THE LATEST OUTRAGE AT THE SOLOAION ISLANDS.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 2, Issue 223, 28 July 1879, Page 3

THE LATEST OUTRAGE AT THE SOLOAION ISLANDS.

The schooner I'acific, Captain Davis, from the fjuciuty Islands, bi ought to Bydney the tiding;; of another horrible niurdurat a place where the. natives have hitherto buun considered the most friendly m the group. The victim is a trader named Charles Halget, and it appears that on the 14th April he was in charge of Captain Fergusson's station on the laland of Ma;uu. The Hippie, steamer, had left the place on the day previous to the murder, and all was quiet, the trader being in nossesssion of a full supply of trade. The news of the all'air was reported to Captain Davis by a native boy, who was an eye-witness, and stated that the king of the island (a well-known man) was the first to strike a blow against this harmless trader, and no provocation tras given. The king's followers also fell upon their victim, mutilated his body, cut the head off, and threw the remains into a hole, from which it was recovered by Captain Davis, aiidbiiriod sit sea. The natives afterwards proceeded to ransack the trader's land, and stole nearly all the trade. What little remained, comprising three goats, some suyir, rice, and two trade chests, were taken by Captain Davis, and handed over to Mr John Stephens, at the island of Ugie. I'ho natives of this particular place have hitherto been very friendly during a trading intercourse of many years, and the traders that have been in communication with the place have up to the present considered themselves pretty secure.