TRIAL OF TITOKOWARU.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 6434, 26 November 1881, Page 2

TRIAL OF TITOKOWARU.

(UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION.) New Plymouth, November 25.

Titokowam was brought up at ths Police Court this morning', and charged on the complaint of Thomas Lloyd, in the words following. that is to say, “I will bum the whare meaning the house of the said Thomas Lloyd at Manaia—and kill the women and children that on the Bth day of October, 1881, at Manaia aforesaid, the said TitoUowaru threatened in the words following—“ I will burn down Manaia,” and on the 17th November, 1881, at Port Rolleston, he said—‘‘You think my people will run away. These young men are standing as a guard for ns. The Europeans may, perhaps, have forgotten Te Ngutu o Te Manu and Moturoa. This is your day; but mine will come hereafter. Do you consider the Europeans a noble race ?” Wherefore, the complaint prays that the said Titokowaru may be required to find sufficient sureties to keep the peace.” On the B mch were Mr C. E. Rawson, R.M.; Messrs P. A. Carrington, and T. King, J.P.’s Mr Blandish appeared for the complainant, and Mr John Blake was sworn in as interpreter. The information was interpreted into Maori to Titokowaru.

The Court (to interpreter) : Ask him if he has anything to say why he should not be bound over to keep the peace for eix months towards all Her Majesty’s subjects.

Interpreter : He admits the complaint. Mr Btandish ; Perhaps, your Worship, it would be as well to go on with the evidence, notwithstanding the plea of guilty. The prisoner is a Native who has given much trouble, and although he may admit using the words, he might desire to place another construction upon them. He may say he said it in chaff.

His Worship said he thought it would he advisable to hear the evidence.

Mr Standish then opened the case for the prosecution. Thomas Lloyd deposed : I am an hotelkeeper living at Manaia. I know lha accused. He comes to Manaia occasionally ; his settlement is about three miles from Manaia. I remember him being at my hotel in October last; Mr Budge was also there. Air Budge stated something to me, and I called Titokowarn out and asked him why be had said be would burn my house down and kill the women, and he replied that it was all gammon, he had only said so to frighten people. He said there was no fear ; if anything took place he would let me know. I had heard of prisoner using a somewhat similar threat to Mr Cockburn. Have seen it in the papers that the prisoner bad used threatening language at Parihaka. I have re aeon to fear by these threats that prisoner will carry them out. I desire that prisoner be bound over to keep the peace ; It would be safer for the place, Arthur W. Radge, Manager of the Bank of New Zealand at Alanaia, gave corroborative evidence, adding that he did not consider the threat a joke, and that prisoner was not intoxicated. He spoke in broken English. The exact words used were, “I will burn this where and kill the women and children.’’

Henry Cockburn stated : I am a coachbuilder living at Manaia, I saw the prisoner at my shop on the Bth October last. I asked him if there was any danger of the Maoris threatening Manaia. I said this in broken English and Maori. He said “yes j-he intended to burn Manaia dowfi.” He was sober ;he spoke quite distinctly, and I had no doubt of what he said.

Henry W. Northcroffc, Sub-Inspector of Armed Constabulary : On the 17tb. just while in custody, and just as some of bis-people were being made prisoners, Titokowaru said, “So you think that my people will run away. Do yon put those chddren as our guard to take charge of us ? Have those white people forgotten Te Ngutn o te Mann and Moturoa ? This is your day ; my day is coming. Do you suppose the white people are a noble race?” When.he used the words Ngutn o te Manu and Motaroa, I understood him to refer to the fight at those places, where the Natives were victorious.

The prisoner was called upon to show cause why he should not be bound over to keep the pfe%ee, and he said, “ I don’t know anything about.whathas been spoken.” The Court ordered the defendant to find two sureties of £SOO to keep the peace for 12 months. In the meantime ha will be kept at the common gaol at New Plymouth.