TWO HISTORIC REVOLVERS

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28822, 17 February 1959, Page 9

TWO HISTORIC REVOLVERS

Link With Maori War "The Preet" Special Service NEW PLYMOUTH, Feb. 16. The arms amnesty which expires on March 1 and enables holders of all kinds of arms to surrender them to the police has brought to the New Plymouth arms office two revolvers of historical Interest. Both are connected with Taranaki of the Maori War days and both will be returned to their owners when their registration is completed. They may find their way into the new Taranaki Museum..

The more interesting is a pinfire Adams patent British revolver given by the New Zealand Government to Captain Frank Mace for gallantry -at Waireka on March 29. 1860. The well-preserved revolver was retained by Captain Mace until his death in 1927. It is now owned by his granddaughter, Mrs V. A. Jackson, of Carrington street. One of the ammunition caps is still in the firing position. Captaih Mace enlisted in the volunteers when fighting began in 1860 and while scouting discovered about 500 hostile Maoris in a position near Waireka. Settlers were at once assembled in a stockade and shortly afterward firing began, resulting in the death of three volunteers and two boys. Captain Mace carried dispatches to New Plymouth and acted as guide to Captain Cracroft and a force from H.M.S. Niger, which attacked Waireka in March, 1860. It was for this effort that Captain Mace was presented with the revolver.

The second revolver came into the possession of Mr W. G. Maxwell, of Oaonui, from his father. As far as Mr Maxwell is able to discover, the revolver belonged to some Maoris at Parihaka. It is described as a rare collector’s piece and unique in having four barrels which revolve as each shot is fired. Each barrel has square rifling.