IN THE EARLY ’70’s.

Gisborne Times, Volume LXV, Issue 10392, 9 May 1927, Page 2 (Supplement)

IN THE EARLY ’7o’s.

PEN PICTURE OF GISBORNE

CAPT. FERRIS’S GRAPHIC -DESCRIPTION.

(From tli.o “Weekly Press,” 1903.)

Pride of place in the procession on Coronation Fay was given, and rightly so, to the pioneer settlers, to those who -have borne*- the heat and burden of the day of Gisborne’s infancy; who steed, as it were, at the cradle" of this town, aided in its birth and development, and have followed with personal interest and pride every stage of its varying fortune. lb is correct to begin at the beginning, and those who were at the beginning of Gisborne’s progress, who deserved the fullest recognition on the day when we assembled to celebrate so important a phase of development as the opening of our railway. It is for that reason that we have thought it appropriate to put on record on this occasion the story of the fiindation and the growth ot Gisborne, as told by one of the earliest settlers, and wo are greatly indebted to Captain C. W. Ferris for having submitted himself to be interviewed and suffered the storehouse of bis memory to be ransacked for incidents of the early days that we are nure will be interesting to many of cur readers. LANDING OF TROOPS.

Captain Ferris came to Gisborne thirty-seven years ago, arriving in July* 1860, in H.M.S. Brisk, as a member of the Hawke's Bay Defence Force. That force, it should be explained, was formed some two years previously in consequence of threatened Maori troubles, most of the

members enlisting at Dunedin. \ olkners murder < r it Opotiki was the ftrst act of insurrection which set the East Coast ablaze, and tlie spread cf the revolutionary Hauliau movement to AVaiami had necessitated a force, comprising the Hawke’s Bay volunteers, mentioned, being sent to Waiapu, where hard fighting took place The movement developing in Poverty Bay district, at the urgent request of the few settlers there, troops were hastened to Gisborne, 01 , rather, to the sice of Gisborne that was to he. The officers were Major Fraser, attached to the Military Settlors. senior officer, in command; Captain La S-erre and Lieutenant St. George, of the Defence Force; Lieut, ■gi-frcs, Lieutenant 'Wilson (military r: A tiers), Captain AVestrup, and Lieut. Boss (Forest Bangers). There was nothing notable in the passage of the Brisk from Napier to Gisborne, fiu came up at night and .. hcno re it ia the bav in the morning, ns the steamers do now. But it is inteiestiug to hear from Captain Ferris Ins first impression.; of the place. NOT FERN INVITING. ••ft had not a very inviting appearance. There was no toun nestUncf in a forest .or trees, as is now to %e seen. Ail that one. saw was a long stretch of scrub-covered flat, with clumps ot bush inland at Pipiwhaka and Alakauri. AA here Gisborne .now stands was covered with high manuka and thorny scrub. _ There was slight bush cu Kaiti Hill, and blip hills of AVimtaupoko and those surrounding the bay were all thickly dad with bush. The low hills 01 Haiti: where 31V. AA'. Cooper’s property now is. hold bush in patches. Haiti flat was a regular swamp, containing flax and manuka. It was quite impassable: in i act, • for .many years after the time I am speaking or travellers to the AVainui had to skirt the base of tl.-e htrl by a narrow track, the flat hebr<- one huge hog and quite impassable.’’ The force, comprising _ about 16U pen, landed in tfio warship’s boats at what is known as the Beat Harbor, on the Knit; bench. Let those people who are inclined to rail at the improvements of the Gisborne Harbor Board note the conditions that prevailed in 1535. Ac the mouth of the heavy break, and at low-water you could ride from one side of the river tr. the other. The natives used it as a regular crossing-place. MARCH TO HAITI CAMP. Fronting the place where the troops landed in the war sir p’s boats •. as what is Archdeacon (now B shop) Williams’ r. gorhie-shapsd dwelling, mated in a pretty nook just above the Boat Harbor. The next feature cf interest as the force, marched to their camping place was Captain Head’s house and receiving store at the site of the present Haiti wharf. Attached to the building was a Jetty, where the trading vessels of those days, the “Tnwera” (Captain KenrNjV) the “Donald McLean,’’ and others used to berth. The building vns a low-set olace, rough and strongly built, with no pretensions to architectural beautv. Like its owner, it was there strictly for business, r nd a. great Lu>iness was done in hz zr a rr« nr. rr. nr. nr.rr.rrcr

