Slaughter of the Maoris

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 208, 30 May 1936, Page 21

Slaughter of the Maoris

When assessing the blame for the decrease in population among _ th'.' Maoris since the coming of the Europeans, the blame must be laid largely on the musket. Shortly before 1820, the Ngapuhi chiefs Hongi and Waikato visited England, and among the treasures they acquired webe guns ami ammunition. They traded their other possessions for firearms, and then commenced a period of slaughter almost unparalleled iu any country of New Zealand’s population. The Ngapuhi inarched from one. end of the North Island to the other, carrying death and destruction with them. The great tribes of the Arawa aud Waikato, seeing the necessity of obtaining similar weapons in order to avoid extermination, suspended all their former pursuits for the purpose of preparing flax to be exchanged with the European traders for guns, powder and ball. As fast as these were obtained they were turned against weaker neighbours. Some 1000 perished at Mata'kitaki (near Alexandra) alone, and 42 years later, when the 2nd Regiment of Waikato Militia were establishing their settlement, they found hundreds of native ovens, some long- enough to take a whole body, while hundreds of human bones lay about. The bayonet and tomahawk also added to the toll. From 1522 to 1837 was a fearful period in New Zealand. Blood flowed like water, and tile number who died is estimated at over 60,000.—11.W. (Wanganui).