OUTRAGES BY THE MAORIES AT THE WAIROO.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume II, Issue 67, 17 June 1843, Page 266

OUTRAGES BY THE MAORIES AT THE WAIROO.

On Sunday last, Mr. Cotterell arrived in his whale boat from the Wairoo, with intelligence of the destruction of his house by a large number of natives, under the direction of Raupero and Ranghiaita. From the deposition made by Mr. Cotterell, on Monday, before the Police Magistrate and Captain Wakefield, Captain England, and A. Macdonald, Esq., justices of the peace, the facts appear to be as follow : —

On the evening of Thursday, June 1, Mr. Cotterell observed from the hills a large jP ° number of natives at the mouth of the river; and, on the following, morning, Raupero (an old chief who resides at Kapiti whose name has been associated with deeds of violence for more than half a century), Ranghiaita (another chief, notorious for his frequent breaches of the peace by the destroying of buildings in the neighbourhood of Port Nicholson), and upwards of a hundred followers, arrived at. Mr. Cotterell's survey station on the Wairoo plain. They directed Mr. Cotterell to leave the plain, •nd immediately commenced removing every thing out of his house and tent, both of which they set on fire, together with a large number of branded stakes which were lying at hand. The whole of the property found in the house and tent was carefully deposited in a couple of boats, which they compelled to leave, and they then informed Mr. Cotterell that they were going farther up the plain, to the stations of Mr. Parkinson and Messrs. Barnicoat and Thompson, to treat them in a similar manner.

The Magistrates were unanimous in their decision that the chiefs had rendered themselves amenable to the law, and granted a warrant for the apprehension of Itaupero and Ranghiaita.

* It fortunately happened that the Government brig was in the harbour at the time ; and the Police Magistrate and Captain Wakef? eld, with a strong force of constables, sailed in her on Tuesday for the Wairoo, to put the warrant into execution. We trust the brig will arrive there before the natives leave, as nothing will be so likely to check these outrages as the prompt punishment of these powerful and well-known chiefs.

Since the foregoing was written, Mr. Thompson, the surveyor, has arrived from the Wairoo with a party of ten men, and brought the following additional information :—: — ** The natives, in accordance with their expressed intention to Mr. Cotterell, went to the stations of Mr. Parkinson and Mr. Barnicoat, and, emboldened by their previous success, were less scrupulous about the property they found there. After destroying Mr. Parkinson's house, they broke open his chest, took his ,watch and money, and dressed themselves in his clothes. Mr. Barnicoat having finished his survey, and having only a small number of men with him, they were all made prisoners ; but, we believe, were afterwards liberated, on consenting to leave the Wairoo. The natives destroyed all the flags and stakes which had been used for the survey, and, in short, did all the mischief in their power.

. We look with considerable anxiety for the return of the brig, as we feel assured that, if the chiefs are captured, such an outrage will not again occur. We cannot have a better example of the benefit of prompt measures with the Maories than in the little outbreak which took place at the commencement of the survey at Massacre Bay. The slight punishment which was then inflicted on the chief has been sufficient to deter the natives in that district from repeating their annoyances.

In reply to an application from Mr. Rennie, for permission to select Port Cooper as the site for a new settlement, Lord Stanley stated that he could not hold out any encouragement for the more extensive settlement of the Middle Island.

The committee appointed to draw up the rules for the Agricultural and Horticultural Society made their report, at a meeting convened for the purpose, on Monday last? We regret to say that the meeting was thinly attended. Surely our merchants might have spared an hour to lend their countenance to the formation of a society which cannot fail to be of the highest importance to their interests, both as traders and landowners. We shall print the rules in our next number.

Another Colonial Reserve, being 50 acres of Suburban Land, situated in «he South Suburban District, was sold by auction yesterday at the Company's Stores. The price it fetched was £160, and was purchased by Mr. Ward, who intends settling on it.

We have been favoured with the sight of a New Zealand Journal of the 10th Dec. and a Colonial Gazette of the 30th of Nov. The Mary is advertised to positively sail from London on the 14th of January, and from Portsmouth on the 20th. The price for a cabin passage 50 guineas, fore cabin 20. Nothing is said of the sailing of the Tyne.

The latest New Zealand dates are by way of India, namely, Wellington, June 25th, Nelson June 11th.

Distress to a great extent still prevails in the manufacturing districts of England and Scotland.

An attempt to levy poor rates at Skibbereen, in Ireland, led to bloodshed. Two men were killed and five wounded.

The Rev* William Bailey, LL.D., has been charged at Bow Street with forging a promissory note for £2,875, and tampering with a poor Irishman with an offer of £80 to swear to the signature. The worthy was remanded.

A Mr. E. J. Jordan, one of the clerks of the Joint Stock Bank Company, decamped with nearly £20,000. A few days afterwards £19,415 was returned with a penitential^ letter, leaving a deficiency of only £300. The woman Bennett, charged with the murder of six illegitimate children at the Forest of Dean, noticed in a former number, has died in gaol.

The French Government have signified a wish to reduce the amount of postage on letters passing to and from England and France.