THE NATIVE WAR.

Lyttelton Times, Issue 1510, 14 October 1865, Page 2

THE NATIVE WAR.

SURRENDER OF THE WHAKATANE NATIVES AND OCCUPATION OF THAT PLACE BY THE FOREST RANGERS. (From the N.Z. Herald, Oct, 4.) By tho schooner Fortune, Captain Blark, which arrived last night from the East Coast, we have further news from Opotiki, Whakatane, Ac. A native named George, nnd the chiVl" Cape's wife, came overland from Whakatane on Monday last to Opotiki, for the purpose of communicating with Major Brassey Immediately upon arrival they were placed under arrest They said that they had eome for the purpose of stating that tho Whakatane natives were willing to surrender and lay down their arms. Next day they were liberated, and sent with a detachment of 120 Forest Rangers, in command of Major Macdonnell, back to Whakatane, to see if the report was true. Upon arrival there, 150 Whaka* tanes immediately surrendered, and laid down their arms, which were taken back by tho force to Major Brassey.

Major Macdonnell informed the natives that the Governor was not desirous to cause war in Whakatane district, all he wauted was the surrender of Air. Fuiloon's murderers. To this the natives replied that they did not know anything about them, but promised to assist in their capture. The horero thus ended for a time, and the force returned to Opotiki.

A further detachment of 150 men, with M'tjor Brassey, was to leave Opotiki on Friday last for Whakatane to finish the korero,aad take possession of the place. It was reported that two natives had been arrested on suspicion of being concerned in Mr. Fulloon's murder.

The forces n.t Opoti i had met with every success, completely routing the rebels, and occupying the whole country round. There were no natives left in the district.

The native Tiwai's wife has safely arrived by the Fortune. She has endured great hardships since her capture by the Pai Mariries, and barely escaped with her life She had to swim rivers, creeks, &c, and travel through the bush for miles, and at last succeeded in reaching Cape Runaway, where she was picked up by the Fortune and brought on here. A correspondent of the Aov Zealand Herald writes :— I

I promised to let you hear something of our movements, but find it a much more difficult task than I anticipated. I have lost all recollection of dates, notebooks, &e. My note-paper is wet, and I am writing this iu my tent, amidst all kind* of noises. I am obliged to write this in a great hurry, as the mail close* in half an hour. I must, therefore, be brief. Since our arrival at the village here, we have been busy building a redoubt round the church ; another couple of days will finish it, and then we are to go to work in real earnest —not that we have been idle. The enemy has been harassed in every way we possibly could, without coining to blows. A great deal of all kinds of property has been taken, and we are beginning to shake down very comfortably. The Native Contingent go out nearly every day, and briugin a great quantity of "loot," principally potatoes, pigs, horses, &c. We have also taken something like thirty head of cattle, so at present we may be said to be liv ing on the fat of the land. It is a most magnificent country —the best I have seen in New Zealand. Theground in the vicinity of the camp is almost covered with peuck trees, in full bkom. There are also lots of other fruit trees. The weather is beautiful, the nights very cold. As yet we have no sickness, and ino.it of the men are in good spirits. The cavalry have got about 14 or 1G horses, and drill every day; the horses are not good tor much, and kick up a great row in the night. Percy is going on well; he is badly wouiided. We see two pahs from the camp; the niggers seem busy burning all the fern and scrub round about them, and throwing up strong defences in front. If we can get to the rear they will have to " skedaddle." I will write to you soon; in fact, from this date, I will keep a journal for your benefit.

r.S.—I have just heard that 150 natives from Hicks'g Bay have come in to join us; I must also inform you that a strong feeling exists here against Mr. Levy. I, myself, think the worst of hi'tn.

Bejiind the church vt a grave, at the head of which stands a rough block of wood, with a rude V cut on it, and the date March 2nd, 1865, telling its story of foul murder and frightful tragedy.

THE MURDER OF THE NATIVE CARRYING THE PEACE PROCLAMATION.

