NATIVE INTELLIGENCE.

Colonist, Volume XIV, Issue 1385, 3 January 1871, Page 5

NATIVE INTELLIGENCE.

MURDER op A. SURVEYOR Ef vbs WAIKATQ.

The following particulars ar,e copied from the Southern Orosa of 2nd and 3rd Decerabet; AIEXAtfDBA, November 28.

There is great excitement amongst our small community to-day by the arrival here this morning of Mr. Peacocke, assistant to Mr. R. Todd, surveyor, •who reported the murder of that gentleman while engaged surveying a block of land granted as compensation to Hone te One and other Ngatihikairo. natives by the Government. The land ia immediately adjacent to this township,. being part of. the Pirongia mountain. For some time past great dissatisfaction has been manifested by the Kingites at ; thia award ; thoy alleging that Te One had no claim whatever but as a Q-overament protege 1 to the land. The land is inside the confiscated boundary. The Kingites1 opinion is that it is right the land should belong to the pakeha, but that it is decidedly wrong to give it to Ngatihikairo. Thus stands the question. Some six weeks since Messrs. Todd and Frissell arrived here, as I am informed, to survey this grant on the part of the Government, and have been so engaged till to-day. This morning while at breakfast the party were visited by three Hauhaus. Todd was shot through the heart. A half-caste named Noble was also wounded. He is now in camp under the charge of Dr. Duval, of the A.C. He is wounded through arm and hip, but the doctors think he may recover. Todd's death must have been instantaneous— the ball under the shoulder and out through the heart. The halPcaste, with assistance, managed to walk into camp. That it was not plunder that caused this attack was evident, as nothing had been removed from the tent but the theodolite and a. satchel containing papers : a double-barrel gun, blankets, food, &0., were left untouched. : THE INQUEST. At the inquest which took place at the Alexandra Hotel, before Dr. E. Waddington, Coroner, and a jury:— J. A. Peacocke deposed: lam a clerk, and have been lately employed by the deceased Mr. Todd as assistant surveyor. Yesterday morning I was at breakfast with Mr. Todd in his tent. There were also present in the tent a half-caste named Noble, and a Maori named Himiona—both in employ on the survey. I was sitting on one Bide of the tent, and Mr. Todd on the other. Suddenly I heard Mr. Todd exclaim " Hilloa," and throw his hands up at the same time. I saw a strange Maori in front of the tent with his gun raised in a firing position. I heard the report and attempted to seize the gun tied to the pole of the tent, but could nab succeed in unfastening it. I drew my sheath knife, and cut my way through the back of the tenf, and ran into the bush. Tho native Himiona followed in .the same way. Another native followed me armed with a gun. I ran about 100 yards. When I came across the half-caste Noble, he told me he was wounded. I saw tliut lie was weak and bleeding, and assisted him to rest on the branches of fallen tree. He told me. to never mind him but to look after my own safety and get out of the bush as soon as possible. I had to pass the tent again on my way out of the bush. I looked but saw no one there. At the edge of tho bush [ met a native woman who acted as cook to the party, she being connected with the natives in Mr. Todd's employ. « She had beea away for some time, and only returned the night previously. I asked her where was Mr. Todd ? She said he was dead, and urged me to get away or tho Hauhaus would kill me. I was going to speak to her again, but she pushed mo away with her hands, and told me to run away and I did so.—By tho Foreman: I saw only two strange armed natives —the old man who shot Mr. Todd and a young man that followed me. I had not beard that the Maoris had objected to the survey) or that they had warned Mr. Todd off the land. I have since been to the tent. I miss only the theodolite and and small leather bag, both the property of the late 'Mr. Todd. E. Frissell, sworn : I am a surveyor, and partner with the late R. Todd, and, in conjunction with him, I have been employed surveying a block of land in the Pirongia, given to Hone Te One and other Ngatihikairo natives by the Government as compensation. Tho first I heard of Mr. Todd's death was yesterday morning. I was at work cutting my way out of the bush. One of my natives was ou ahead, and caw Mr. Logan, who sent him to me with a note, informing me of the murder, and warning me in. My camp would be about four miles from that of Mr. Todd, by the road. —By the Foreman: I had not been warned to discontinue the survey, but about three weeks ago a native, named Wetini Eori, whose Bon is in my employment, came to my camp, and informed me that the Kawhia natives were coming to drive us away. I asked him if there was any danger. He said, " No; but, if we were ordered away, to go at once." I know of no other objection.

Himiona, examined by Mr. Henry Turner as interpreter, deposed : I have been cutting lines for Manukau (Todd's Maori name). I was in the hufc on November 28tb. Ido not know him. I had my breakfast, and Todd and Peacocke were getting theirs. I saw three Hauhnus come up to the tent with their guns, and saw them fire. I jumped up and looked out: Todd was shot. I saw Peacocke bolt under the tent, and followed him. One of the Hauhaus called to ma not; to run away. I then heard another shot, which I suppose was fired at Pera, the half-caste, as I saw he was wounded.

