HAUHAU FRENZY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 277, 22 November 1934, Page 5

HAUHAU FRENZY.

VOLKNER MURDER.

EARLY DAYS OF OPOTIKI.

MR. V. SAVAGE'S CAREER,

Opotiki's oldest resident, Mr. Valentine Savage, will celebrate his ninetysecond birthday to-morrow. He was born 011 November 23, 1842, at the Wade, now known as Silverdale, and at the age of two liis parents went to Matata, in" the Bay of Plenty. When a youth he went to Auckland, and there learnt the trade of boatbuilding. He built a number of boats at Whakatane, and carried 011 his trade at Opotiki until he was nearly ninety. He built a number of very fine launches, and was celebrated for his line workmanship. A few years ago he retired to his estate at Hawai, to the east of Opotiki.

Mr. Savage lived in Opotiki through the troublous days of the Maori war in the Opotiki district, and had many exciting experiences. His father married a member of the tribe, Whanau Apanui, his people living at Hawai. In 1859 he went to Hawai, as there was, trouble between his people and the Ngatai hapu. This was some years before the military arrived in the Opotiki district. Later the Hauliau trouble started to brew in the district, and Mr. Savage, who had been in the western end of the bay, visited Opotiki. While there he met the Rev. Carl Volkner, who not very long afterwards was killed by the fanatical Hauhaus. Mr. Volkner at the time was busily engaged in building a church, which in later years was fortified, being provided with loopholes and a moat. There the settlers used to gather for slielter in times of threatened trouble.

Mr. Savage did not see Mr. Volkner alive again. He stayed in Opotiki a day or two and then left for Hawai. Next day he reached Tunapaliere, where there was great excitement among the Maoris as the Hauhaus were trying to etir up the people. He was warmly

welcomed by his tribe, and he urged them to have nothing to do with the Hauliaus, who, he "said, would do them no good. The Hauliaus had erected a pole at Whituare, near the Hawai Stream, and around this they danced until they were frenzied for war. Mr. Savage, however, persuaded his tribe to remain peaceful. Patara had arrived from Taranaki with a large number of followers early in 1805. In the meantime Mr. Volkner took his wife to Auckland and during his absence the trouble amongst the Maoris reached its height. " The Heads of All Englishmen." On Patara's arrival in Opotiki he was greeted by about 800 natives, who had assembled from various parts of the district. A large encampment had been prepared and a great review was held, the natives going through every manoeuvre known to them in warfare. Patara boasted that they would take the heads of all ministers, soldiers and Englishmen, and carry them as trophies to their great prophet Horopapera at Taranaki. The rebels had fully 300 guns with them. Later that day Kereopa, the Ha'uhau prophet, came amongst the people. He carried the head of a soldier under his arm. He delivered a lecture lasting an hour and a half, the subject being religion. He said the ministers had been telling them lies and robbing them of their lands, money and blood, and advised his hearers strongly to adopt the new faith.

On Sunday, February 26, everybody in the village was converted to the new faith, and the natives took possession of Volkner's church and held their services there. The missionary's house was ransacked and everything sold to the natives. Most of the natives were worked up to such a state of frenzy that tliey were in a stato of stupidity, and some of them spent the nights in the open air lying naked on the ground. Patara was at Torere when Mr. Volkner returned from Auckland, and had been trying to persuade the Torere natives to join him. Kereopa was still in Opotiki, and as Patara had expressed his intention to kill Mr. Volkner, Kereopa proceeded to carry out that intention. The passengers and crew of the schooner were placed under a guard, and having persuaded the Opotiki

natives to give a very reluctant consent, Kereopa issued the order for Mr. Volkner and the Rev. Grace, who had returned with the missionary, to be put to death. It was decided that Mr. Volkner should be killed first and Mr. Grace immediately afterwards. Mr. Volkner was hanged on a willow tree, and while this was being enacted and tlie natives' attention was diverted, a friendly native named Te Wai released Mr. Grace and placing him in a canoe paddled down the river and put out to sea, where they were later picked up by a schooner and taken to Auckland. Murderers Afterwards Hanged. After Mr. Volkner had been hanged the body was taken down and removed to the church. The eyes were gouged out and Kereopa swallowed them. The body was opened and the heart removed and the Maori prophet then drank the missionary's blood'. The head was then cut off and placed on the pulpit for the natives to laugh and jeer at. Soon after the murder Patara returned from his unsuccessful mission at Torere. He 'became convinced that the murder of Volkner was a great blunder, and found fault with Kereopa's deed. The martyr's head was buried, instead of being taken back to Taranaki, as had been intended. The body had been buried prior to Patara's return from Torere. Kereopa was captured several years later, with the assistance of friendly natives. Kereopa, Paraharaka, Horomana, Hoani Houpe and Mokumoku were tried in Auckland in 1872, and Mr. Savage j witnessed their execution.

Mr. Savage has lived at liis home at Hawai since hie retirement, and apart from failing eyesight is in fine health. When a "Star" representative visited his homo he found that Mr. Savage cares for a large orchard and garden, which lie keeps wonderfully clean, and also has a fine vineyard. He does a the digging, pruning of trees and vines. A large party of members of local women's institutes visited Ins faim autumn and he demonstrated methods of pruning vines. He still rows out to sea and indulges in fishing, at which he is an expert. He is an authority on boate of ill descriptions and until recently was coach to the Opotiki Eon • ing Club.