Thft Wanganui Chronicle of the 23rd lilt, given rhe following particulars relative to the murder of Kereti, while carrying the la«t peace proclamation to the natives at Waitotara :—

The'first-fniits of this ridiculous piece of statecraft, Imve been reaped here. On Tuesday, Brigadier-General Waddy dispatched to the Wereroa pah, Kereti, one of Mr. Butlers native' policemen, who had been placed by Mr. Buller at the Brigadier's dispoxal as a guide and messenger, on account of his intelligence and acquaintance with the Waitotara, country, to which he belongs. His mission was to"diHtrihuteamong the people of histritie the copies of the proclamation. Kereti was accompanied by Tariu, lately sent down to Wellington as a prisoner, but since liberated at the recommendation of Mr. I'arris. They arrived on Wednesday, and remained in the pah all night. Oil Thursday morning, Kereti went up to the Areahi pah, which, with the surroundiug bush, ill now in the hands of tho rebel*, held a nutting there of his countrymen, told them what lie had come for, and asked them if they would receive the proclamation. They replied that they had do objection, and he promised to return next day with copies. Accordingly on the Friday morning he left the Wereroa pah with ft pile of the precious documents, and was watched on his road from the pah by Lieut.-Col. Trevor, until u tarn in the road hid him from sight. Immediately a discharge of firearms was heard, and in Colonel Trevor sending out a party to ascertain what had taken pi <C!i, Kereti wan found lying m the path, stripped nuked, and vfounJcd in six placed by bullets, one of which

had pasted through his body. lie *m brought into the pah, and by the account which has been received in not likely to live. In that account there it no mention of Tarlu, but it is believed that he did not accompany Kereti on Kriday. Thus one of their own tribe—a relative—was deliberately shot down to show the Governor what theio Maorlt think of his proclamation. The friewHv Maoris hero look 011 the proclamation with the utmost contempt* ami as certain to bo interpreted by the rebels into a sign of weakness. The same journal of the 27th aays s— " Tafiu, the released prisoner, who aeeompanied poor Kereti to Weraroa, returned on Monday. It ap|H»ars that while Kereti went to see the natives at \Valtotaro,Tariu went on to Whenuakura with a parcel of tlio proclamations. On his stating hix errand, a long debate ensued as to wlmt should be done to him for coming for such n purpose. Many were for killing him and burning tho proclamation ; others wished to take him to Taranaki as n prisoner $ but ultimately tho influence of some Waitotara chiefs (among whom Hona Hare Tipene, and Pirimona were foremost) prevailed, and it was determined to send him back—proclamations and all. lie accordingly returned, but contrived to leave the proclamation behind him. He says that the women and children of the coast tribes have I teen senta long way back Into the bush for security, and that the men are told ofl into small bands to ronm about and kill every white man and friendly native they can lay hands on. Private letters from Waingongoro state that in that neighbourhood the proclamation is received by the Maori* with the utmost contempt and ridicule. Tariu says that the men who murdered Kereti (who died on Sunday) were Himiona of Nukumaru, llami of Kuipo, and a Taranaki, whose name he does not know. It will be seen by the following notice whieh appears in the General Government Gazette, issued on Mondny, that the Government have offered a reward of £1000 for the apprehension of the natives who murdered the unfortunate Kt-reti recently at Waitotara. The proc)ama;ion is as follows :— " Whereas.upon the 21st day of September, a native policeman, named Kereti, was barbarously murdered by a party of Hau-hau families, when he was engaged in carrying the Governor's proclamation of peace to tlio natives in arms, and after he had been invited by them to bring the proclamation for their perusal. And whereas it appears, by the dying declaration of the deceased, th«t the under-mentioned natives were amongst those who committed tho murder, the Governor has been pleased to direct that a reward.of one thousand pounds shall be given for the apprehension and bringing to justice of any one person, and one hundred pounds in addition for each of the oilier persons who took part in the said crime. " The natives who were identified by Kereti were " Himiona te Whawati. of the Ngarauru tribe, Waitotara, Hare Tipene's Hapu. " Kawiri, a Taranaki native connected with the Njjaiipouru* Hapu. Waitotara. 44 llami Tukihata, of the JS'garaurn tribe, Te Iwipirau's Hapu. " By His Excellency's command, 44 J. C. Richmond."