NATIVE DISTURBANCE AT THE UPPER THAMES.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 3218, 4 September 1879, Page 2

NATIVE DISTURBANCE AT THE UPPER THAMES.

FULLER DESCRIPTIONjOFiTHE ATTACK. THE WOUNDED MAN'S ACCOUNT OF ' THE AFFAIR. [by telegraph.] The following is tho wounded man's (Me Williams) account of the outrage of the, natives at the Upper Thames :-~ McWilliams states : About one o'cloclc on the 29th instant I was in the employ of Mr. Bayldon, surveyor, on a place known asthe big hill, atKotokohu, I saw about fifteen natives. They, were within ten yards of me before I saw them. One of them said, "Pakeha, you must die." He immediately fired a shot out of a double-barrel giin — the bullet took off the taps'. of two of my fingers. I was then, facing them. I then turned to run away, when he again fired, the bullet entering my hip and coming out at the groin. I then fell on the ground,, with my face downward. The same native that fired the 1 shot came up, took off my hat, took a knife out of his pocket, cut -off some of my hair, and, put it in his mouth. I' was told that that means revenge. . I pretended to be dead, and lay in a motionless state for about ten minutes, during which time I suffered great pain. My mate ran away, and they all fired a volley after him. I then heard them re-load the guns. They followed in the direction of my. mate. I am convinced they th6ught I was dead. I then crawled up, but was barely able to walk. When I got out of tho bush, I saw my mate at a distance. I called to him to go and get' some people to help mo home. My brother John, Clem Comes, and a halt'-oas'te woman named Kate Watson came and carried me away to the house of Mr. Bartholomew Brown, who treated me very kindly, and gave me his horse to bring me to Paeroa. Thomas Powderell, the half-caste, gives the following • account ,of the affair :—: — - , .-;J j',/ /\ , About 2 o'clock on the, 3rd Septein : ber, -wliile we were engaged in cutting a line, McWilliams being with me, Mr. Bayldon being at the , instrument fioine distanoe away, and Mr. Crump being about a .chain, from myself, we heard a IVlaqri .call out, " Ka mote koe, Pakeha I '—which means " You will be killed, Pakeha." We did not see tho Maori who cried out, owing to the deiise bush with which we were surrounded. The words were instantly followed by the firing of seven shots upon us. I immediately ran away on to the open ground, and waited to see if any of the others would come out. I waited on top of a hill about two hours, and then I saw William McWilliams come out of the bush, and wave his hat to me. I called to him, " What was the matter ?" and he replied that he was shot. I went up to him, and asked where he was shot, and he told me in the right thigh, in the right hand, and that his breast was grazed. The wounds were caused by bullets. He wanted to lie down, but I told him ho had better go as far down tho hill as possible, or tho natives might como on him again. Wo went down tho hill together some distance, and then I said I would go to Mackayton to get assistance. I left Me Williams in a safe placo. Ho was very much exhausted with loss of blood. I thon went on to Mackaytown, reaching that placo in about half an hour. When I reached Mackaytown, his brother and several others at onco went out and brought him in. I got a 1 horse and went down to Paoroa to give information to tho police authorities of what had taken placo. A party of Volunteers, in charge of Sergoant Kussoll, immediately started for the scone of tho outrago, and I wont with them as guide. On tho road out we met Messrs. Bayldon and Crump, with Constable Menzios, who had beon out to give the settlers of Itotokohu warning. Wo then returned to Pneroa, I did not see the shots iircd at McWilliams. Tho block on which wo wore engaged survoying is called Olsahukoro* We were surveying it for

Ngatikoe — a large aud influential tribo of Maoris. Mr Puokoy is buying the land I believe. It had not passed through the Court. Mo Williams was brought down to Shortland in tho Te Aroha.. The attacking party were the Ngatihako. There were about ten of them who attacked us. FURTHER INTENTIONS STATED. ~ , GRAkAMsTowN/lSeptombGi' B.— Mr. Sheehan* Inspector Thompson, Mr. Stewart, the District Enginoer, and others left for Ohinemuvitliis morimig. It is authentically stated that it is intended to make use of the outrage as a lever to compel the obstructive natives to permit of carrying through the liuo of telegraph and railway from Komata to Te Aroha, as a protection to Europeans. It is stated that Mr. Stewart has gone up the Piako. The chiefs have seen Mr. Sheehan, and profess loyalty.