those premises in the early days. The iText- thing to strike the new-comer s attention was th * line Maori pah oil cixe" rise overlookir.? the river, where • ~ itawiri’s 'nreseiifc ; meeting-house _ now ' * - st-Vnds.' ' There - inis <ilso Ihrgc C / - ‘\f?:ori" church,' rce£iVtl; 7 - -pulled down, p? • Inchdudnit tthe; troublesome times, • -was-converted .in-: > a hrspital. The. ■rs.p : ' troops walked 4;.v\.n . narrow .track ‘’ ' througli ’fern and :• stunted scrub to V • “h ■ theisite of' their redoubt, where Mes; i■ • ; ! sr.s;.-' Pettie’s• >. •l : Hard.ing’s res deuces i,o6iHn{?-tronr there, across , the river, the only building

visible was the old shore at the Point, at the junction of the Taruheru and AVaimata rivers, recently removed. It was a much larger building then, and was another emporium of Captain Read’s extensive trade. Surrounding this was a belt of accacia trees, and somewhere in the vicinity lived an old man named Steve Wharton) employed by Captain Reach There was a large native pah,on the Gisborne side of the river located between the flagstaff and Turanganm Hotel. The troops were greeted as they arrived bv the natives shouting, “Haeremai! H’aeremai!” and dancing in their usual custom, and Captain Ferris was struck by their fine physique, and thought “what a fine lob of fellows’ we have to meet.” On the Kaiti side the natives had a . few small clearings, where they cultivated kumeras and other fruit products. There were, about Tuvanganui, as at the Big River (Turanga), however, no extensive cultivations.

SNAPSHOT OF CAPTAIN READ. On the other side of the Bay there had been for many years extensive wheat fields, and vessels used to come to Gisborne la deb with inward cargo, after the discharge of which they would cross the Bay and load up there with cargoes of grain. Captain Harris, father of the late Mr. E. F. Harris, was one of the first traders. The picture of Gisborne as it then was—though it did not then bear that name, being called simply by the native designation, Turanganui—would not be complete without a snapshot of Captain Read, its learning personality. He was a stout old fellow, almost as broad as he was long, and had a very bluff, commanding manner. He was undoubtedly master of the- place, and exercised very great control over the natives, wlio appeared to be afraid of him. He had had large transactions with them, and had bought up or leased much of their land. He took a fatherly interest in the troops, which had come at his request, and furnished them with supplies. The country settlers of those days were few in number. At Makaraka, were the U’Ron family, the Dunlop family, and Mr Espie; Mr. AVyllio lived at Tukoko, beyond Bushmere; Captain Harris at Te Arai, and Messrs. Tarr and Goldsmith in the vicinity of Bushmere. These people were mostly traders with the natives, amt their businesses were generally • run in connection with that of Captain Read. STARTLING AVAR DANCE. ' One of the oldest pioneers, Mr. AVilliam Smith, came here as early as 1881 to look round the district, and again in 1863, and was so satisfied with its future that in 1864 he came to settle permanently. At that time Air. Parker, father of the manager of the Bank of New South AVales, had the Whataupoko run, and Mr. Smith was given in charge of the place, and had sheep running on it cn terms. Mr. Curtis also had sheep' running on Torero. Some others of the oldest settlers were Messrs. John Harvey (in Captain Read’s employ), Alack ay (father of Ra Maokay). Halbert (father of AVi Pore, Air. Ts Halbert, and Airs. AA’yliie. whose children are so well-known in this place), J. Maynard, who arrived in February. 1860, Jack Tvc. AA'. S. Green, and Jim Smith. The troops were employed until November getteug their redoubt in

order. Affairs in the district grew from bad to worse. The loyal natives liad come flocking down Irom the Coast, Hcnare Potae and his people, and Ropata and his people. Upon their arrival, Captain Ferris states, he saw the. finest war dance lie lias ever seen ; 700 dusky warriors stripped to the buff almost made the ground shake with their dancing. Their leader, Henare Potae, shewed the finest physique of any man he iliad seen. It may be interesting now to describe the appearance of the country inland. It was entirely -without roads. Looking from the redoubt inland one could sea only stunted growth. At llcscland there was a clump of trees where the U Rens lived; beyond, that were the fine forests, which existed at Alakauri. Pipiwhaka and Alurewai. These contained magnificent timber, and if they were in existence to-day would provide occupation for your railway for years to come. Its route has been laid through the site of the old Alakauri forest. Tlie Pipiwhaka bush was of such large extent and density that even the natives wore known to have lost their wav in it. The track iroiri Gisborne leU a long tlie Taruheru r:\ er bank to. Alaknrak?, and thence it wound circuitously in and out through biish.. cab'-.p'w trefr and flax to the Clearing of Hilia, (AVaerenga-a-hika). . The .read to. Muriwai lay along the beach, and at the Big River travellers; yyere' ferried across in Alaori ounces. FRUITLESS NEGOTIATIONS. As matters l-ftaame more unsatt’ed, Air. Donald McLean. Superintendent of Hawke’s Bav and Government agent, came up from Napier and Wd long pari evs with the natives. The recalcitrant f.-ibes • were Pentcd un their fortified prD .at . AVaerenga-a-hika, - and the negotiations were conducted. through the friendly natives. Amt, 'though : they APS* ccl eve-- a' fn.’tmighUThey N-crevwi+b'uit'rcsnlt.y Te l’ei Al air ere ’ -rel i "Pn s da q a < lism ■had. obtained fsuchoafhpld of the people "that' tliev wbuld. :not' disperse. Captain Read was, a mrominent: fenLure in the -negotiations,, .andGuseamuch bluster and boune, but Ins

