THE MAORI WAR.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 147, 31 October 1868, Page 3

THE MAORI WAR.

WANGANUI DISTRICT. Mr Southby has favoured the Wangaxui Chronicle with the following detailed account of the murder of Mr Collina. It will be remembered that Mr South !>y wa3 along with the murdered man, and made a miraculous escape : — On my return from Wanganui on Thursday last, I had business to transact at Wairoa, so I went by the Perekama way from Wanganui to the Wairoa Redoubt, but arrived rather late to prosecute my journey. There being no boat to be had at the Whennakura, I stayed that night at Wairoa ; the same day Thomas Collins, a trooper had come ont with the convoy, but unfortuoately lost his horse. The next day an Okotuku Maori (the " General ") brought his horse. We then agreed to start together. We saddled up about 2 o'clock, and a few minutes afterwards we started, and before long came on a fresh track that was «apposed to be safer than the old ons. My horse was rather fresh at starting, and in fact I was low in spirits, and felt a sort of presentiment for ill ; however, the road being open, and in good travelling order, we went along rather briskly, until we came ! to the new track which I, being in front, had pissed not knowing the turn, but Collins, said " thia is the road," pointing to another track. I said "All right," and followed him ; the road not being very well beaten down, we went on singly, talking as usual. We had got within about a mile of the Whenuakura (Collins lea, ling the way), and the ground being rather soft, his horae was going along at between a walk and a trot, when I said " Get on Collins, let us get out of this," when he quickened his pace, and had got about twenty yarda a-head, when crack, crack, went the guns within five or ten yards of him ; I did not see a Maori. Collins had pulled off the road to the left at the firing, and was galloping away, when the first Maori I saw rose and fired after him. I came round to the right just as the Maoris, (from 20 to 30 in number), rose up and fired a volley, which luckily raisied me. Two Maoris then dashed across after Collins. When the first Maori I saw fired, Collins bent forward on the saddle. lof course did not know whether he was hit or not, aa his horse turned up by the edge of the swamp while I took the old road back for Wairoa, expecting every moment to be shot. As I turned I could still see Collins galloping his horse for about two or three hundred yards, until the ground obstructed my view. When I got hs far as Norman's, I kept the range of hills until my horse got wind, and looked at my watch—time, quarter past 9 o'clock. I went to the Wairoa, and Captain Hawes sent out 25 men as far as the hills, but of course could see nothing. Captaiu Hawes went in with two or thre.- others the next morning, and took a road through the swamp to the beach, and so on to Patea, but finding that Collins had not arrived he returned with 15 troopers and a few others by the road I went. We found poor Collins head and body separated, lying about five yards distant, his heart and brains taken out, and hia right haud cut off and taken away.

1572

109 c