SERGT.-MAJOR CHRISTIE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 551, 5 July 1909, Page 6

SERGT.-MAJOR CHRISTIE.

REMINISCENCES OF THE SIXTIES.

TE KOOTI AT THE CHATHAM ISLANDS.

_ Sargeant-Major Walter Christie, who has just been, awarded the Imperial Service Modal, is a veteran of the stormy 'sixties. Ho. came out to the colonies in 1852, when 15-years of age, arid after a trial "on the Jano" of Bencfigo, Victoria, came to Otago in charge of a draft of horses for the diggings. In 1863 he joined a squadron of 200 horse which came up to Wellington from Otago on voluntary service during .the troublous times of that decade,, arid was detailed as dispatch-rider for Major Dwyer (14th Regiment), his duties taking* him into what was then the most perilous country in New Zealand—tho West Coast of' the North. Later ho joined the Wanganui Yeomanry Cavalry, lid served throughout the West Coast Campaign of-1866, being present'at the cajrture of Wereroa Pan, the relief of Pipiriki, and several minor engagements. Crowded into the period of the East and West Coast campaigns were incidents in-. nmneraWe. Space will only permit .of two being , reooiuitea. The affair at. Kskaramea

(near iPatea) was serious enough. ■' .The Maoris had oonstructed .a sort of bridge over a_ swamp', and erected defences of'fascines. The . cavalrymen:', were., ordered across the STOmp to dislodge the enemy, and had got safely over, when they were surrounded and cut.'off from their supports. The situation was a perilous one. Several, men had their horses .'shot under: them, arid wepo themselves. severely - wounded. 'After ai desperate, fight, a relief force of. Von Tempsky's men and the military settlers arrived on-the scene, the enemy was driven.back into the, country, andthe party regained the 'camp, The trooper took part in another' fierce skirmish with the enemy in'the vicinity of Opotiki- and- here 'he;, distinguished himself by saving ;his officerV :life. The affair, was one < of' the many ■ brushes .'with: the .enemy which characterised - tho guerilla tactics of tho campaign—a shot, the' alarm, a hot fire for a while, then silence; I ',, That was all. Sometimes men were wounded; at others, not even, a scratch was sustainedat others again there were,dead,to.be buried. "On this occasion,'' said Sergt-Major Christie, "liwas. tioned near Capt. John PeTcyj and-dilHng'Uie fight he was hit iri 'the. groin. When I got to him he _had clapped: his hand^'over,'hiS head,: thinking : that the ' bullet had hit him; there ; I gripped him round the arms and , carried him"into cover to attend fe him. 'By this time he had become very, weak from;loss of blood. I laid -bare .his wound, and saw that an artery had been severed.- The beet tiling I could do then was to take some biscuits, powder them, ram they into . the gapirig h<Me,. and then .bhid it tightly \rith a leather belt. It was warm , work, and'no mistake. The captain's white shirt showed through the leaves,' and the bullets pattered about our; heads.' Several pieces of tree-forn weia whipped off close by, and fell on his chest. After I had roughly attended to him, I, picked him up and carried him along until I met the ambulance party." In 1867 he was' recalled from Wanganui . and' l sent 'to the Chatham Islands "to '■ superintend the construction of rat-proof huts for the accommodatioH : of Te ' Kooti and' his fellow-prisoners. He was also,superintendent of road construction works. v "What did' you "think Kooti?" he was asked. '

■ •"■ He was a pretty clever chap. He really belonged to; a' slave tribe, but had been •looked by Bishop Williams, and educated a bit.; The Maoris had great fpith in. him, and his-education gave him a lot of influence. They called him the' 'To Kooti' (the bush-lawyeir). • 'While I was 'at the Chathams he borrowed a Bible from me, and re-wrote the whole of the Old Testament; he was pretty shrewd, though. To suit, his own peculiar religious teaching, he Merely :took -from.' the Bible such passages as would serve/his purpose, andput in others of his own." ■. . ' '.'Were you on the island when.they escaped on the schooner Rifleman?" ,• .;'•• , happened three months after 'I . left. I remember one rather exciting incident'that slid happen while I was there. Te Kooti and I were very good friends, T might tell you. One day'Te Kooti camo rushing out of'the bush and' told'his excited followers that he had seen Jehovah, and talked' with him, and that he had been told that they would be free in about six months—and it is a remarkable thing that; almost to a day, they got thfi upper hand, : murdered- some of their, enemies,. and 'got. clear away on--.the ship. Well, to return to>the yarn, Captain Thomas turned out' ' the guard, with ; rifles loaded and bayonets rfixed, and prepared; for whatever might happen. When Te Kooti saw Captain Thomas standing there, he whippied'oflt his clothes. and, stark,riaked, miarchod up ,to that officer> folded his arias, and, dared him to give the order to fire. ;if . " ' Wny don't, you- fire?*- he asked. ' "Captain Thomas, who was palo and trembling, walked away, and;l was then", requested to. Bee 1 if' Icould induce Te. Kooti to quieten down, and . disperse his followers, who had by, this time formed a. circle round him.- .1 went over" and talked quietly ,to him. 'I will go, ■ Wakata' -(Walter),; he said, and the trouble ended; but," ' added Mr. Christie,; "had; they;shot To Kooti that day,'there would, not have been a white man alive on /the island- next morning."

On";his return from' the Chathams, " Mr. Christie was offered -th© choice ,of 80 acres of land or a'permanent appointment in ' the : Defeat. Itepartinerit..'He ohose ;tbe. latter, and for 38.years acted.as foreman of the Defence Stores in Buckle Street. He is the first; to receive the now ordOT (Imperial Service Modal) in New Zealand.