Stories of the Past.

Gisborne Times, Volume LXVI, Issue 10473, 31 December 1927, Page 7 (Supplement)

Stories of the Past.

AIRS W. W. SMITH IN REMINISCENT MOOD.

INCIDENTS RELATING TO MASSACRE.

BRANDING OF SMUGGLER IN BAY.

NAT.Vi'S GET BIG FRIGHT AT CIRCUS.

Wonderfully well-informed, bright, anti interesting, and one of the most esteemed residents of Bush mere, is Airs W. W. Smith, whose husband became a model farmer and one of tlio best known amongst the early settlers in this district.

Mrs Smith, who was a daughter •of Mr Wm. Griffin, of Auckland, decided to pay a visit to Poverty Bay to see her cousin Airs W. King, who lived at Atakauri. Hlic returned here two years later and, in 1871, she was married to Air Smith, tlio coremong; takhig place in the Argyll Hotel. ' rTf lDid, Mrs Smith had the wreat misfortune to be he-reft of her Jnisband.

Speaking of their early experiences in this district. Airs Smith said that Gisborne at the time of her arrival, was still under martial law and she wrs the first white woman to jtnko up residence at Patutahi after the Massacre. Her husband had landed at Auckland in 1862, proceeding to Hawke's Bay, where, he had engaged in cattle raising. After a brief su-ell at the Gabriel's Gtillv gold fields, lie bad returned to Hawke’s Bay, but in 1861 be came up and settled in Poverty Bay.

MR, SMITH IN TIGHT CORNER

As the Hauliau rebellion broke out In the following year, Mr Smith’s }>lans naturally became upset, for 10 at once joined the volunteers. He first, i f all saw service at Waerenga-n-hika under Oa.pt. Wilson. .During the engagement Mr Smith had a vorv narrow escape. With others he was engaged in trying to prevent the robols from obtaining their water supplies, when a reinforcement oi 200 strong from Oputiki lor the _ rebels 'turned up and the party had literally to cut their way out through them, only half a dozen escaping. The deportation of Te Kooli and a large number of rebels to tbo Chathanis had followed the (plashing of the rebellion.

When Te Kooti and his party returned to Whnreongaongn, Mr Smith, together with Mr Thelwall and oth--ers, joined the party sent to Intercept them. This proved an ill-fated mission and the rebels, after more than holding their own at Paparatu, got away inland. Returning to his farm on the Flats, Mr. Smith worked on industriously and successfully till the Intel Hl'.Noveiii'br 10, ISOS when the awful JlWncr© occurred. On that night, he happened to he at Mr Par. leer’s, assisting with the shearing ami on hearing the firing the whole household left the premises, taking cover in the send* till daylight, when they came on to Gisborne, Mr Smith having to carry Mr Fit (I Parker (then a mere b -v) most of the way. -Again Mr Smith took the field, remaining with the foiecs till 1870.

THiS BRIDE’S CHOICE.

In ]?.ri Mr iiiicl Mrs Smith. thou fiowly married, wont out. to live atWaitarin. Patutalii, which her liusbnncl had taken up. Those were not by any means days of luxuries, according to Mrs Smith. There were no jeweller’s shops in Gisborne then mid when a young woman got married her choice of a present was

either a side saddle or a sewing macihnc. Before tlie Massacre, Captain Head had heeri the only draper, tie was reputed to have kept everything except coffins. Ho used to ;et in a large consignment of drapery every now and again and one laclv who had eight daughters usually got- the first pick. After that Mr Horsfall started.a store, but he sold put to Kinross and Graham. I Tout-lung upon financial matters, Mrs Smith-said that, when-she came pc re'there was no hank. Capt. Head (ras the great money king and. used us own hank notes, a facsimile of which, thanks to the courtesy of Mrs Smith, appears in this issue.

'be Bank oF N.Z. was the first to Den and its, banking chamber was i a corrugated iron store owned by 'apt Head. Mr Ivirkton was the Manager. Next came the Union its premises were on the resent site. Mr Von Daldelzen. boner the first manager. The Bank f N S.V. started in the old Courtouse when it was at Adair Bros.’ onicr. For a long time, there were nly these three banks. Nobody ould cash Cant, Read’s notes but imself, hut they passed round freef "When the Union Bank' started, olinson Bros. Ma.'or IVestrupp and Ir Smith were reported to lie the ulv ones not- under an obligation to pt. Head in some form or another. PENALTY FOR. NON-DANCERS. As to the amusements provided in ho earlv days, Mrs Smith said that ho alwavs laughed when she recallcl a visit paid by a cu*cus. It was rranged for the occasion that the akelms -should sit cn one side and ho Maoris on the other. In the ourse i f the performance two clowns lino out .on stilts a’id Ivefoic one ould say “.linek Robinson.” the laori side of the euclosuro was empy! Perhaps the most . enjoyable 'aneos were those held in the old .Wt-honse. The music, was supped by a- hurdy-gurdy and those

who could not dance bad to take turns in producing tbo music. One day Mrs Smith, amongst others, witnessed a rare incident in the ' Bay. Air King called Mrs King and herself out and said “Have a look here. You will see something you may never see again. ’ They saw a boat coming in and a cutter going out. When they came together a man on the cutter painted on the larger boat a broad arrow three timers on either side. The cutter was a revenue cutter and the large boat the “Ringleader.’’ Site was said to have had liquor aboard and ('apt. Read, her owner, was lined £SOO at Auckland and lost hi.s vessel. :

“ALL KILLED THERE.”

Questioned as to ATr Smith's nai row escape on the night of the ATas-sac-re, Airs Smith said that the previous clay her husband had been mustering sheep on the Parker’s property. That night a Afaori came along and said: “All killed there” (pointing to AJakaraka and Alatawhci'o). “Kooti down and killed them.” Dan Alunn had an injured shoulder and had told him he had been shot. Mrs Parker said they should all get away, but Air Parker reproved her for being an alarmist. Mr Smith joined in with: “Well. I am going, at any rate.’ They had hardly got over the river when the rebels arrived, ’calling out to them: “Come into- the river. Komati, Keinath” As to the Alassacre, Airs Smith said she had been told that, on the Sunday,’ Ah Blair, a storekeeper, had come into the church and told the rnon to bo ready to go out as Te Kooti bad landed at Whareongaonga. She understood Te Kooti had gone away with very bitter, feelings against- the settlers on the Flats, particularly Afossrs Goldsmith and W.vibe, and that he had confe back determined to slay them. On the night of the Massacre, a Maori saw Te Kooti on Af? Wyllio’s verandah at hi.s home at Toma. She told them all to clear out- and they crossed the

river to Patutahi. Tlio 100 acres granted to Jimmy Wilson on account of the loss of his parents was, later, sold by him to Mr Smith.