Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1869-06-16
Another Horrible VI ssacre in New
Zealand.
Correspondence OF the New York Herald.

Correspondence OF the New York Herald
WELLINGTON, March %, 1869. The
hopes which last month the colonists oen-
orally entertained, that the war was finally
ended and the rebellion stamped out, have
been cruelty dashed to the ground Affairs
now are in worse condition than ever,
and the prospects OF the unfortunate colo
nlsts Of the Middle Island are more wretch
ed and hopeless than at almost any pre-
vious period in the history of New Zealand
On the west coast another horrible mas
sacre of settlers has taken place, as cow
rrdly, brutal and revolving as that which
occurred a few months ago on the east
coast, though, fortunately, the victims
are fewer in number. The scene of the
present tragedy is White Cliffs, small
settlement in the Talanalzi district, only
some twelve or fourteen miles from the
town of Taranaki. Through the friendly
natives full particulars OF the manner
the murders were committed have been
received. A party Of the Maoris, headed
by chief named Te Weteri, who hitherto
been regarded as neutral in the war, came
to the cliffs in broad daylight Only two
of the Europeans were at the block house,
and as they suspected no untriendly de
sign on the part of their visitors they were
look at some pigs which the Maoris stated
they had brought for sale Both ofthe un-
fortunate men We're tomahawl5ed and killed
Shortly after Lieutenant Gascoi9ne, his
wife and children, who had been working
in The field of corn and potatoes came up
to the redOubt. The Maoris met the Lieu
tenant with great cordiality and they all
shook hands with him, but as he was rails
ing his hand TO open his door he was
struck from behind with a tOmahawk and
killed. Mrs. Gascoigne and her two chill
dren were despatched III the same manner
The remaining victim, the Rev. j. Whitley
Wesleyan missionary was met as he was
approaching the settlement, and ordered
forthwith to Taranaki On refusing to do
this he was shot dead, five bullets having
been subsequently found in his body
The work of murder having been accom-
plished, Weteri and his followers burned
the bloekhouse and the redoubt, and re-
tired to the interior. The following day a
settler named Mcdonald passed the
scene of the massacre and rode into Taran-
aki, and gave information to the authori-
ties. A party was at once sent out to col
lect the bodies, the usual inquest was held
and the usual verdict returned On the
day of the funeral all the banks and stores
of Taranaki were closed and the settlers
turned out en- mass as mou1ners. A mon
ument is to be erected, by subscription, in
memory of the unfortunate settlers
The Rev. John Whitley was by far the
most prominent of the victims, and the ap-
parent reluctance of the rebels to kill him
is easily accounted for. This gentleman
has labored as missionary in New Zea-
land ever since the year 1888 long before
the first settlement of whites was establish
ed. His name stands out very conspicu-
ously in the early history of the Maori
mission and apart from his efforts to con-
vert the natives he did a great deal of
good in endeavoring to teach them the art
OF peace. He was sixteen years at Kawhia,
and while there acquired such influence
among the Wallza tribes as enabled him
on one occasion to induce them to liberate
the Tarankas, whom they had captured in
war and retained AS slaves. In the native
wars and feuds he was frequently appoint
ed arbiter, so great was, at one time the
confidence of the natives in the integrity
of his character.