mana had departed so far as the Hauhaus were oncerned. At last Air. McLean’s patience was exhausted. His ultimata had been ignored, and he accepted Captain Read’s advice to “Go straight at ’em.” An advance on Waerenga-a-hilca was ordered. About November 12th, 1865, the troons crossed the Turanganui River below where the bridge now stands. Tt was a somewhat difficult crossing, the horses having to he swum, hut there were plenty of canoes for transport of men and baggage. The soldiers, a'ter bheir burr period of cooping up in the redoubt, were glad to he on the movc,’°nd all were anxious for the fray. The force, including friendly im fives, was some . 7()0 strong, and it straggled a considerable distance over the narrow bush track, wlii/di hnrdlv admitted of two' abreast. AT the settlers had meantime c-me into CJshorne. and when the force get to Go’-Ismiths, at Tca-r-ga. it 'vs found to bo deserted, and the solders- commandeered all the roul+rv and other edibles they could lav t’ e r " hands cn. AVhon within ebmß 76? '-e-d.s iv A v aoromr'-n-hika the Forest- Rangers (infant " v ) were sort o» in advance in skirmish mg order. Tim troons cm-M sec the natives cn tb" roof ef the res’dence of fVslu—. AAul’iams Father cf the present Rishoo) sHionimr it ’of its Fad for the manufa'tm’e of bulßts. They had. n s lo dre with wh’cb they were carting the spoil from the hcusc ro the. pah. distant about ECO. yards a wav. There was a large orchard about the mission estate and mother at what was subsequently called Cahill’s. where the graveyard -now stands.

SIEGE OF AVAERENGA-A-HIKA. The Forest Rangers opened fire on the natives, and struck cne of the oxen dravijig the sledge. Some '4OO cr 500 natives, when the troops were half a mile away, assembled cat side the pa with their flags Riiiki and Ruru, consisting of large sheets of white cal Do. bearing red crosses, red stars and moons, and commenced to darce their Kanban war dance and shouted defiance, and presently fired guns at the approaching troops. The armament consisted of a few old flint-

lock muskets obtained from the whalers at the price of a musket for a'ton of wheat, and double and single barrelled guns. The ammunition was primitive. Being short of lead, they had placed pebbles in the moulds in which bullets were cast, and these caused tlie missiles to make a most peculiar whizzing noise like the sound of a rockc-t as they came rushing through the ah’. The troeps got fuff warning of the approach of every missile, and as the native fire was very wild, it caused more merriment than concern. The force got up to the Bishop’s house, and deployed round into the shelter of some native trees at the back. Positions were taken up opposite the pah. and trenches thrown'up. Tlie enemy’s citadel was of quite formidable appearance, being surrounded bv •double palisading 10 to 12 feet high, with an earthen parapet inside, and bomb-proof shelters. The Haiihaufv had apparentlv long been anticipating the coming 0” the troeps, and were thoroughly prepared. The enemy opened a brisk five but, as alrcadv stated, they failed to shoot with any rreris’on. The JJrit-ishn’-s hotly returned the fire, and during the "four days that they contirniouslv- re-upied the trenches a Ivisk Vsi In da—was maintained. It was thought that U n gnu could be got un a breach might be made m the nnbsnding, but though one was obtained—and its transport _ over that niiie-miles of. bush track involved no small effort.—it was not a success. Cantnin Porter (now Colonel), who had b-oh in the Artillery in Vic-, ttjria, was in'charge of it. hut it proved an nns-*itable weapon, and at the fi’-pf shot turned ever and put itself out of action. AN UNHAPPY AHSTAKE. A flanking, movement was 'tried. A par tv of Forest, Rangers and Mi I’’- 1 ’’- tnrv Settlors under Lieut. Ross were :sent .towards; . the . western / corner or the pah, with JnstrucUdns. to sap up and 'tr- to got in. The (force,numbered 27 men and amongst -them •.we’-n-./Vfqsfcrs.' W.rSmithriKemnthprtie,: ■and U’Ron. TThfortunat-g 1 y -for their entqrnirise. Ha”baxt reinforcements arriving - from • iPn-tutalir, and* being mistaken for friendlies owing to

