the New Zealanders . 
351 
1832 was a series of skirmishes carried on more than two 
years, during which time many were killed, and half as 
many more perhaps died of disease from want of food. 
The affair also between the Rotorua and the Waikato 
natives, which took place in 1836, and has continued 
more or less up to 1841, is a series of skirmishes 
and murders, with the exception of the first attack, 
when at least 100 of Rotorua fell, but comparatively 
few of the others. The origin of this was the murder 
of a Waikato chief, for no cause whatever, so far as we 
can find out. This was revenged by a small party of 
the Waikato going and attacking a pa of Rotorua, 
which had nothing whatever to do with the murder, and 
perhaps had scarcely heard of it at the time, when five 
were killed. 13ut this was not sufficient, as the person 
murdered was a relation of almost everybody’s after his 
death; consequently, a general muster was made, and a 
large army assembled. They went to Tauranga, where 
were eleven Rotorua natives,who had brought a feast to the 
Tauranga natives, or something of the kind : the Tauranga 
immediately gave up the poor creatures to be butchered, 
and then joined the Waikato. They all went on to 
Maketu and took the pa there, when about 150 were 
killed. The natives of this pa were altogether a distinct 
party from those who committed the murder; but they 
were the sufferers. The Rotorua natives in return at¬ 
tacked the Tamu pa of Tauranga, and took it, though with 
great loss, but not equal to that of the pa; both parties 
fought desperately. A few weeks after this the Waikato 
went to Rotorua, and a battle ensued ; at which time the 
Mission Station there was plundered. The loss on the 
Rotorua side was considerable. Subsequent to these just 
mentioned, a series of skirmishes and murders on both 
sides has taken place, in which not less perhaps than 
seven hundred have been killed. 
