as New Zealand can boast of. This was the cause of the massacre. I lived for a number of years in a bay where the princess in question was 'buried, and have heard a good deal about the massacre. It may be of interest to tlio?o who know Mnrlborough to learn that the Tua Marina Hotel stands nearly on the spot where the murder was committed, the creek behind the hotel being the dividing line between Pakeha nnd Maori. After the first massacre the Maoris went to Port Underwood for a day or so, and their blood being thoroughly heated by that time, then swooped .down on tho Wairau, causing slaughter everywhere they went. —Yours, etc.. PAKKHA-MAORI. Kopaki, King Country, June 20th.