wearing the white sash which the loyal natives wore, got into their rear and attacked them. Seven men, including Sergeant Donovan and Private Swords, were killed and six wounded. Lieut. Ross was shot through the mouth and ear. A body of troops was sent round to assist them. Except ..for this the British casualties were slight. There were several slight injuries from. spent bullets, Captain Ferris himself being hit. A bullet went through the officers’ quarters in the Bishop’s house and shot Dr. Ormond (a brother of the Hon. J. D. Ormond) in the leg. On Sunday, November the 17th, at about church time, a party of between 250 and 300 Aiaoris carrying their white flags emerged from tlie pah in a dense mob. At first it was thought that, tired of the siege, they had come out to surrender, and “cease fire” was sounded. They came forward in a body, ten abreast and from ten to twenty deep, first at a walk, and then at a run.. Ropata, knowing Maori methods bettor than the Europeans, was the first to divine the move, and before the enemy had traversed a quarter of the -distance from the pah to the British lines, opened fire on them. The pakeha troops followed suit, and tne rush which had by this time commenced was repulsed, some 80 of the unfortunate fellows being killed. It was afterwards explained that the Hauliau gods had told them that the time was propitious for a charge, and in their fanaticism they believed that the British bullets would not harm them. On the following day there was a truce for the burial of tlie dead. The fighting continued, and two days afterwards the pah capitulated. ' The natives saw the hopelessness of their position, for tho British had sapped round and cut off their communication with the river, whence they got- water. Upon surrendering. they came out and laid down their arms. .They were given in charge of the friendly natives, and the whole force withdrew from AVac-renga-a-liika to Turanganui. The Maoris occupied the river flat on the Kaiti side, which was larger than it is now, this being covered with tents. After a few weeks the prisoners were deported. Amongst them was _Te Tvooti, arrested on a charge of spving and treachery, hut whose guilt, Captain Ferris says, was never proved, Captain Ferris lias heard latclv from some.of. the old settlers that To Kooti’s arrest was made at the instigation of one or two settlers at the Big River, who had a grievance against Te Tvooti. he being a. notorious horse thief and generally a wild reykless fellow. The nrisoner was kert in the guardroom. He accepted his incarceration quietly and made no fuss at his arrest, nor was it suspected that lie would be the loader of the daring expedition which subsequently took place. Captain Gisbome until June. 1866, when they proceeded to Napier for discharge, their time being up in July.

