KILLED BY MAORIS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 283, 29 November 1937, Page 11

KILLED BY MAORIS.

MISSIONARY MARTYR.

MR. V. SAVAGE REMEMBERS.

95 YEARS IN NEW ZEALAND.

(From Our Own Correspondent.)

OPOTIKI, this day

Opotiki* oldest resident, Mr. Valentine Savage, has just celebrated his 95th birthday. He was born at the Wade, now known as Silverdale, and learned the boat-building trade in Auckland. He built a number of boats at Whakatane and Opotiki, not retiring until he was nearly 90 years of age. A few years, ago he went to live on his estate at Hawai, to the east of Opotiki.

Mr. Savage lived in Opotiki through the troublous days of the Maori War and had many exciting experiences. In 18.")!) he went to Hawai, as there was trouble between his tribe, Whanau Apanui. and the Xgatai-hapu. Later, at the start of the Hauhau trouble, Mr. Savage again visited Opotiki, where he met the Rev. Carl Volkner. who not long afterwards was killed bv the Hauhaus. At the time of Mr. Savage's visit, Mr. Volkner: was engaged in building a church, which was later fortified. This church—the Church of St. Stephen the Martyr—still stands.

On reaching Tunapahore, Mr. Savage found the natives there in a state of great excitement a* the result of Hauhau trouble, but Mr. Savage persuaded his tribe to remain at peace. When Patara arrived from Taranaki he was greeted by about 800 natives. A large encampment had been prepared, and a great review was held, the natives goinjt through war manoeuvres. Patara boasted that they intended to take the head* of all Englishmen, and to carry them n« trophies to their great prophet, Horopapera, at Taranaki.

The same day, Kereopa, the Hauhau prophet, came amongst the people, carrying the head of a soldier under his arm. He delivered a lecture for an hour and a half, saying that the ministers had been lying to the natives and robbing them of their lands.

On Sunday, February 26, 1565, the natives ransacked Mr. Volkner'a house and took pos*es*ion of hk church. Patara was at Torere when Mr. Volkner returned from Auckland, but Kereopa was still in Opotiki and proceeded to carry out Patara's threat to kill Mr. Volkner. He issued an order for Mr. Volkner and the Rev. Mr. Grace to be put to death. While Mr. Volkner was being hanged from a willow tree, a friendly native, Te Wai, released Mr. Grace and escaped with hiia in a canoe. After Mr. Volkner had been hanged, hi* body was removed to the church, where his eyes were gouged out and swallowed by Kereopa, who also removed the heart and drank the missionary's blood. Kereopa was captured several years later and, with Paraharaka, Horomana, Hoani Houpe and Mokumoku, was tried in Auckland in 1872 and condemned to death. Mr. Savage was present at the hanging.