70 YEARS AGO.

Franklin Times, Volume XXIII, Issue 132, 13 November 1933, Page 5

70 YEARS AGO.

FOREST RANGERS IN ACTION. ENGAGEMENT WITH REBEL MAORIS (Contributed). To No. 1 Company Forest Rangers belongs the honour of the final engagement against rebel Maoris in the Wairoa district. Both companies, No. 1 under Captain Jackson, and No. 2 under Major von Tempsky were armed with the new breech loading Galisher and Terry carbine and five shot revolver. No. 2 company also carried a bowie knife with a blade some 10 or 12 inches long which was held in the left band when fighting at close quarters. Tbe knife was fairly heavy and could be thrown from a distance with considerably accuracy. Von Tempsky gave a good (leal of care to training his company in the use of the bowie knife —an art which he had learned while fighting in South America, lie drilled his Rangers to fire their revolvers with the right hand and retain the bowie knives in the left for use when they had emptied their revolvers. Captain Jackson would not use the knife as a weapon but found it useful to slash a track through the bush. One or two men of No 1 company tried fo introduce the knife for fighting without much success. Amongst those who became proficient in its use was an old Hunua boy, J. M. Roberts, later to become Lieut.-Colonel Roberts in charge of military operations on the West Coast. Many of the Rangers were bush trained settlers from the outpost settlements at Wairoa, Hunua, Papakura. Others were sailors, gold diggers and pioneers who were accustomed to a rough and adventurous life. When tracking the Maoris through the forests of Wairoa and Hunua they cut fern for their beds and slept in the shelter of any convenient trees, or rocks or banks. Each man carried a rum bottle cased injeather as a protection against breakage in the rough life. "Rum kept us alive, we were constantly wet through with the rain or by swimming and fording creeks and rivers. When we camped in the bush while on the enemy's trail we dared not light a fire. We ate our rations as we were, wet and cold," so Cpl. Wm. Johns described the life in after years. The~Tßulgers were allowed two tots of -Turn each day while on active service. Active in Wairoa District.

The Rangers were particularly active in the Wairoa district in November and December, 1863. Constantly they followed Maori trails and scouted in enemy country, never knowing where they might run into an ambush, literally carrying their lives in their hands. The work of the Rangers was of great value in checking enemy raids and keeping the bands of plundering Maoris on the move. •——

The final engagement took place-on December 14 and two accounts of the fight have been preserved. The first is this: Captain Jackson and 30 Rangers of all ranks left camp at Papakura to scour Hunua ranges in pursuit of rebel Maoris. The expedition camped one Saturday night in Papakura Valley (Alfriston) after having followed 1 racks of the enemy for two days. Early on Sunday morning steam was seen ascending from the bush and it was surmised that this arose from Maori ovens which were being opened for the morning meal. From the earliness of the hour Captain Jackson concluded that the Maoris were on the move. As five puffs of steam were noticed indicating separate ovens it was thought that there must be a large party to need such extensive cooking arrangements. Scouting showed the position of the rebel Maoris and that the surmise of the presence of a considerable number was correct. The question as to the course to be pursued by the Rangers was a difficult one. Should they attack a force which was much larger than their own. trusting- to the advantage gained by a surprise assault? A failure to carry the position and to rout the enemy would mean the retreat of the Rangers to the camp at Papakura, a retreat hampered by the care of the wounded by the survivors. The Rangers themselves were anxious to attack the Maori camp: it was the prudence of Captain .laekson which held them in chock. lie realised that it would be a tremendous relief to the colony to disperse tiiis band of marauders and terminate their reign of terrorism and murder. Still the Rangers were h company of scouts and not. an attacking force so it might be wiser to send a messenger to Papakura for reinforcements while the rest of the Rangers followed the Maoris. Major .laekson addressed the men, showed them the position in which they were placed and the risk incurred in making the attack. While in the bush th ? Rangers could protect themselves from attack by an enemy much more numerous than they were. But before attacking a force evidently so much superior in strength the Rangers mus! consider the consequences of defeat. The advantage of a victory would be great for if they should succeed in dispersing the enemy he felt certain they would never' return to the. scene of their former murders. Tt illustrate." the excellent feeling which existed in the Forest Rangers when the problem was so freely discussed. The men said that they were willing to leave

