ALARMING NEWS FROM POVERTY BAT. PAI MARIREISM IN THE ASCENDANT.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XIII, Issue 663, 15 April 1865, Page 3

ALARMING NEWS FROM POVERTY BAT. PAI MARIREISM IN THE ASCENDANT.

On the arrival of the schooner ' Tawera'yesterday from Poverty Bay, we published an extra, giving an o,utljne of the' neWs, and we are now onabled to supplement it with fuller and more precise information. It appears that the Pai Marire fanatiqa have, in the short period that Ims elapsed since the last news was received, induced the great majority of the Poverty Bay natives' to .embrace tho* new religion, and it is believed that amongst the converts is Hireno, ono of the, if not principal, c<iifi' in the district. This man had been entrnsted with the head of the soldier of the 70thJU-j?iment, which the fanatics had exhibited aY Opotiki" and it is said that he was'iustructedby P.flfrnra, alia 3 Butler, the Maori prophet, to foOvard it to Auckland. Hircno, lhotvevor, had keipt tk^h ad," ani it was supposed purpose of practising tho fanatical rit.es> of the Pai Mariros. In addition to the Taranaki fanatics, fifty mo-e had arrived- from Wa}roa, in the Hawko'fi Bay diatriot, and theso men wwe'-jjfaa'ually making thuir way up to tlip East Cape, aud ioiing no opportunity of making converts tp their uuholy caiw,'. Patara, it is said, had given thtfsottlora notice that if they remained quiet their lives would not be jeopardised, but that all their goods would be sold for the maintenance of the King's troops at Wanganoi and Taranaki. This man was vory energetically endeavouring to make converts of the natives who had not already joined the now faith. The large number who had joined it, however, with the probabilijy of the rest following tho example, had made the position of thesettlera at Poverty Bay ono of extreme danger. The welldisposed natives are now, it appears, in a minority ; and, perhaps, would be powerless to resist outrage if.it was once commeticed. It hod noi been commenced up to the time the ' Tftwera' v left, but there was no knowing how soon the demon of fanaticism would bo let loose. Accordingly a number of the settlers and their families have come up to Auckland in the ' Tawera.'

When the ' Tawora' left, the Otago Government steamer, ( St. Kilda/ which had been chartered by the General Government, was at Turanga, having arrived there on tho 31st ult. She had been despatched there for the^purpose of rendering assistance to the settlers if they should require it, and arrived at a very opportune moment. It appears that the ' St. Kilda' brought from Napier to Turanga fifty friendly natives, amongst whom were several friendly chiefs, as also Wi Ta' They carneonafrieu'Uyviait, aswasthe 1 «v - . Owing to the alarming state of affairs, U- ot.. Kilda 1 was at once engaged to convey to Napier about 20 persons belonging to Bishop Williams's mission station, and was to leave ou the 3rd inst. for that destination. Bishop Williams intended to send his family away for safety, and one account that we have received is that tho Bishop and his son would remain behind for the present. From another source, however, wo learn that affairs, were so threatening thatthey were to leave immediately. This is most probably the case, as some of the Bishop's most staunch adherents amongst the natives, who but a few hours previously reoorded their devotion to him, had turned round and joined the new faith. Had the ' St. Kilda' not arrived thus opportunely, it was the intention of the Bishop to have sent up a number of bis pcoplo by tho ' Tawera* to Auckland, for their luggage hud been placed on board, and ib has been brought up in that vessel. Although no very glaring outruge had been committed, the natives appeared to be preparing themselves for it. Mr. Burns, one of the settlers who has arrived by the ' Tawera,' states that some of the Poverty Bay natives who had embraced the new religion had come to his house and demanded liquor, and on his rel'usul to give it to them told him that if he did not they would cut his hoad off and eat it. Being compelled to comply with their request, they soon made themselves very drunk, and laid down in the house, refusing to leave it. Similar treatment had been experienced by other settlers. Many of those were going about demanding drink, had never before, it is said, tasted intoxicating liquors, $0 that with fanaticism and <( fire water," there was no knowing when the work of pillage or bloodshed might not commence. The ' Tawera' has brought back ten tons of her original cargo, owing to the threatening state of affairs at the Bay, and the probability of the settlers being robbed of their goods, if, indeed, no more serious outrago was committed. She will return to Poverty Bay immediately after discharging her cargo. — Ibid.