FATAL AFFRAY AT TAURANGA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume V, Issue 1398, 11 May 1868, Page 2

FATAL AFFRAY AT TAURANGA.

The Colonial Government p.s. Sturt, arrived in. harbor yesterday from Tuuranga.bavingleffcthere on the previous evening. We learn from Capt. Fairchild. that on Monday and Tuesday last an. inquest was held b. fore Colonel Harrington, and a jury composed of six Europeans and six natives, on the body of a native named Hamiora (Samuel) who had been killed at Opoie, near Tauranga, a few days since by another native of the same tribe. In the absence of our Correspondent's letter, which was forwarded in the schooner Jane, Wβ give what particulars have come to hand. On Friday or Saturday last, a party of natives living at Opoie were engaged at a game of cards, during which a dispute arose, and ended in a fierce contest between two natives, who fought with sticks and stones for a considerable time, one of the men, a son of Moananui, chief of Kati Kati, eventually striking Hamiora a fatal blow on the forehead with a stone. Several other natives were also engaged in the quarrel, and were more or less hurt. The body of Samuel was conveyed to Motahoa Island for in* terment, but thn native chief there, Kuhu Te Mate, very properly declined to allow , the body to he buned until he had communiented with the ■ esident Magistrate, Mr. Clarke. The result was, as we have stated above. An h> quost was subsequently held, and the following , strange verdict arrived at:—"That deceased died from natural causes, accelerated by a blofl" received from a stone." Prior to the "Hurt leaving Tauranga, we understand that Mr. Clarke had received a letter from the King, stating that the whole of the horses (some twenty-six in number) recently stolen by the natives at Te Papa, were to be returned to their rightful owners in a few days.