Decision of Officers. the decision to their officers; and the officers decided to make the attack. The Rangers discarded everything but shirt, trousers, boots, arms and ammunition so that they might have nothing to hamper them in the light. Before the men advanced Captain Jackson again addressed them: "Is there any man who feels that he is not equal to undertake this duty, either on account of illness or that his heart is not at present in the right place? If so, let him or them start at once for headquarters, and they may perhaps do good service in bearing a despatch to Colonel Nixon, who would be soon on the move to assist us." Not a man stirred, but Captain Jackson's words showed the misgiving which he felt regarding the issue of the day. Captain Jackson led the attack which took the enemy so completely by surprise that they were immediately routed. The action was short, sharp and decisive: there w 7 ere no casualties among the Rangers; several of the enemy were killed and wounded, amongst them the actual murderers of Hamlin, Cooper, Calvert and the Trust boys. It was later reported that at least 200 Maoris were in the war party. Shortly after the action had been fought a Ranger posted as sentry challenged a Maori who had returned to the scene of the skirmish, entered a whare and was making for the bush carrying a tin box. The Maori took no notice of the sentry's call so the Ranger fired at him, wounding him in the arm and causing him to drop the box before he disappeared into the bush. The box contained the king's flag which had been entrusted to the care of this Maori who had forgotten it in the surprise of the attack but had later risked his life in an attempt to recover it. Thus ended the battle of Papakura Valley and old residents would show where it was fought a little to the south of where Alfriston hall now stands. Another Narrative.

The other account is as follows: — Twenty-five Forest Rangers under the command of Captain Jackson and Lt. Westrupp marched to Buckland'3 clearing in the Hunua ranges. They made their way through the heavy" bush in the upper valley of the Wairoa river, found Maori tracks and passed a lately deserted camp. The trail led towards the source of the Wairoa river,* across the head of the stream and for several miles into unknown bush near the higher parts of the Kohukohunui range. Despite all their scoutcraft the Forest Rangers lost the trail at last. After a time smoke was seen rising from a gorge far away in the bush. The Rangers made their way to investigate and heard a cowbell ringing as if a child were playing with it. Guided by the sound the force advanced towards what they later found to be a Maori camp by a side creek. Lt. Westrupp and several men made their way cautiously down the rocky stream. George Ward, a coloured man, was the first to emerge from ,the bush and found a Maori bathing in the creek. The Maori was astonished to see the dark faced man, probably surmising that he was a friend he beckoned Ward to approach. The Ranger shot the Maori dead and dashed into the camp followed by the rest of the party. The Maoris were taken by surprise" some were holding religious services as it was Sunday, some were cleaning their guns and others bathing. A few of the Maoris made a desperate resistance and there were one or two hand to hand combats. Several fired but had no time to reload before they were shot Mown by the Rangers. One Maori woman was accidentally shot while helping a wounded warrior to fire a final round at a Ranger. Cpl. Johns captured a tin box containing three flags, one of red silk, had a white cross and star worked on it and the word "Aotearoa." It is said to have been made by Heni te Kiri-karamu for her chief Wi Koka. It is now in the entrance hall of the Auckland Public Library. Seven Maoris were killed and several wounded. The Rangers suffered no casualties.

This attack was made deep in the ranges near the sources of the Wairoa and the Mangatawhiri streams. It ;s some times described as-near Paparata; this is an error as the spot is nearer Ararimu in the upper Wairoa district. This might well be called the Battle of Paparata to distinguish it from the Battle of Papakura Valley.