A GISBORNE NATIVE SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR WITCHCRAFT.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume VI, Issue 868, 20 August 1879, Page 2

A GISBORNE NATIVE SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR WITCHCRAFT.

A scene which occured at Reponare, a Maori settlement a few miles from Ormond, Poverty Bay, carries one back in thought to England two hundred years ago, when witchcraft was part of the popular religion of the day, and when village ponds were often put in requisition to prove a charge of witchcraft. It appears that a native, named Henare, was found by Mr. Chambers, jun.," lurking in the bush about his sheep fun. He came out at night and begged for food, but in the daytime he again retired to the bush. His strange conduct caused Mr. Chambers to question him, when the poor fellow stated that he had been accused of witchcraft, found guilty, and sentenced to death, and he was now lying in concealment to avoid the natives. Mr Chambers at once communicated with the police at Ormond, aud Sergt. Kidd despatched Constable Villers to Reponare to make inquiries into the truth of Henare's .assertions. The result of the inquiry was to establish the accuracy of the poor fellow's tale. It heems that nearly a dozen nati pes made formal complaint about him, alleging various acts of witchcraft, and demanding an investigation. A rununaga was accordingly held, and a committee of influential chiefs, including a native clergyman, was appointed to hold the inquiry. The committee consisted of Menei Waka (President), the Rev Rutene Hokia, Ramiera te Newheni, Renare Noti, and Nepia Tokitutu. The following natives gave evidence :— Here! Tara, Pera Waha, Paura Puta, Howneona Tarakitui, Henare Niho Niho, Hemaima, Ka Matettai, Tamata te Rangituawara, Kawari Nahi, and Tamiana. Henare was found guilty and sentenced to death, though the precise manner in which the sentence was to be carried into effect does not appear. He retired to his whare, but at nightfall quietly escaped. Soon after he had got clear of the pah the natives surrounded his whare and set fire to it, probably thinking that he was inside. Henare then made his way to Mr. Chambers' station. The natives doubtless found when they burned the whare' that he had escaped, and they set themselves to the task of discovering his whereabouts, and succeeded, in spite of his watchfulness, in tracing him to the bush. As he was clearly on Mr. Chambers' land the natives appear to have doubted their right to follow him, and held a meeting to discuss the matter. Be the cause of their hesitation'what it may, they decided to demand Henare from his protector, and the next day requested Mr. Chambers to give him up, threatening to carry him off by force if their demands were not complied with. Constable Villers, however, and Henare gladly placed himself under the protection of the law. He was evidently in great fear lest his people should capture him, and accordingly Constable Villers took him to Ormond and provided him with temporary lodgings at the policestation. What can be done with him it is difficult to say. To send him back to his liapu would be to send him to certain death, and yet he cannot well be kept in gaol. He may be sent to some other district, but if the news of his condemnation for witchcraft at Reponare follow him, as it most likely would, he would in all probability be killed. — Hawke's Bay Herald.