THE GROAVTH OF SETTLEAIENT. The success of the sMge of Wae-renga-a-hika, followed as it was by the deportation of tbie disaffected natives, was believed to have brought about the -end cf Maori troubles in this part of the colony, and the district, which had for some time been under a cloud in consequence of the disturbances, was now, through these disturbances, brought into prominence, and commenced to attract the attention of settlers from other parts, stories of its fertility having gone abroad. Immediately the fighting was over, a gradual influx of settlers commenced. Land was easy of obtninment. The Government, to recoup themselves for the- expenses they had been put to, confiscated the land of the natives who had been in rebellion. The whole of Pntutahi and large portions of Avatawhero and Alakauri were seized by the Crown, and were awarded, some of'them under a system of joint tenancy, to the natives who had been friendly. This was a wise discretion 011 the part of the Government, for by .making, them joint tenants the native rights :n the property expired as the owners died, merging in the survivors, whereas, had the tendency been in common, the land would, not have so readily and speedily passed out of native title. The natives .subsequent*y endeavored to bring in tribal interests in the settlement of Alakauri, and Judge Hogan spent some months, almost years, in overcoming the determined opposition of the natives. When finally, through Captain Read foregoing a portion of his claims, a settlement was come to. Judge Bogan gave expression to his relief by exclaiming in Alaori: “The big whale is cut up at last.” The original native titles were thus extinguished. Captain Read, of course, seized the opportunity to acquire land, and obtained possession of a large portion ef the Matawliero blocks and part of the Alakauri. That portion of Bushmore where Mr. Ewe 11 Cameron lives he named Alendlesham Estate, and" disposed of it. Adjoining Bushmere was a block of 400 acres, of Ponparae. which was reserved as a school endowment. The confiscated area included a large portion of the mostvaluable land in the district —land for which recently as high as-£3O a a acre has been paid. Captain Read, to give him his due, contrived to get good settlors into the district, and he, showed a readiness to assist any who lie considered would make successful colonists , SPYING OUT THE LAND. Amongst the earliest .'settlers to take up land in the district was Lieut. AA’ilson, who afterwards sold to Messrs. Johnson Bros.! and AVestrup, who in 1866, or early in 1567, took up the Mnraetaha and Aral runs, a large stretch of valuable lands. The partnership .was continued for some years, and then Captain AVestrup retired. Subsequently the late Air. AVcodbine-Johnson took the Maraetailia property, part of which in October, 1900, realised ah average of £'2o an acre, and Mr Randall Johnson retained the Arai estate. . Mr. Parker, father of Air. Frederick Parker, at present manager ot the Bank of New South AVales. in 1864 took up the Whataupoko estate, extending from Gisborne to beyond Gray’s Hill. Air. R. R. Curtis obtained the estate afterwards, and it then went into the bands of Alessrs. Barker and Alacdonnkb They afterwards sold that portion known us Wnioliika to Air. Charles Grnv. Messrs. J. B. Poynter and Charles Evans took up the Ngakhron proper- , tv, part of which is now in the hands of Air. A. B. Newman. Air. Poynter subsequently- acquired tlie Bushmere • property, which lie afterwards sold when leaving tlie district. Air. Ev- 1 ans for many years held the management of Air. Randall Johnson’s ’le Arai estate. - Messrs Dcdd and Repeal'd (afterwards killed in the massacre) selected the Repongaeve property, where Mr. AV. K. Chambers now. lives, and a portion of it, the Lavenham estate, was purchased by Air. G. R. Johnson. Tins latter was recently. 4 subdivided and sold at ait average of about £23 an acre. I Captain Read commenced at tins : time to run sheep on Dm AA’illows ; and ATntawhero properties, about . 1000 acres of which ho held. This, the Alntawhero No. 1 Block, 1m sold j 1 to Air. Do Afoidrey. a Frenchman, I who was killed one Christmas morning whilst jumping his herse oyer a fence. Subsequentlv the land came into,.the.-hands.of Air. A. C. Arthur,, at one time member for the district, now of Louden. • • - cMr.' Gocr-m Scott;- a nother.- eld set-., -tier,yseley-tocL-Kis land; near' Jvaiter n r" . tahi.- Avlipro hey founded: the v'ellknown AVilknys.' estate;, and Air. ■l^cpipthoium.became 'a.neigLbor.of his J find .teqk lip a portion, of, tlje : ,P«kCr ■ na-pa Block) which Tie -lias 'successrul- - ( ly farmed ever since.

Captain -Read built a large house pear, where the old. church at Matawhero now stands, and'this was occupied by the > Bloomfield family. Major Biggs, the Resident Magistrate, also took up his residence in this locality, building, a house a little to the east of the Royal Oak Hotel, where tlie'clump of silver pop IVA now stands. Captain Wilson also erected a house at Matawhero, which sdcn hecguie. a little tovv'nship. before Gisborne had taken shape. Messrs. Cadle and Blair opened a store, and Messrs. 'Padbury and Wa'sh a butchery. Mr. A. F. Itardv kept a store at To Ami. Mr. .T. AL-Cul-lougli, who married Miss Tan - , lived near where the saleyards now stand.

FOUNDING OF GISBORNE. i It. not long, however, before Gisborne commenced to be established. Although the bulk'of the site of the town was. in Government lurries and unopened, a small area, known as Gisborne 373. was in the possession of Captain Read, who had seme sort of a right over it. It extended from the Turanganui Bridge to the Bank of New Zealand, where grew a belt of acacias, amongst which the old skipper bad his dairy located. As is often the case in new countries, a hotel is the forerunner of settlement, and so in this case Gteborno' «t " l "..

