NATIVE NEWS.

Colonist, Volume XII, Issue 1254, 1 October 1869, Page 8

NATIVE NEWS.

REPORTED MASSACRE OF FRIENDLIES

(From the New Zealand Herald, September 13.) It will be remembered that some week or ten days since we published a report from our Alexandra correspondent that Te Kooti had sent word to Tokangamutu that he had killed one hundred friendlies at Taupo. It would seem that after all there is some truth in the report.

We are authorised to publish the following:— " The report received at Taranaki of a great massacre by Te Kooti was brought to Mr. Parris by the old chief Nepetarima, whose nephew, Hapurona, received it from Titokowaru. The latter told Hapurona he had received a letter from Te Kooti, which he had burnt, in consequence of his (Te Kooti's) conduct after retiring from Tokangamutu to Taupo, where he is said to have ordered a treacherous night attack upon a native village, whilst the inhabitants were asleep, by sending seventy men into the place with orders to spare none, and take all arms and ammunition. Kopata te Nuku, Tito Kowaru's brother, on returning from Tokangamutu, had gone to visit a relative living at the village at Taupo, said to be occupied by Te Hcu Hen's people, and wa3 in it the night that it was attacked, and, with some others, made his escape. The reason assigned for Te Kooti's onslaught upon the inhabitants of Taupo village is, that while he was at Tokangamutu, the Waikatos proposed to take him by strategy, and kill him, but that the King, on the proposal being submitted to him, objected, by saying, " I am not an advocate for taking life, but wish to save it." That Te Kooti, on hearing of the proposal of Waikato, determined to avenge the insult. That he executed his revenge upon the unfortunate Taupo village by killing eighty men, women, and children."