BODY OF A CHIEF EATEN BY DOGS AT HOKIANGA.

Dunstan Times, Issue 766, 22 December 1876, Page 3

BODY OF A CHIEF EATEN BY DOGS AT HOKIANGA.

The following extract from a letter from Kokianga is sufficiently startling Wiromu Ilopihona Tahua, who died the other day at Utakura, Hokianga, was so neglected after death that his body has been entirely eaten by dogs. Only the top part of the, skull remained. Such a thing never before occurred I believe in New Zealand. A chief of high rank, and one of the few remaining of the old warriors to bo Wins eaten by dogs, shows how low the natives have fallen, and the frnitlcssness of mission labor, and the Hour and sftgar policy. I myself felt Utterly disgusted and horrified, when I heard of bis fate. I remember him in Heko’s war, a powerful chief petted by Governors, and whose word to his own tribe was law.'’ Wi Nopihona was one of three chiefs of whom Tauiati Waka, and Apcrahama Taonui were the other two, who were in the van on the side of the Government in Heke’s war. Ho 1 received a medal from the Government for his services on that, and other occasions, and was a man of generous and noble disposition. He was always anxious to use his influence with a view to preventing quarrels between the Native race and the Europeans. The circumstances of his death are briefly, as follows : The old man was quite seventy years of age, and had become very feeble. About eight weeks ago, while sitting in his whare alone, he fell into the fire, and before assistance could arrive was severely burnt about the body. Mr Von Stnrmer, and Mr William Webster gave him every attention, but the old fellow succumbed to his injuries and died on the 2nd of November. When he was dead the natives buried him, by placing his body, uneofflned, in a hole about two feet deep, which they had lately dug, ■ and covered with only a few pieces of board, which the dogs had no difficulty in removing. They thus obtained access to the corpse, and did not leave off till they had entirely demolished it. According to latest reports from Hokianga, the relatives of the deceased were holding large meetings with a view to getting utu from, the persons who are responsible for the neglect.