with a public-house, Contain Bond erecting a two-storey building—on the site of the present Albion Hefei. A post-office followed, consisting of a sledge house, situated in ■what would now bo the middle of Gladstone Road, opposite the hotel. Mr. Steady was the first postmaster. Mr Blair commenced a litt'e store in tlie direction .of the wbarl. Business was still conducted in « free and easy man>''r. There being no bark, it was difficult to get change. The principal currency consisted of che-

ques issued by Captain Read on the Bank of New Zealand, Napier. These were drawn in most cases fer £l, and hundreds of them were afloat, being passed from hand to hand as £1 notes would be tc-clay. Captain Ferris recollects on one occasion, when clerk and native interpreter for Captain Rend, that the eld gentleman, not being on the best of terms with some of the natives, an old Maori came into the store at the junction of the two rivers and said derisively, “] have burned some of your cheques.” The old man seiz'd a hunting-crop which lie invariably carried, and, affecting an air of vehemence- at his pretended loss, said to the native, “You scoundrel ; if you do that again I will kill v ou.” As a matter of fact, the natives during t-lic troubles burnt a great deal of Captain Read’s paper, believing tliev were doing him an injury, and not realising-that the less was their own. As a sign of the nregmss the district was making, Air. Winter (now Major IV in tor) came into the district in 1806 with other surveyors, and went as far as Waiapti. where lie surveyed most of the lands which arc now carrying great numbers of sheep. Survey work in those clays, and in such a broken-ccuntrv. must have been no light task, and it is a fact known to Maj or Winter’s friends that he was away in the bush living on pumpkins and potatoes for as long as si'- months, whilst the Government owed h:"T a round sum amounting to nearly four figures.

Another of our prom cent settlers who had made the district his home? prior to this was Car.tain Tucker, who came here about 1860 and took the management of Mr. George Sisson Cooper’s property, and a Howards managed for C'apt. Rend when lie took it over'. Captain Tucker h->d charge of the militia raison in Gisborne at the time of the mnssno-e. He subsequently acquired large interests at Makfiur. and the railway ruHS for some distance through his property. Bes ; de« G--' seß.lrrmnt that was "n----ing on in Poverty Bay. it extended along the Coast in the shape of traders, ° who took up positions in the various bays and opened up business with the natives.

TE KOOTI’S RETURN. So settlement commenced, and everything was prospering in the row district until the news of Te Kooti s escape and return from the Chathams ca.rne like a thunderbolt. No force had been retained here, all the troops having been drawn to the West Coast during the Titokowaru trouble, and the small settlement was practically defenceless. But there were a few stout arms and Brave hearts ready at a moment’s notice to go into action. Tt was in Jnlv, 1868, that Te Kooti and his force landed from the "Rifleman” at Whnreongaongn. Major Biggs, the Magistrate, sent a message by some friendlies, ordering them to- stop, and from one of those who came’hack Captain Fends learned. that it. was the intention of Te Kooti' to have gone straight to the King Country, taking the whole his men with him. and thus to. clear out of the district and leave it unmolested. Wi Pere and Ihnka Mnkuwhai, endeavored to get Te Kooti. not to come to Gisborne, but there were some other natives living hero, not so loyal, who wanted him to come straight to Giyberno at once and to fight. Ho replied that it was his intention to qo to the. Waikato, and the general impression of. the natives, gleaned liy Captain I* orris from the orisoners subsequently under his charge at Wellington, was that if no attempt had been made to stop To Kooti lie would have gone away. Major Biggs and the authorities here did all tliev could to get the escapees to lay down their arms and surrender, and on their failing to do this a mixed force of settlers of the district, including some, of the old soldiers who had made their homes here, was organised. Captain Wcstrrip and Lieutenant Wilson were in charge. The. force proceeded as far as Maraetaha, where it was found that,, nothing could he done in tlmt direction, as Te Kooti had already left. A ■ start wns.-ihen-inaclq up the Te Ami Valley . with the' obiect of intercepting -him. . The party got to ■ Papara tu (now known, a« PapatuL a part Or .Mr.: John Clark’s ~ run. ymd came to a. place - which was pointed out ■hv the friendly natives as Thdstdikely-epot-foristfiking'-Te.Keo' 'ti’s trail.

PAKEHA FORCE CUT INTO HALVES. The little force consisted of some sixty Europeans and one or. two• tintives, none too well firmed, tiiey had only three clays’ rations witn them when they started. It wits »i daring venture, as the snbscquen happenings proved. Alter two or three days’ halt at this spot, when their pvovis’ons were absolutely,v run out, To Ko'ti’s advance guard appeared. Captain Vestrup, with, part of the party, took up one position, and Lieutenant Wilson another. Ie Kcoti. however, managed to v.Tr.o round the rear of Westrup and cut the pakeha force in half. As the natives aprpcnchod through the r;-ru ) they could be heard call eg out to one’ anoth.er. “Krkiri!” wh'-h “Rush them! rush them!” When they had got to the rear of cf, the intercepting force they commenced t" fire into them, and one poor fellow known as Billy the Goose,, and Ra’’giwliitiri, a native ch’°f of prominence, were killed. The following ■wove wounded: larky. Hilten, Ferris, Pilbrow, diaries Evans, R. Goldsmith. and two others whose name.-, are forgotten. Captain Westrup, seeing his force was in a fix, gave the order to charge, and the men made a rush un- the lull, with the result that tho Hn.uhnus retreated, hut in the direction of the pakeha canm. which tlicv seized and looted. in this rush Captain Ferris was wounded, in the cheek, and Mr. Charles Evan* was shot through the, shoulder. Whilst the fight wins hi progress, pnekhorses had arrived from Gisborne with stores for the camp, and it was call and wormwood fo- the little tjirce refuging on the hilltop to see To Kooti aod liis men demolishing the “tucker” they themseßms were so much ’’n need of. drinking their rum, stealing their horses, saddles

