IMPORTANT AND LATER NEWS FROM PATEA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume V, Issue 1443, 3 July 1868, Page 7

IMPORTANT AND LATER NEWS FROM PATEA.

MULDER OF FOUIt EUROPEANS AND DESTUUCTIO-N OF PROPERTY. PUBLIC MKETIN T 0 OP SETTLERS. (FEOII OUE OWN CO-RESPONDENT.) Patea, June 9. I have just time lo send you these few lines to inform you that the natives inland of Eetemarae have re-commenced hostilities iii this district, and deeply regret to add that they have shown their colours iu the usual manner, initiating their proceedings with a brutal murder. The full particulars are not yet known ; what lias reached us is as follows -.

The Resident Magistrate proceeded this moming in company with Sub-Inspector Ross, to a village some six miles inland of Retemarae. This risit was by invitation, and its object to discuss matters relating to the late robberies in the district.

After staying with the natives a short time, Mr. Booth (Resident Magistrate), returned to Waihi, where the Constabulary are stationed, and from thence came into Patca. Before reaching his destination, however, he was overtaken by a trooper with the melancholy intelligence that the natives had come down to the Ketemarae clearing and brutally murdered Sergeant Cahill, late No. 9 Company Taranaki Military Settlers, who had settled in the locality, and who was one of the principal victims in the late robberies. Jane 11. jN ews reached Waihi on the afternoon of the 9th instant, that Sergeant Cahill had been killed by the natives whilst working op his land, and a party of Constabulaiy immediately went out. On arriving at the wharc occupied by the deceased they found that the contents had been, rifled, and proceeding a little further came upon' a horrible sight. It appears that Sergeant Cahill and two men named Clark and Squire had been, sawing on. that afternoon, and the bodies of all three were found close to the saw-pit. They were fearfully mutilated and tomahawked, the heart of one rnaa having been taken out. The bodies -were brought into Waihi for interment. ''.'..' June 13. On Monday last, the Bth instant, was struck' the firstblowby asection of the Ngaruahine tribe, living to the northward and westward of Waihi, announcing the commencement of hostilities by these savages. , For some months past great uneasiness has been felt by the settlers in the neighbourhood of Waihi, owing to the repeated aggression of the natives, but however unsafe where property was concerned, it was not generally considered that life itself was in jeopardy.

The account! of the expeditiou undertaken byMr. Booth, H.M., and Lieutenant-Colonel McDonnell, has already appeared in your columns. What follows must be looked upon as the disastrous finale of what we had fondlyhoped was a decided success.

For some days after the return of the Armed Constabulary and Militia from the native village of Te Ngutu o te Manu, all went well, most if not all the stolen property was restored, and Oα Monday last Mr. Booth, accompanied by SubInspector !Koss, >...0., proceeded to meet the natives, by invitation, at a village in the bush, some sis miles from Waihi and near what is called General Chute's road. From the general bearing of the natives and the absence of women and children, Mr. Booth, who is experienced in native matters, did not consider it wise to remain in the pa, and from after occurrences, it turned out most fortunate that he saw how the " land lay" and hurried his departure, thereby undoubtedly saving his life. Only a few hours after Mr. Booth had left, the natives surprised three men who were employed sawing timber in a clearing near Waihi and murdered them in a most brutal manner.

On Friday last (12th), another man was murdered, this time in sight of the Bedoubt at Waihi. The poor fellow, a trooper named Smith, was out looking for his horse, which, had strayed towards the bush. The natives apparently watching their chance, suddenly rushed out and tomahawked him. It is said that the gleam of the tomahawks was seeu through a pair of glasses from the Redonbt. Men were sent out at once, but were too late to render any assistance. The wretches had carried off the body of their victim, leaving only the legs.

As soon as the news was communicated to the natives a meeting was held, and the native chiefs have issued a notice to the settlers, guaranteeing their safety between Matengarara and Waitotara, and protesting that they are in no manner implicated in the murders committed by the natives under Tito Kowarro. # It would, therefore, apTear that this outbreak is entirely confined to the natives on the northern boundary of the military settlements—to those natives, in fact, who remain in undisputed possession of their lands, whilst on the other hand those whose land we have confiscated and now occupy, guarantee our safety ! It was undoubtedly the policy of Government when they had a strong force at Waihi and Waingongoro, when they had a large staff of surveyors on the spot, and when the Punarehu affair, m which the natives suffered so severely, was fresh on their minds.to occupy and survey the confiscated lands north of the Waingongoro Kiyer. .ttKliW been done promptly and effectuaUy, and the knd put into the market, I doubt whether Tito Lwarro and his bloodthirsty crew would ever have figured in these pages.. I have no doubt that the idea in the native mmd was, and is now hat we fear to dispossess them of the land. This in turn has given them confidence to act, on the offensive, and hine ilia lachrymce. Another outrage was committed yesterday morning, 14th, at daybreak. The redoubt at the mouth of the Waingongoro river, where a small party ofconstabulary have been stationed was lately abandoned, and the Pe°P\ e *™ there had, 1 believe, taken shelter at Waihi. Rarly on Sunday morning fires were observer from Waihi in the direction of Waingongoro, and it was found that the Hauhaus hadW busy in the work of destruction. A man named at a public meeting on Saturday last.

At a public meeting held this of. J une > 1868, at Mr. Bummere' Hotel, Mr. Holland in the ' chair, the following resolutions were unanimously carried:—l: That this meeting deeply deplore the «vents which have occurred in this during the past week, and are of opinion that the time hns arrived when a large and efficient field force should be placed at the sole disposal of Lieut.-Colonel McDonnell, in whom the meeting hae implicit confidence, or such other officer as the Government may appoint to enable him to successfully cope with the difficulty which has ariaen, an.l to prevent its further spread. 2. That J. Booth. Esq , K.M., should be requested to take -mch steps for the protection of the Camp Paten, and its immediate vicinity either by retaining the militia at present oo pay or such other means as ho may see fit. 3. Ibat the Chairman be requeeted to forward copies ot the foregoing reioluiions to James Booth, h.eq-, B M., with a request that he will forward the same to Wellington at. eurly a. j.ofsible. 4. That under exietiug ciioumstances a list should be opened of all who ate willing to offer their jervices gratuitously for camp sorvic/, the enme tJ be forwarded to Mr. Sooth, K.M., or to the proper authority, pending the return of Colonel McDonnell.