THE NATIVE CRISIS.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume II, Issue 173, 16 November 1881, Page 2

THE NATIVE CRISIS.

(from our special correspondent.) PUNGAREHU, Yesterday. The number of prisoners taken now is 184 ; arms secured 338. Hone Pihama, Mete Kingi, and Utiko have each spoken to the natives, but it is of no use. Hone was very nervous. Mr. Bryce will send the Wanganuis away, if he can get the women and children to go. Yesterday the A.C.'s pulled down fourteen huts across the river and fifteen cooking whares. More are to be pulled down to-day. The Thames contingent march to Opunake to-day, and the Nelson, Canterbury, and Marlborough about Thureclay. Kiropa left Parihaka on Sunday. Kerehamo was taken yesterday, and more will be taken to-day. Rahotu has but fifty men in garrison. The Wanganui Cavalry are expected soon, and all the volunteers are likely to be off pay by the end of the week. Forty-seven women of the Wangannis have been selected and sent to the whares with the prisoners. All the women were brought out of the pah and identified. There were 680 women, and 275 children all of ages under thirteen. Utiki advised them all to go home.

(per united press association.)

PUNGAREHU, Nov. 14.

At 10 o'clock this morning Major Tuke rode into Pungarehu from Parihaka, and at once ordered the New Plymouth Mounted Bines into the saddle. The object of this movement was for the cavalry to surround the thirteen natives who were keeping guard at the fence alongside of the Pungarehu camp. The natives appeared much surprised at the movement, but on being told to go into the whare proceeded there wikhouk any aemnr. A guard was fchea placed over tbe whare, and the cavalry proceeded to the whares at Parapara, distant about a quarter of a mile from Pungarehu, and made a similarly unexpected arrest of natives in those pas. The Maoris in these pahs appea^ad more surprised than those at the fojioes, and one young man started off immediately the arresting party anived, but was brought back by a sergeant of the cavalry. Another native was so nervous that he was unable to light his pipe. The total number of natives taken from Para- j para was 46, including men, women, and , children, and these were inarched, nnder escort, to the whare where those who had been on guard on the fences were confined. The whole were then marched to Parihaka, and, on their arrival there, five of the number, who were identified as Wanganui men, were arrested, the others being released. After dinner about 150 Armed Constabulary, comprising picked detachrnenls from various Armed Constabulary companies, proceeded across stream to the spot where the whares of the Wanganui men were erected. These whares, to the number of 25, were destroyed, the men first cutting away the foundations aud afterwards placing a rope round them and pulling the places down. This movement was watched with great interest, but orders had been issued to prevent all Press correspondents from visiting the scone prioi to destroying the whares. The constabulary removed the contents and placed them just outside during the destruction of the whares. The mode of demolishing the whares was to pull them over and let them remain there. At 4.50 the men Lad completed the destruction of the whares belonging, to the Wanganui tribes, and the' constabu-

lary were withdrawn. Mr. Bryce states ihat it will be uo use sending away the Wanganuis unless ihe women aud children accompany them, otherwise they would at once letnrn, and that in the event of the women not being taken, the prisoners that are now under guard will be indicted under the West Coast Settlement Act. However, Mr. Bryce hoped that the women would be arrested.

During the afternoon, a number of natives left Parihaka, and as I came through this afternoon were mounting guard at the fence from where the others were taken prisoners this morning. Kiropi, who had bean knocking jtboufc the fences duriug the past few days, was looked for by the constabulary this morning, hut could not be found. The principal native of any note taken this morning was Tapatiwaero.

The read party have not been out since Thursday, on account of the men being required to build a redoubt on the hill to the west of Parihaka. This work is being pushed on speedily, and the men will probably return to the work on the roads early next week.

The native prisoners will remain where they are at present kept in custody uutil the whole of the Wanganui natives have beeen captured, and they will then, it is understood, be sent to New Plymouth.

Major Tuke received some rather severe bruises yesterday, through his horse falling with him while on a visit to Opua.

None of the prisoners here will be removed until all the Wauganui men are captured ; after this, the Waikato Native 3 will be taken prisoners, a half-caste having arrived here to identify them.