and bridles, r.iiil all their ammunition. This they did in the mon choekv manner. Amongst the rebels mas a bugler, who, as they .breached the spirits, sounded merrily the grog and the officers’ mess culls. It was hnpossible to resist, tor, says Captain Ferris, the whole of our ammunition was exhausted ; and whilst our guns —they were very inferior guns ai that—were useless. Te Kccti’s iwg were armed with th.e best Enfield rifles, which they had purloined from the Chathnms. TE KOOTI’S TRAIL LOST. The little party were on tho h’ll until dt*<k. and it was only when night fell that they could attempt to escape. They were fortunate in having as a guide Hcnare Kakaponga. who knew tlie country well. He led them through the bush by a circuitous route down to the Aral River, whi'di they reached about midnight. There they found 200 or 300 natives supposed to have been friendly, and who were expected to have gone to their assistance, hut, did not do so. The men were dead-beat after their Jong day's fast and heavy fighting. Wilson’s party turned up next morning, and, in fact, the whole fore-- got through tho ine’dent vow well indeed. Considering how they were outnumbered, and tlie superior weapons of the enemy, it was a w'"whw that aiiv o' 1 them escaped. Tf Te Kooli had been more aggressive lie could have inflicted more damage. As it mas, he said he siinnh- w.* r r to get away, and not to fight.

Colonel (now Sir George) Whilmci’e came to the district a sh.ort ia ■terwards and raised a fo'ee to follow Te Kooti. The expedition proceeded up the Ruakituri River to T" Papune. and tlierc, through not knowing the country cr for seme other reason, valuable fives were lost, Captains Carr and Canning ho’ u >•- ing killed. Wbitnv.ro to retreat and Te Kooti was let go. It was surmised lie had gone straight on through the Urewera country, hw subsequentfi’ it was found -that he went to a place called Puketnpu. up the Ruakituri, and built a pah therm Matters settled down in Poverty Bay for the space of about two months, and then disquieting rumors began to he afloat to the effect that' To Kooti had expressed his intention to return to Poverty Bay. A number of natives from this district, the names of some of whom Captain Ferris knows. were travelling to and fro via the B tut a,hi Valley, and were supposed to he inducing the runaways to return to the district. Major Bigccs, who was of a very sanguine temperament, and had verv little faith in the courage of the Maoris, discredited the rumors, and declared that there was no fear o c To Kooti’s return, Even to the day of the massacre he lickl that opinion, and the afternoon before Captain Ferris heard him asseverate in Captain Read’s store, "Not a hit of it! They.

won't come here.” Nevertheless, he had been persuaded a t'ceks pr - viouslv to send out scouts t» g.v. the signal' of anv invasion. 1< J R*? 0 ! ’ however, managed to elude the vigi - X of those "oont*.. »nd dMtcjW like a thief in the night, on the night of Friday, November 9th, 186 P. THE POVERTY BAY MASSACRE.

“On the Saturday morning, « c about fou- o’clock.” says Captain Ferris. “T was armmed by a great cemindi- 1 ' a norgst the natives, ing on both s'dcr- o the v\\ 01 • went out to see what was tho matte, and was informed that Te Foot! had come d-wn. and that everybody inland was killed. A few hours after-

wards three ladies of the Bloomfield family arrived, Having come in by the Beach road. They were shoeless and katless, and scantily cletheu, having fieri tram the.r home in the middle of the night with just what they could manage to pick up. A native girl laientHv to them had given them warning just in the nick ot t me. hue poor 1 ulies. who were grenriy distressed, did not ’mow wm«„ had happened., They knew something serious had happened, but did not cream of the extent of the disaster that, had fallen cn their -home and tlie disirhi.”

