MEMORIES.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 208, 3 September 1927, Page 21

MEMORIES.

THE EPSOM MURDER.

WINIATA'S LONG RUN.

808 BARLOWS BRAVE DEED.

(By NEVILLE FORDER.)

Somewhere about ISS3, I was returning from one of my periodical business trips to Mercury Bay, on account ol Shera Brothers, wholesale soft goods merchants, when I met a man whoj would be remarkable in any companr. and who afterwards beca-uic famous for a wonderful deed of cunning ani audacity in the cause of law and order: the instrument of fate in avenging a cold-bl"<*lcd <.ri;ue.

My fellow passenger on board the s.sj Rowena was a ball-casto Maori named Bob Barlow, who was returning to tbf city after mmpletinp a bush-felling contract on Hliangapoa, whence caiue in those days some of the finest kauri ever cut in "the l«-It"—a very circum-j scribed belt, unfortunately—and, in

that particular portion, I suppose, long ago cut out to satisfy the inordinate demand of a city tbar has grown and spread with the speed of a mushroom.

I Barlow* was a man of about Gft 4inJ I all bone and muscle yet scaling some 15 stone. Despite his height and weight, was active as a cat and as handsome as a bronze god. Over a game of poker, as partners, we formed a small "mutual admiration society." for not only did we "pay expenses," but I being saturated with the glories of amateur athletics, and he being an athlete and a great admirer of prowess in any manly sport, we soon found we had much in common and became fast friends, wnich was a matter for congratulation for him on a certain day a few years later, of a prominent pakeha. A Break for the King Country. To get back to our murder. A trail of blood led from the white man's bed to a heap of puriri fence-posts in the | yard, and, only half concealed under these, lay the body of the unfortunate new chum; his head split open by blowfrom the wood-axe, lying blood-stained and hair-entangled, also under the posts Winiata had vanished. It was surmised that he had made for the Waikato, whence he came and where hi= people lived in primitive Maori fashion. As he had hitherto been of a quiet, if rather sullen, disposition, pe-jple were at a loss to supply a reason for a brutal murder that sent a thrill of dread and horror through the whole communitv. Remember, the frightful Poverty Bay and White Cliffs massacres by Te Kooti and his band «er>.' liiinjrr still fresh in the memory of the white settlers.

During the years that followed it was definitely ascertained that Winiata was living at a certain kainga, watched over by men and women of his own clan and openly defying the pakeha police to come and get him. At that time, under a treaty, the Queen's warrant did not ran in the King Country; and, aware of this, Winiata defied capture. Then an official had a brain-wave! Bob Barlow, the half-caste giant, was at a loose end looking for something to turn up. He was approached and the whole case laid before him. Could he capture Winiata T If he succeeded in so doing he would earn a reward of £500 and the public gratitude. Bob did not take long to consider the matter. His troubles about the danger in the contract! All he asked was a free supply of cash for trading purposes and for expending in entertainment in the way of ample "waipiro," and he would do the rest. Kainga of Evil Kepate.

Accordingly he became a buyer of native produce, particularly of pigs, of which the natives of the kainga produced (and captured) large numbers. Unassisted, they could not find a market. The fact that they harboured the murderer was against them with white traders. But Bob Barlow soon began to get quite a name as a Maori who could purchase any quantity of pigs and who, as a pakeha, could find a market for them. Eventually he made that kianga his headquarters, conveying large lot? of porkers into the town "that was tapu to Winiata and his thick and thin supporters; and bringing back all kinds of thLigs that the Maoris had got to look upon as necessities; such as grog and groceries—especially grog! Well, having thoroughly gaine4 the confidence of the tribe, Bob came back, one fine day with his pack-horse and a big stock. He bought all the pigs in sight and, to bind the bargain, supplied an unlimited quantity of liquor. Before the night was old, every man and woman in the kainga of ill repute was snoring in a drunken sleep. Then Barlow, who had only pretended to go drink-for-drinl; with the mob and was disgracefully sober, pounced on the slumbering Winiata, gagged and bound him with flax ropes before he knew he was attacked, exerted his superb strength in carrying his captive to where his riding and a good-class packhorse stood, slung the murderer across the pack-saddle, tied him there and set out for civilisation. Before the*e Maoris so much as woke from their drunken sleep Bob Bailow had delivered Winiata to the police and collected hisi contract.

It was a deed that in America wou!>i| ' have made Barlow a popular idol. 1 can it be believed; there was qu.fe a i large section of a certain stratum of Auckland society. two-leffsred ib;n:rposturing as men, who held a b:lter , grudge against brave Bob bar.ow. 1. i for one. never even that such txuld be tho case till I met the hero at the Xorth Shore T"iratta one day when it had to be ahandoned be<-aiLse of the super-abundiaoe of wind Glad to see him I first time hi' z.eat triumph) I took him into the nearby hotel for a drink We were in a small parlour by ourselves anil. wnen ; after a couple, we essayed to leave, we found our way blocked by a savage, scowling, threatenjing crowd and ho* it would have ended no man can say, for, despite heavy damage, we were only two to two dozen and were bound to tire and be overwhelmed by numbers when, just at a rear lot came pushing forward armed with palings and sticks from the hotel wood-pile, there came a mighty roar of -Here, what's this* What's this* You ought to be ashamed of yourselves! Twenty on to two and attacking a public benefactor, too" And burly W. J. Hurst, member for the district, forced him way, acco* panied by a couple of friends, through the malignant mob and heatedly ordered "S*' out before thev got in" Winiata? Oh, yes. Winiata was well and truly hanged at Mount Edea.