73
TIMOTHY SULLIVAN - CORONER’S REPORT
Starting Bid: $800
Reserve not met
Estimate:
$1,000 - $2,000
Ended
Timed Auction
167: Rare Books
Category
Description
TIMOTHY SULLIVAN
CORONER’S REPORT
Original document dated 1873 – District of Waikato, True copy from original. W.M. Searaucke, 28th April. ‘… Good and lawful men of the said district who being there…’, said under oath ‘… Timothy Sullivan has been wilfully and brutally murdered by Pere te Poutururu & three other natives unknown to them, but one supposed to be a native named Whira and another named Paura and that the Government be requested to adopt such measures as will effectively prevent the recurrence of such horrible outrage. Signed by the Coroner, William N Searaucke. James Forrest [Foreman] and 11 witnesses who viewed the body. Single folio, landscape [400 x 430mm] on blue paper, printed document with manuscript descriptions of the event and signatures. The killing of Tim Sullivan in 1873 was the last death associated with the Waikato Land Wars. In February 1873 Sullivan and two others were working on land adjacent to the Waikato confiscation boundary that had been leased to a European settler. Ownership of the land was disputed, a hapu of Ngati Haua claimed ownership, but in line with the King movement, boycotted the Native Land Court hearing, meaning the land was awarded to other claimants. At first cattle and sheep were removed or killed by Ngati Haua to signal their opposition. The leaseholder continued to develop the land and Ngati Haua natives retaliated by killing Sullivan who unlike his companions was unable to reach the safety of the confiscation line before he was overtaken.
Purukutu, Te Tumu and others present during the killings then went to Tokangamutu [near present-day Te Kuiti], beyond the reach of European law. The men were not surrendered and they were never apprehended. TE ARA.
Provenance - Collection, Henry Hill, William Colenso’s friend and executor, by descent to his son Howard Hill, Taupo, George C. Peterson Collection, Purchased by Gerald Ellott MNZM postal historian, from Mc Arthur & Co, lot 520, May Wellington, 1978
CORONER’S REPORT
Original document dated 1873 – District of Waikato, True copy from original. W.M. Searaucke, 28th April. ‘… Good and lawful men of the said district who being there…’, said under oath ‘… Timothy Sullivan has been wilfully and brutally murdered by Pere te Poutururu & three other natives unknown to them, but one supposed to be a native named Whira and another named Paura and that the Government be requested to adopt such measures as will effectively prevent the recurrence of such horrible outrage. Signed by the Coroner, William N Searaucke. James Forrest [Foreman] and 11 witnesses who viewed the body. Single folio, landscape [400 x 430mm] on blue paper, printed document with manuscript descriptions of the event and signatures. The killing of Tim Sullivan in 1873 was the last death associated with the Waikato Land Wars. In February 1873 Sullivan and two others were working on land adjacent to the Waikato confiscation boundary that had been leased to a European settler. Ownership of the land was disputed, a hapu of Ngati Haua claimed ownership, but in line with the King movement, boycotted the Native Land Court hearing, meaning the land was awarded to other claimants. At first cattle and sheep were removed or killed by Ngati Haua to signal their opposition. The leaseholder continued to develop the land and Ngati Haua natives retaliated by killing Sullivan who unlike his companions was unable to reach the safety of the confiscation line before he was overtaken.
Purukutu, Te Tumu and others present during the killings then went to Tokangamutu [near present-day Te Kuiti], beyond the reach of European law. The men were not surrendered and they were never apprehended. TE ARA.
Provenance - Collection, Henry Hill, William Colenso’s friend and executor, by descent to his son Howard Hill, Taupo, George C. Peterson Collection, Purchased by Gerald Ellott MNZM postal historian, from Mc Arthur & Co, lot 520, May Wellington, 1978