Captain Ferris the" l 'farted to organise the defence of G w'oorre. iliore were sorr-' whaleboats m the river, and he failed for men to man them, and to a.svsi to remove the provisions fr~in Read’s st r ’” n i'ti G’shorn 1 - side to the rrdeulit o !1 Kaiti. Every!>odv worked with a will, and a large sunplv rf flour, ten, sugar, etc., was removed, and r. 11 the people were Ink-

en over cn to the Ivalti side for safety. A sentry was on duty at the redoubt scanning the country for the approach of the enemy, and as illustrating the tension that existed, it may he mentioned that cn one occasion when, through a white gull being mistaken for the white flag of the Hauhaus. the alarm was raised, everyone rushed belter skelter, pellmell, for the redoubt Little did.the inhabitants of Gisborne know how serious had been the calamity. They were hoping that the country settlers would have escaped, hut hour after hour and day after day went by without tidings of them, except for the few who managed to elude the Maoris and struggle into town. Amongst these escapees were

the Triton family, wlio came; flown the river by boat, Mr. Charles Evans, and others, who. skirting the hills on the Whataupoko side,” got safely into Gisborne. The Murewai settlers went overland to Mahia. Wyllie. against whom To Kooti had a grudge, fortunately received timely warning and escaped to the Big River. Lieutenant Gasc-oviuf* ana ether scouts came in via Murewai without coming in contact with the r.-ir-mv, and knowing little of what had happened. A day or two elapsed 1-ofore ; t was known in Gi-borne that Major Biggs had been killed.

On the day cf the massacre the townspeople con’d so? tie* fires burnr in R' 1 count I —. at the l-mcs 0 f R-* !>ufor i '"nate people who had l joen killed. The fine residence of the i r.'oomfields vys reserved t li • last • v the de-spoilers, and made a great blaze.

A party went out from the redoubt four or five da vs afterwards and brought in Mrs. Wilson and her little bov. The poor lady was terribly injured, and did not recover from her wounds. Tlie party that went from _ Gisborne found a-, most heart-breaking state of thhjfttg 0 n reaching Matawhero. The hbU/cs of settlers, brutally murdered, discovered, and were given decent burial. Amongst those who had fallen victims were Major Biggs, his wro and child. Lieutenant Wilson and children, Mess's. Cadle. p a fl. harm Walsh and wife. AR-Cullouaii and wife, and a number rr r iriendlv altogether about thirty puii >le. to whose memory a monument rmr stands in Gisborne" Cemetery. Te Kooti and his murderous hand, after their terrible deeds of butchery, retreated un Re Patutahi Valley. V)ut suhspouently sent out one or two parties, rr-e of Hucli killed the son of Mr WyUie in Pipiwlmka Bush, and aKo Air. Ferguson, a breiher of Air. Jo!m Ferguson.

The Government steamer ‘“Luna” arrived at Gisborne the day after the massacre, and news was sent by her to the Government of the occurrence, whilst the “Tavera,” whkh was hi Ihe offing, took a. number of the people away to Napier. In the bourse of a few wrecks troops were sent to the assistance cf the district, constabulary and natives being Faded from Naoior. and Rcpata ar-d his loyal natives arr ving from the Const. Colonel Whitmore was placed in command of a force of 700 to 800 strong, which went out fronj Gisborne in pursuit c ? the rebels. The r-xr-Rticn. prec-etsed v> the Batntnhi Valley, end had the first engngem >rt Ala-1-arefu. At the first mi-et the natives from Hr-vice's Bar failed to make an on Te Kootu ■ : t was net vet ft Re Ngniinnrcfn Mine inf-- nenen that the enemy retr •■'-"l to Naata’i--, whbh "ns a p-ir'icuh'rly «fvv rail. Th° story of the siege o’ Ngrta”a i- trcU known : hew that, e'ter mnv da vs’ resistance. tlie id ace was overcome by R- intiis strai »orr. era limit rntiv* 'f-mSman. ( or. v tli n fc r o o" fo ri v iT-'ISS men. the ' ’’jf- rr 1 gut into the fv-co”d Ship of trenches, cb-iv.ng out the Kanbans, who escaped bv vines down a cliff on the eppu.-ite -id-?. The enemy then scattcied and made for

the rough region of Maungapohatu

That was the end cl Maori troubles of a severer kind in Poverty Bay. Settlement continued to progress apace. And here Captain i orris makes a break in his narrative, i'or. after Xgatapa. he went away to the West Coast with a party of dCO Ngatiporous to assist .in the operations against Titikowaru The district, as it was opened up. became famed for its grass with the handsome returns Irom \r®« profits irom sheep the iannprt were able- to make comfortable livings, so that, despite the roughness of liie in a new district, they are able to look back on those times as the good old days.