'AXE! AXE! AXE!'

THE BATTLE OF ORAKAU FIFTY YEARS AFTER.

(For The Post.) It is fifty years ago since the Maoris made their last stand in the Waikato at Orakau ; it is fifty years ago since the chief Rewi, defying the enormous odds against him and scorning surrender, j shouted back to the foe : "Ka whawhai tonu Matou. .Ake! Ake ! Ake ! " (We will fight on for ever and ever.) The phrase will live as long as men in this land have thoughts and tongues to utter it. It commanded the profound respect of the men at whom it was hurled, ahd through fifty years of peace and amity between Maori and pakeha alike, it comes down to the young today, to be remembered in all times of trial, temptation, and difficulty—" We will fight on for ever and ever." Tho Battle of Orakau naturally looms large in the eyes of the New Zealander. To him, and especially to the Auckland* born, it is a kind of Gettysburg. But if it had not taken place in New Zealand it would have ranked its place among many other incidents of frontier or tribal warfare, so far as the people of this country are concerned. The' Battle of Orakau lasted some three days, from 31st March to 2nd April, 18b4. The Maoris were making a really great stand against the pakeha, and they selected a position on rising ground near the village which is now Kihikilri. Their fortified pa was of great strength and constructed with rare skill; defended by ditches and trenches and surrounded by a very stout fenceA FORMIDABLE POSITION. It was altogether a very ugly place to deal with., Brigadier-General Carey, after a long night march, thought so, too, wh,en he sat down before it with 1000 'men. His force was doubled, and, further, made more effective by his Armstrong guns. General Cameron was present. Forty thousand rounds of ammunition were s*erved out to the British troops. The fight was a bitter one all night and all day. The Maoris were never more stubborn. They had not known what we called in the Jast Boer War "a regrettable incident." When the guns 4»egan pounding &way at the pa the defeat of the Maoris was certain. Nothing could save them. While there was yet time for those who remained to fight to escape with their lives General Cameron urged them to surrender. The defiant answer of the chief Rewi — " We will fight on for ever " — came back at once. But the women and children in the pa surely should not be sacrificed? thought General Cameron, for it was clear that the British were determined to utterly destroy the stronghold, and they could do it. General Cameron put the case of the women and children to Rswi. "THE WOMEN WILL FIGH^ ' Again came a defiant answer : "The women will fight as well as we." And they did fight, and valiantly, too. Ihe British troops then grew desperate ,• a breach was made by the guns ; a private soldier flung his cap into the pa ahd bravely rushed in after it ; others followed, and ten of them were shot down by the Maoris, who then retreated to their inner works, i The general assault was then made, 'and the Maoris, who had been fighting almost entirely without food or water for three days, retired in good order with, their chiefs into tho swamps and the Bush. Beaten, but not taken, Rewi and the lesser chiefs escaped. Orakau was one more British victory, and the power of the Maoris of the Waikato, north of the Aulcati line, or frontier of the King Country, was broken. A SCENE OF RURAL PEACE. To-day the country, around Orakau is some of the most fertile and best tilled land in New Zealand. It is an exceedingly quiet and peaceful countryside, very like rural England. Kihikihi is as tranquil as an Essex village. Its streets are still and well ordered. The houses look like the homes they are. On the battlefield of Orakau itself the plough is now master. The air hereabouts is usually soft ahd tender. Rain is not scarce, nor over abundant. The winds are kind to the flowers that bloom in the many gardens in great profusion. All around Orakau is restful to-day. Even Te Awamutu itself, like so many small towns in New Zealand, is situated at _ a considerable distance from the noise of the railway. A JUBILEE MONUMENT. Fifty years have almost gone since the Maoris fought so gallantly at Orakau as to move General Cameron to remark : "It is impossible not to admire the heroic courage and devotion of the Maoris in defending themselves so long against overwhelming numbers. Surrounded on all sides, cut off from their supply of water, and deprived of all hope of succour, they resolutely held their grouhd for more than two days, and did not abandon the position until the sap had reached the last entrenchment. They had probably not less than 150 killed out of a garrison not exceeding 300." This is a generous testimony to Maori courage, but it was well deserved. Now a. more lasting memorial than words is to mark the day of the battle. Ov Ist April next Maoris and pdkehas together will assemble as one people at the unveiling of a monument erected by the Government as a tribute to a gallant foe-*~not to celebrate the fall of Orakau, but its magnificent defence. The Governor will unveil the memorial in the presence of General Godley, the Commandant of the New Zealand Forces, and a large body of New Zealand troops. Ministers of the Crowh will al6O be present. On one side of the monument the name of General Carey will be placed, and on the other that of the brave warrior, Chief Rewi. The 16th Waikato Regiment at the same time will receive its colours, upon which have been written the stirring words of Rewi :— "Ka Wha, Whai Tonu Matou, Ake ! Ake ! Ake !" TO THE MAORIS ALL. ' In a bilingual letter to all the Maori tribes urging them to be well repre* seiited at the unveiling, Mr. J. W. Ellis (Nate Erihi) says : —"We Europeans are trying to make the unveiling of the Orakau monument on the jubilee of this grand fight worthy of this great occasion, and we want you Maoris to worth' ily represent the brave men who fought, and died there, as you have every reason to be proud of what your fathers djd at Orakau. We Europeans are always ready to appreciate a gallant foe." "Rewi's words a.re* words for you to be proud of, and I liope they will be an incentive to you to show that you can still stand shoulder to shoulder with the European in the activities of the present day." The occasion will be of far greater importance than a local event, for it will testify in great measure to The wisdom of the policy adopted by New Zealand in dealing with a Native race> which, is quick to respond to a' policy of just, generous, and manly treatment and absolute equality in the eyes of the British law and complete freedom under thg BMish. flag.