FALSE INFORMATION GIVEN.

Wananga, Volume 5, Issue 47, 23 November 1878, Page 584

FALSE INFORMATION GIVEN.

The Taranaki weekly writes:—"We regret to hear that some Europeans at Opunake have been telling Natives they met there that it is the intention of the Government to at once bring an armed force to Parihaka to drive the Natives from that district. Our informant, Mr. A. Coffee, states that the Natives are quite uneasy about it, and notwithstanding all he told them to the contrary, they, seemed scarcely to believe him. Mr. Coffee is engaged, in. making the road through the Parihaka district passable for the coach and the Natives told him that he was only doing it for the big guns to come over, as they were informed that Mr. Sheehan and an armed party were coming to New Plymouth in the Hinemoa with a large force and intended to kill all the Maoris and drive them from the place. It is very reprehensible on the part of those who have alarmed the Natives in this way for there is no knowing what disturbance they m"j cause. " Heroki is still at Parihaka. -His wound is heal* ing, and there is no likelihood :of ..his dying from its effects. He was shot by the search party near Opunake, and the bullet hit him under the short rib on his right side, and' passed through his body, taking with it six matches and three.gun «ips,-which, Maorilike, he had wrapped up in -his shirt. The wound could not have bled externally, because Heiok i states that he was not aware he. was hit > until .half-a-mile from the spot \vhere he .was : fired at. Those who have seen him say he talks with much bravado."

Another paper states that some Europeans at Opanake have been telling the Natives they met there that it is the intention of the Government to an armed force to Parihaka to drive the Natives from that district. Mr. A-Coffee states that the' Natives

.arq uneasy. tiiem to tlie "contrary," tliey "seem""scarcely to believe him. Coffee is engaged m making: the road through the Parihaka district passable for 'the. coach, and the T&ati ves told . him he \yas only doing it for the I'iir '«iins to'conie oyer, ,as they ' wei;e informed that Mr. Slieehan and an armed party were coming to New Plymouth in the llinemoa, and. intended to".kill-"all them from the place. fhef 'Mail, says 'that it, lias been "officially "aiithorised-to state that the reported intention of'the "Native Minister to pTa'ce an armed 'force at Parihaka is entirely false. Some Natives thought the Ha\r<ra Cavalry yolunteers \vere in training- to catch Tlerdki, and the rest is supposed to have "been concK-teil by an evil-disposed European. Jilr. Williams, the Government officer, and Captain Wilson, have been sent to the plains to allay the fears of such Natives us may liaVe heard the r-jinor avid become alarmed.