A NATIVE VINDICATION.

Evening Star, Issue 6345, 18 July 1883, Page 4

A NATIVE VINDICATION.

The Auckland ' Herald' says :—The ytalonicnts made in Kusden'o " History of NewZealand " that women and children were wantonly shot and burned iu their houses at Rangiha when that place was surprised by the troops having been told to the Kingites, one of them, named Potatau, who is at present residing at Korakanui, has sent us a statement of the facts as they came under his own observation. He was a little boy at the time of the Rangiha affair. The statement, we may remark, was written down in the presence of Potatau, and a translation was made by a half-caste who lives with the Natives. The translation is rough, but accurate, and we give it as it has reached us. The affair at Paugiha is frequently referred to in Rusden's history, and always as the "burning .of wives and children," as if that had been a deliberate intention and act. We give Potatau's statement (translated):—" It took place on Sunday morning. Early in the morning ! had reason to go outside the house. 1 then saw some troopers passing behind it. 1 at once ran to my father's house. I had not been long there when my grandfather eanio to the ; ame hou?e. His name was Hoane. It was because he knew wo were there that lie came, &o that b/j might ;,'o with up. At this time myself z:\ 1 my roo I ':h<T wunt ih'i houre ar.i n';. uA tho iiuor. I iiUiii'd wy litiuT say tu ay

grandfather • 'Let tts lay down our guns and give ourselves up as prisoners.' My grandfather said : 'Am I greater than your uncles who were taken at Rangirui V My father again (said to my grandfather! 'Let us go in peace and according to law. 1 My grandfather would not agree. At this time soldiers came to us and asked my mother in Maori: 'Are there any Maoris in the house ?' She repliod t ' so, there are no Maoris in the house.' My father at once said i 'Yes, there are Maoris in.' The European who spoke Maori came to the door of thehouse and caught hold of my father, and handed him over to the soldiers. The JSurdpeftn. wtot outside of the house. My grandfather shot him and killed him. Some of the others dragged the body into the house. At this time my mother and self arose, .and wbnt through the'soldier* and between the troops. They did hob interfere With us, but allowed its to pass. We went to the house of Thomas Power, who had a Maori woman as wife. After we left we heard the soldiers firing. While we were at the house of Power, the Government interpreter came there. I may say that by this time a large number of women and children of (unpeople had come to Power's house. The interpreter said to us that the General would have to deal with us. If he would allow us to take our departure it Would be well, We could do so; if he sent us up to Te Awamutu it would have to be so ; but he told us to remain at this house. After this the interpreter left us. At this time the firing had ceased. We at ones left the place and ran off into the bush and made for Rangitoto." The object of the march to Rangiha was to cut off supplies which maintained the Katlves at a great pah at Paterangi. The above story, by one who was there as a boy, shows that the Suropeaus desired to save all who Were at Rangiha, and would have done so but that one of the Maoris shot a man who was endaugering himself to save life. Not a shot was fired till this European was killed. The women and children were protected as far as possible, and some of them, such as our correspondent and his mother, got away and rejoined their friends.