MAORI WAR

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 33, 9 February 1915, Page 10

MAORI WAR

TEN YEARS OF STRIFE. FRIENDLY NEIGHBOURS NOW. To-day Maori and pakeha are alike eager to fight for the British Empire. Half a century ago the Native race and the white pioneers were in the midst of a keen struggle for supremacy in the North Island, but the old misunderstanding and enmity passed away long years ago. In contrast with the present.goodfellowship the history of the former fighting may seem almost incredible, in parts, to the younger generations. For some time, preceding the year 1860, sections of Maoris had begun to resent the spread of British settlement. Ihe Natives believed that they would be gradually pushed from their ancestral lands, and many had a bitter feeling against the busy strangers. The opposition movement developed mainly m the Taranaki district, where a league was formed to discourage the transfer of land to the pakeha. In the early part of 1860 a dispute arose over the purchase of six hundred acres of land at Waitara from a Native chief. When attempts were made to survey the ground, Maoris offered resistance. An armed force of Britons soon occupied the ground, but this demonstration did not terrify the brave Natives. The Waitara tribe had the aid of King Country warriors, and thus began a war which went intermittently through a decade. The close came in 1870 with the capture of Te Kooti. Altogether the military operation cost New Zealand a sum of between £3,000 - 000 and £4,000,000, but the casualty list was comparatively light, though some very valuable lives were lost The total of the killed (British) for the ten years was about eight hundred There was a lull at the end of 1863, but the respite was brief. The fanatical Uau-Haus were chiefly responsible for giving impetus to the flagging war, in which tribes of the East and West coasts were involved. The colour of those memorable days may be seen in a few passages fvom The Post of '65. "Important From Wanganui,—Engagement Between the Friendly Natives and the Rebels — Evening Post Office. 5 p.m. — A special messenger has just arrived with despatches for the Government, overland from Wanganui. He reports that on Friday last, about 2 o'clock, an engagement took place between the friendly Natives and the rebels near Pipiriki, in which the former were victorious, killing 25 rebels and taking 150 prisoners, a great number of them being wounded. Peihi, the rebel chief, is said to be among the prisoners. Six pahs were taken by the friendly Natives." — 27th February. "Further Fighting on the East Coast —27 Hau Haus Killed.— Eight Loyal Natives Killed and Four Wounded.-— The St. Kilda, which arrived in harbour early this morning, brings important news of further fighting on the East Coast." — 6th July. "Surrender of the Wereroa, Pah.— A private letter, received in town to-day, dated Wanganui, 13th July, contains the following important piece of information : — 'Last night the Natives gave up Wereroa pah to Captain Macdonald, of the Native contingent ; they would not hear of giving it up to the soldiers. " 'This is another step towards peace ; and if we make proper terms we may maintain it.' "—lsth" — 15th July "The Storm Bird arrived yesterday with 124 men, eight officers, Maoris, of the Native contingent ; the Lady Bird arrived to-day with 226 men and thirteen officers, Native contingent ; the Ahuriri also arrived to-day, with 198 men and eleven officers, colonial forces. This force, when supplied with ammunition, etc., will proceed to the East Coast without delay. Before leaving Wanganui an address was presented to the force, and replied to by Major Brassey, who said — 'We are about to leave on a dangerous service, but we go cheerfully, because we go to avenge our murdered fellow countrymen, and because we have your good wishes.'" — 4th September. The expedition sailed on sth September. i