A PAGE OF NEW ZEALAND HISTORY.

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 11244, 9 April 1902, Page 8

A PAGE OF NEW ZEALAND HISTORY.

THE RE-CK3CUPATION OF MAKA IN 1863. (By Major R. Parris, late Civil Commisbioner) In April 1863, rather more than'a year after the attitude of Wiremu Kingi and the Land League had forced upon the New Zealand Government the policy of war, the terms of peace offered to the Waitara rebels by Governor Gore Brown were aooepted by Hapurona, the lighting chief of the Ngatiawa, and by some of his followers. Wireineu Kiugi, indeed, refused to sanction this proceeding, and both the Ta-ranaki and Ngitmiaaui tribes declared their intention to await ths result of a Maori meeting, to be, held in the Waikato district. The Waikato natives, however, who were then in Taranaki agreed to return to their homes. For a time bloodshed ceased, and there appeared to be good reason for believing that the miserable and devastating conflict was at an end. That it was not so was due to a "very great extent to the want of judgment of Governor Grey, and to the vastly exaggerated ideas he held as to his influence with- the natives. It was in September, 1861, that Sir George Grey arrived in Auckland to take up the position of Governor in succession to that fine . English gentleman, Colonel Gore Brown. On March 3rd, 1863, the new Governor came to New Plymouth, the object of his visit being the reinstatement of the Taranaki province. As a first step towards the accomplishment- of this design, he determined to take possession of the Tataraimaka block, which lay to the south of New Plymouth, and which was claimed by the Taranaki and N,gatiruanui tribes as theirs by right of conquest. Early in April his plan was carried into effect, and a redoubt waa immediately thrown up on the edge of a 'cliff, close to the north side of the Katikara river. On its'completion the Governor, who had accompanied the force to Tataraimaka, re- . turned 1 to New Plymouth. In the meantime signs had not been wanting of the disturbed state of the natives. Numbers of strange Maoris had" been seen passing through the bu&b at the back of New Plymouth, going in the direction of Tataraimaka. But Governor Grey, when informed of the fact, made reply to the effect that he was assured the natives were going southward with "the most laudable intentions." To those best informed in native affairs, however, it soon became clear that a crisis >was approaching. Acting on information received from native sources, I, as assistant Native Secretary, warned the Governor that ambuscades had) been, prepared to cut off Europeans passing between ■Tataraimaka and New Plymouth. Full particulars of the ambuscades were at thtf same time published in the "Taxanaki Herald." But Governor Grey's confidence

in ibis'power and influence over the natives was such that he pooh-poohed the idea of taking additional precautions. The story of what followed on his neglect forms one of the saddest pages in the history of this colony. On Monday, the 4th of May, 1863, a party of seven men of the 57th. Regiment, all ignorant of the warnings received by the Governor, left Tataraimaka for New Plymouth, escorting a private -who was under arrest. They had not gone far when they were overtaken by Dr. Hope and Lieutenant Tregett, botih of the 57th, who were mounted, but unarmed. These officers, when close to the, Wairau stream, -halted to await the men on foot. The latter had' barely joined them ■when a single'shot was fired from the,bush which here grew thick on the elope, towards the stream. This was followed by many more, and in a few moments the little party was reduced to four,, among whomwas Lieutenant Tregett. The Lieutenant refused to leave the dead and) wounded, and was himself shot, and in a few moments Private Kelly found himself the sole survivor. Throwing aside his rifle and belta he dashed back to the redoubt. Of ten men he alone escaped. The warning which Governor Grey had , allowed: to pass unheeded had been no cry of "wolf." When the news of the massacre reached town the excitement was intense. A crowd assembled, and the Governor's appearance was the sign for a strong display of feeling. One old settler pressed close up to him, and shaking his fist in his face, accused him of being the cause of the men'e death. Major Paul told mc at the time that under ordinary circumstances a picket would have been sent J to arrest the man, but the troops of the garrison were so enraged at the fate of their comrades, that th* authorities were afraid to give tße order for his arrest lest ihe men should refuse duty. Following on the heels of this miserable j affair, and as though to show the dis- ; affected natives that they had only to assert J themselves in arms to obtain a cringing sub- | mission to their claims, came the Governor's ; extraordinary announcement that the Waij taw purchase was to be abandoned. No j wonder that the astonishment of the settlers

was equaled by that of the Maoris, who saw aba.ndoned to them lands which', apart from other considerations, had been held by the 'King-maW Tamihaaa. to belong to the Queen by right of conquest Three weeks after *he publication of this proclamation by the Governor, General Cameron, with a considerable force, proceeded to Tataraimaia, receiving reinforcements on his way. The enemy, on the construction by the English troops of the redoubt on the north side of the Katikara river,; had at once proceeded to construct a pa ana rifle pits on the south side This position General Cameron lad now determined to attack. The great South road from* New Kymouth along the coast passed close to the British redoubt, and dipping down to the beach crossed the Katikara at its mouth. On the other side of the river bhe road I<?d . hill crowned with clustering flax bushes. At a distance of some five hundred yards from these were, the Maori entrenchments. In expectation of an attack befog delivered h!Z S S also placed an ambuscade m. the flax. Of . t £ s> Jloweverj secret information had reached mc in New I Jymouth, and, on the Sunday before the troops left town, I showed to the Governor zad General Cameron a plan of the place. i*emg_ asked for my opinion, I suggested that the troops should cross the Katikara two or three hundred yards inland, just below instead of at the beach, and that as they did so Eclipse, then lymg in the New. Plymouth roadstead, should suell tlie party ambushed in the flax, ihe plan was agreed to. and Ssr George Grey announced his intention of being present on board tHe Eclipse. On the arrival of the troops at Tataraimaka the General! explained to his officers the plan of attack. On hearing that it was proposed to cross the Katikara above the mouth, some of them declared that such a course' was impossible. The General then summoned mc to him, and on learning what had been said. I offered to lead tba way myseCf. Cameron was at first unwilling,' remarking, "You cannot .be expected to do all the work. ' But daylight was now rapidly approaching, and it was clear that tfie -work must be done by some one, whether soldier or civilian. My offer was. therefore, accepted, and I guided the troops across the

river at the spot I had previously fixed upon. Aβ tn* column was crossing, H.M.S. Eclipse, instead of firing into the flax-covered hill where the ambush lay, sent a shell up the valley. It passed close over our hsads, and fell come few yards further on, fortunately, however, without bursting. Once over the river Colonel Warre, of the 57-th, ordered his men to charge, and they ru&od clean up to the eneonyVs lines, bayonetting many of them in the rifle pit*. A fonatic, who had been standing in the open, defiantly brandishing a tewa-teswa as tire troops came up, «scaped uninjured, though, exposed to an almost point-blank fire from many rifles. In tlie meantime Colonel Logan had stormed the entrenched position to the- left, and here also the baronet had done its work.

Attention was now turned to the ambus* cade at the river's mouth, but the men composing it liad already taken to their heels, end aS escaped, except one, who was shot as he ran.

At about this time a boat was seen coming in from the man-o'-war, with the Governor on board. I went down with Major Paul to meet him. The Governor, wlio had landed before we arrived, waited up to mc, , and congratulated mc with the utmost warmth on the successful carrying out of any plan. We then inspected the bodies of the enemy who had fallen, and I was able, owing to my constant intercourse with all the natives m the Taranaki province, to state with absolute confidence that these men were, without exception, strangers to the district. They proved, indeed, to have come from the upper reaches of the Wanganui river.