NATIVE INTELLIGENCE.

Colonist, Volume XII, Issue 1215, 31 August 1869, Page 8

NATIVE INTELLIGENCE.

CAPTURE Of THE EEBEL TE ONI KIfRA.

(From the Wellington Evening Post, July 31.) At about 5.30 p.m. on Wednesday last this miscreant came down to Mr. Southby's house, situated between the Whenuakura and Patea rivers, for the tvowed purpose of seeing the mailman, and also to see what the Government w«i going to do with the Patea prisoners. When Te Oni arrived, Mr. J. Southby, J. Trainor, J. Parker, and T. Adamson were at Southby's. Adamson recognised him, and asked him to stop for the night. He consented. Adamson suggested that he should be strictly watched, and not allowed to escape. They gave him his supper, and about nine p.m. Te Oni turned into bed; the doors were locked, and a strict watch kept until the morning. About seven a.m. he got up and had breakfast. Mr. Adamson and Trainor confronted him, revolver in hand, demanded his surrender, and told him that he must accompany them to Patea. Mr. Adamson felt his person to ascertain that he had no arms concealed on him, and then started. On the way for Patea Mr. h damson asked him if he knew anything of the murder of Mr. M'Culloeh. Te Oni said that five of Tito Kowaru's men had committed the murder near the Kakaramea bridge, and threw M'Culloch's body, with that of his dog, into the creek. Whilst on this subject we may state that on reporting the circumstance to Colonel Lyon he sent four of the Constabulary with Mr. Adamson, who found a skull, supposed to be that of Sandy M'Culloch, at the spot indicated by Te Oni. The remains of the body in the creek could not be recovered in consequence of the cold, and the flooded state of the stream.

Before reaching the Patea punt, Mr. Adamson told Te Oni that he had better deliver up Mr. Broughton's watch, and also the gold one that some time ago he had been offering for sale. He said that he had not got Mr. Broughton's watch, but he would give up the other on conditions of his getting it back when liberated. Adamson took the watch which is now in Colonel Lyon's possession. It is a double case gold watch, with a diamond on the pressure spring which throws open the case. Between Southby's and Patea, Te Oni asked permission to break a stick off a flax bush. On doing so he slipped a small parcel of powder down close to where he had broken off the stick, but Adamson's quick eye was too sharp for him, and the powder was secured. On reaching the punt on the Patea river, he let fall a small bag of sovereigns which he instantly picked up and thrust into his bosom. They are now in the possession of the authorities. This Te Oni Kura is not, as has been supposed, the murderer of Mr. C Broughton, but he is the man who with six of his own tribe, Pokaikai, and eight of Tito Kowaru's men, laid an ambuscade to murder Collins and Southby. Te Oni ordered the men not to fire at Mr. Southby, as he was a friend of his, but to kill Collins. Te Oni fired the shot that killed the horse; Mr. Southby escaped, but the doom of poor Collins was sealed. We trust this Te Oni Kura will meet his reward. "When Adamson pointed his revolver at Te Oni's head he had but the use of one hand being still disabled from a wound recently received on the Bast Coast. We certainly think that he is entitled to some substantial reward at the hands of the Government.