THE MAORI PRISONERS.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume I, Issue 41, 1 September 1880, Page 2

THE MAORI PRISONERS.

[Specially Telegraphed to Star.]

(PKB UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION.)

Chkistchuhch, Tuesday night. The Government have forwarded instructions to have the quarantine station at Bupa Island, Lyttelton, got ready for the last batch of Maori prisoners. It is stated that there will be about 400 in all sent to Lyttelton.

EXTRAORDINARY STORY.':

[Specially Telegbaphed tq Stai^]-..

[PEE UNITED PRESS ASBOOULTION.i^

Auckland, Tuesday night '

An extraordinary statement has been made by some Natives who recently- came: to town. They say that a man named Hoani and his wife had, a short time since,' been digging gum near Point Russell, in the Waikato. The wife took ill, and ultimately died, but a story became current that she Had been bewitched by her husband. The relatives of the woman reside in the King Country, and two of her brothers came down for the" purpose of killing the man wliom they believed to be possessed of such dreadful power. They found him quietly digging gum : he had a large hole open, and the men killed' bini * with a tomahawk, put him in the hole, '. and covered him up. They then returned to the King Country, congratulating themselves on having " done the State some service," in ' ridding New Zealand of a man who might cause the death of anybody, whenever he took it into his headto do so. These are the facts as stated ~ by the natives who were in town yesterday, but probably it may not be thought worth while instituting inquiries into the matter.

It may be mentioned that Wiremu Beweti, a well-known chief at Eaipara, has been ill for some time, and both he and his friends are convinced that he has. been bewitched, and that the only cure lies in a visit to the priest who is resident among the Kingites, and who can remove the spell.