ANOTHER AWFUL MURDER IN THE HUTT DISTRICT.

New Zealander, Volume 2, Issue 60, 25 July 1846, Page 2

ANOTHER AWFUL MURDER IN THE HUTT DISTRICT.

[From the Wellington Independent, June IT.] It was generally reported in town during the past week that the rebels had again left tbe*Huu tor Pauhautanui. On,Sunda>, it was stated that Rangihaeata, with most of his followers, had biarted from his pah tor liangnikei, in older to effect a junction with the Taupo tribe, and to destioy a fortification which was being erectdd by the Ngatiawa's, in order to stop the passage of the Taupo tribe along the coast. ° The hostile natives having threatened to burn the premises of Messrs. Stilling and Barton, for ,the last three weeks a picket of Militia and Mounted Police has been btationed in the lastnamed gentleman's house, whilst a line of sentinels kept up communication from thence to the bi idge. The picket is called off at eight o'clock in the morning. Thete reports were no doubt circulated by the tebels for the put pose, and many of the Hull settlers began to leturn to their land for the pur.-

pose of chipping in wheat, feeling secure, from the report, that the rebels had evacuated the valley. On Saturday night a few ducks were carried off from Mr. Barton's lands, inducing a suspicion •with some, that the natives were still luiking about. It is now our painful duty to record the fact of the presence of the rebels on the Hutt, from the painful circumstance of the Murder of Mr. Richard Rush, a Hutt settler. On Monday evening, the inhabitants of Wellington were again thrown into a state of great excitement, intelligence having arrived from the Hutt to the effect that a man had been found murdered in the valley that morning. The unfortunate deceased, Richard Rush, had gone out about eight o'clock in the morning, to look after his horse.'which had strayed away during Sunday. The murdered man went in the direction of Barton's paddock, and it appears that some of the rebels who were lurking about in that quarter, surprized and tomahawked him, splitting hi» head into four piaces. After perpetrating the murder, the natives bailed the friendly natives across the river, informing them that they had killed a white, mentioning the spot, and stating that they might have the body. Capt. Hardy, the officer in command at the camp, at Boulcott's sent out a body of military and armed police, who found the mangled remains of Rush, but fell in with none of the enemy. The Hutt militia exasperated at being driven from their homos, and at the murder of Rush and the subsequent murders of the Gillespies, threatened to cross the river and meet the rebels on Tuesday morning. Yesterday they made several attempts, at various points to cross the Hutt, 111 older to put t.ieir threats into execution, but owing to the late heavy lams, the river was not fordable. The murdered man has left a widow and four children to lament his loss ; the widow 13 near her confinement with a fifth. The arrival of His Excellency Captain Grey, is indeed anxiously looked forwaid to by the entire body of the settlers. The above horrible event adds one more seal to the bond, obliging the authorities to explain, at proper time, and reason of del-»y in action. We trust before we again go to press to have to report the arrival of Captain Grey.

The following report was brought from the Hutt this morning at the moment of our going to press. Last night about midnight, the friendly natives reported to the officer in command at the camp, that the rebels had crossed the river and wete blockading the road between the camp and the stockade. The militia and soldiers were ordered out this mowing at day break to attack them, and it is reported that they were both driven back to the camp by the rebels, with one officer and four rank and file wounded. At the time the despatch left, a general attack on the camp by the rebels was hourly expected. — Spectator June 17. The Wairarapa natives have had a meeting •which was attended by many of the settlers in that district. The natives came to the determination that unless the Government would supply them with arms for their defence, in case of a visit from Rangihaeata, they would joiu with him for their own safety. It appears to be the impression of the settlers, that it would be unwise to arm them unless a body of military wasstationed in the valley to act as a check on them. — Independent June 17. The detachment of soldiers employed under Gapt. Russell on the Porirua road were completely flooded out of (heir quarters at Fort Elliott, thestockade erected in the neighbourhood of Jackson's Ferry. The stockade has been placed on low ground, and the neighbouring streams being unusually swelled fiom the quantity of rain that had fallen, the water rose on Saturday in the Stockade to the height of four feet, and the detachment were obliged immediately to remove from the spot and repair to the camp at Poiirua. The ammunition at the stockade amounting to 4,000 rounds of ball cartridge was entirely spoilt, as was also the greater part of the clothes and baggage belonging to the officers and men of the party from having been completely saturated with water. Two maories who had been engaged to carry a supply of spades and other road making implements to the stockade were also found dead on the ro-id. Theie is no doubt that they pei ished from the effects of the cold and wet weather. — Spectator, Jane 17. By intelligence from Poiirua and the Hutt we learn that things are quiet. The rebels again appear to have left the Hutt for their strong hoM at Pauhautanui. The troops at those stations are kept continually on the alert, being under arms of a morning long before daylight. The hostile natives are in possession of the bugle which they took from the poor bugler who was killed at the Camp, and one of their party is constantly sounding it within hearing of the militar). — Wellington Independent June 13. On Monday last the Wesleyan Day School, for children of all denominations, commenced operations, the number of children attending being ihore than most sanguine of the projectors antici pated at first starling. This attempt at introducing a. really good seminary for the instruction of the young, should receive the warm support of the inhabitants, and we trust that those who feel an interest in the prospects of the rising generation, w ill endeavour to assist its progress by all the means in their power. — Ib.