"MOREPORK IN 1864"

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 53, 4 March 1927, Page 8

"MOREPORK IN 1864"

(To the Editor.)

1 Sir, —The following amusing and interesting excerpt from an English journal, published in May, 1864, will .be .found very entertaining and indicates the character of the British soldier at the time of our Maori troubles:— '

"Among the commonest birds which frequent the forests of New Zealand is a small owl, generally known to the settlers and soldiers by the denomination of 'More Pork,' from a habit it has of pertinaciously and distinctly reiterating, this phrase for about half an hour before daylight. This bird gave rise to rather an amusing incident in the Hutt Valley during the time of the fighting with Mamuku and his chiefs, and when, in anticipation of a morning attack, a strong picket was turned out regularly about an hour berore daylight. On one occasion the men had been standing silently at arms .for some time, and shivering in the cold morning air, when they were startled by a solemn request for 'more pork,' .The officer in '"'?'.»■'

command of the picket, who had only recently arrived iv the country, ordered no talking in the ranks, which was immediately replied to by another demand, distinctly enunciated, for 'more pork.' So mal-apropos a remark produced a titter along the ranks which roused the irate officer, and he threatened to put/the next person under arrest who dared to make any allusion to the subject. As if in defiance of his threat, and in contempt of the constituted authorities, 'more pork' ■was distinctly demanded in two places at once, and was seconded by an irresistible giggle from one end 'of the line to the other. It was impossible to overlook such a breach of discipline as this, and the officer, in a fury of indignation, went along the line in search of the mutinous offender, when suddenly a small chorus of 'more pork' was heard on all sides, and it was then explained who the real culprits werel—l am, etc., E. F. E. FILDES. ..