Eutu deposed: I wa9 engaged yesteiday morning baking bread. I felt a hand on my shoulder. I looked up, and a Hauhau was standing over me, and two others had thpir guns levelled at the tent. I saw them fire. The man by me told me not to be frightened, but go away. I went and saw Peacocke and the half-caste boy, and told them to go away. The half-caste told me he was wounded.—By the Jury: I had heard that the Hauhaus objected to the survey. On that account I came to get my boys away. I only arrived the evening previous to the murder I informed Mr. Todd that the natives would kill them, all if they did not leave Pirongia. He laughed at me, said it; was all nonsense, and that he would not let the boys go. I had heard some time since there were two reasons for killing men in Pirongia, namely, surveying, and looking for gold. I believe Todd was killed on account of the survey. The Coroner summed up, and the jury returned a verdict of " Wilful murder against a native or natives unknown." The jury, as a rider, gave it as their opinion that great neglect and want of feeling was shown by the officer in charge of the Constabulary in not at once sending aid to the wounded. Alexahdba, December 2. From good information, I am enabled to Btata that the murderers of Mr. Todd left Hautoro settlement, in the ranges about Kopua, four days before the murder. There were five men and a woman in the party, and they have not yet returned to their settlement. TheKingites are now shy of coming into Alexandra. The half-caste is recovering rapidly. Later intelligence announces that the authorities have ascertained the names of two of the Hauhaus, who made up the party that shot Todd and the half-caste. They are said to be still in the Pirongia district. OTHER NATIVE NEWS. An old settler in Eaglan, writing to a friend at Auckland, says that Mr. Todd was warned more than two weeks ago that if he persisted in pushing his survey beyond a boundary indicated by the 'King natives, he would be shot; and they have apparently kept their word. The same writer says: — I am afraid another European also will be sacrificed, from what little information I can glean from Aotea direction, Mr. Moore, acting schoolmaster to Mr. Schnackenberg, at Eaurau, it appears ha 3 very lately become obnoxious to some of the Kingites of Kawbiu. The most conspicuous of the mob is Wati Taki, at the Rakawa. I believe Mr Moore has been warned again not to return to the Mission-station against tiieir wishes; if he does his life will be in great danger. I am very much inclined, to believe the threat will btt curried out if the Miwioa P«opl» «r* oUtiatU in the matter, Tti»j 9«rtunlj oufbi ww to fete waraiD* ■ . "* \ . . . ■. ■ -i

when such -is piveaby determined Kingitesj after what has happened to poor Mr. Todd. Takerei, the chief, whose people murdered Mr. Todd, has written to Manuwhiri, asking help from the King to finish the work he had begun ; also to Tapihana, of Kawhia, for asißstanco. It is reported that King Tawhio refuses.

Te Kooti and Kereopa are moving about, and cause alarm; the former is said to have 100 men with him. Armed Constabulary have been sent to Ohinemutu to intercept him if he attempts passing in that direction.

The Herald's Alexandra correspondent writes on Tuesday that authentic information had just been received of the* whole of the natives in and around Tokangamufcu being under arms, encouraged by Mr. Todd's murderers, who passed by Otorohanga in the morning. Be'wi and the other Ngatiamaniapoto chiefs have left for Wanganui. Napieb, Dec. 12. Te Waru and the remnants of his people surrendered to Captain Preece oh Friday last, at the Bay of Plenty. Intelligence from Waikato to 10th instant states that excitement still prevails, consequent on Todd's murder. Tbdd was employed by Government to subdivide land awarded by Compensation Court. Tawhio, so oalled Maori King, is described as drinking to excess, and cognizant of Todd's murder. Precautions have been taken by Government, and Waikato posts strengthened. Taueanga, December 16. The Arawa and Ngatiporou tribes had a skirmish in the township on the 13th inst. No firearms were used, and the whole affair resulted in a few broken heads. One native, however, is chot expected to live, in consequence of injuries received. The authorities closed the hotels to prevent the natives obtaining, liquor, and thus exciting themselves. Order was soon restored, and nothing further has been heard of the matter... Alexandba, December 19. Te Wheoro, Wi Patene, and Kukutai, friendly chiefs who went to Tokangamutu a few days ago to see the Waikato chiefs on the subject of the recent Pirongia murder, returned yesterday. It- is reported that the King and Manuwhiri refuse to give up the murderers, and declare that they recognise no confiscation boundary and that their line is Maungatawhiri. It is said also that Eewi does not approve of the work of the murderers, and has left for Wanganui, where he now is. A friendly native going over from here to Hauturu the other day was told not to return there again. A hint has been given by the Haubaus that any Europeans found on Pirongia will be shot. , Auckland, December 16. gWe have received important intelligence, which may be relied upon, respecting the action adopted by the Government with reference to the late murder. The chiefs William Barton, and Wi Te Wheoro have been sent on to the King to demand his intentions. They will inform him on behalf of the Government that the murderers cannot he allowed to go unpunished, and to require him to co-operate in an effort to capture them, or to be regarded as conniving at the outrage. We understand, however, that information has been received which places it beyond doubt that the King and his adherents sympathise with the murderers, if they have not actually connived afc the murder, yet Manuwhiri (TamatiNgapora), the King's Secretary, has written a letter to a Government official, stating that he never heard of the murder until some day 3 after it was perpetrated, and that ho will be steadfast to his work of peace spoken last March. Auckland, December 19. William Barton, Te Wheoro, and the other chiefs sent to demand the intentions of the King natives, have returned. Manuwhiri, the King's Minister, refuses to surrender the murderers of Mr. Todd, and denies that the murders were committed on the European side of the boundary. He claims the confiscated land, and says that their line is at Maungatawhiri. Eeports are current that the Maori King's messenger arrived among Pirirakuhia soliciting assistance to take possession of the Waikato confiscated lands. They refuse. Taeanaki, December 22. Ihaia is reported to have gone to the V, aikato to " tie up " the murderers, after which he stated that he will return and open a goldfield in this province. Te Whiti has consented to allow roads to be made through his land. The survey will be commened at once.

Tito Kowaru, it is reported, will settle down near the sea shore in his old district. He will not fight again, he say 3, unless he is molested. Native affairs iv Taranaki are satisfactory.