WHO WAS TO BLAME

Gisborne Times, Volume LXVI, Issue 10473, 31 December 1927, Page 2 (Supplement)

WHO WAS TO BLAME

FOR POVERTY BAY MASSACRE

AfAJOR BIGGS WARNED BY SETTLERS.

DID GOVERNMENT REFUSE EXTRA TROOPS?

Air. 11. Strong, who was for yens? Public Librarian at Christchurch, and is him living in retirement at Redcliffs, was a settler at Mata, whero at the time of the massacre and is of opinion that if Major Biggs had taken the warning given him by scttlci 8 the tragedy would have been averted. Air Strong served in the operations against To Kooti, and in “New Zealand Wars” supplies some interesting notes on events prior to the raid' on Poverty Bay. Air Strong states that he, with others, was engaged in service in a church at Matawhero when a messenger arrived with the news of Te Kooti’s landing. It was Sunday afternoon, July 12. IS6B, and all the men in the church, without waiting to change their clothes or obtain supplies, saddled their horses and went south in ’the direction of Wlmreongaonga. On the track at the late Atr Woodbine Johnson’s ’property at Aluriwai. orders were received from Major Biggs to continue the march to Whareengaonga. The escapees, however, had refused to surrender and had stated their intention of going on into the Urcwera Country. Major Biggs order’ed a pursuit and the engagement at Pnpuratu followed. When the fight, began the men, though cheerful enough, were in a state of exhaustion and were almost starving. The retirement was a most difficult task, the wounded having to be carried over mountains, through creeks and over steep hills. After a severe night march tlie men reached Captain Westrupp’s out station, where they were met by Colonel Whitmore, with the Napier volunteers and others. He immediately ordered the Poverty Bay settlers* tp be paraded and warned them they must be ready to start back in pursuit in an hour. “The settlers sookesinaii detailed the privations they had undergone, and said that under similar circumstances Colonel Whitmore himself would hardly have been prepared to march in an hour. “The Colonel’s language in reply,” says Air Strong, “was such as to preclude all possibility of the settlors working harmoniously with him on any future occasion. Captain AVestrupp, by his silence. endorsed cur action; had. lie said the word T and many others would have followed in hot pursuit, for a better man than Capt. AVestrupp never lived!” All the settlers asked was that they should lie allowed to return home and obtain proper food and a change of clothing (they had been in the field in bad weather for ten days) Itefore again engaging in the arduous pursuit. The courage and promptitude of the Poverty Bay men and their cheerful willingness to take up arms, wore displayed in their action, when they were disturbed in church on the Sunday, and Colonel Whitmore's criticisms in his hook were entirely unjustified.

In the course of the next march. Mr Strong says, the settlers were again subjected to abuse from Colonel 'Whitmore. The country was rough and on the Ahimami range the force was delayed by heavy snow storms. 'When, the Wailmu lakes were reached the provisions were exhausted and the men were suffering greatly. “We\ the Poverty Bay men. then held a meeting and decided unanimously that, on account of the uav in which Colonel Whitmore had treated us from the day we started, we should go no further, and I believe that- Captain Westninp once more endorsed our action.” The settlers then returned to the Bnv.

At that time Mr Strong lived a considerable distance from the Turanganui landing place; his home was near the Patutahi crossing of the Waipaoa river. On the same side of the river there was another settler. Mr .Tames Wyllie. who had incurred the displeasure of Te Kccti. Mrs Wyllie was well acquainted with the friendly Maoris in the district. Some time before the massacre occurred she __ repeatedly expressed- fears that before long Te Hoot! would make a raid on *" the settlement. It was believed he would come down the Patutahi Valley, and accordingly Mr Strong, with the V yllies and seme other settlers in the district, arranged to keep watch day and night, at- the crossing of the Waiapoa. taking turns of duty and keeping the saddles on their horses. From the crossing there is a good view up the valley. Government scouts (under Lieut. Gascoyne) hacl been scut out. .but the settlers took other steps to''prevent surprise. One day Mrs. Wyllie informed .Mr.-Strong that she had been told by an old Maori woman that Te Kcoti was coming down the valley. Mr. Strong at once rode in and informed Major Biggs. Major Biggs' replay -was: “Well you know I have scouts out and I will receive twenty hours’ notice before anything can happen. The story is absurd and you are all in an unnecessary state of alarm.” Mr. Strong returned home, and the Settlers’ Vigilance Committee ceased Hauhaus came down to Patutahi and crossed the very ford that the farmers had been guarding. Had Major Biggs heeded Mr. Strong’s waning the massacre would have been averted.

Te Kooti’s men passed by the settlers’ homes at Patutahi, intending to raid them on their return from the Matawhero settlement.

When the alarm was given the Wyllies hurried off southward in the direction of the Mahia. It Was then

remembered that Air. Strong was in Jiis house, which was close to the track of the marauders, and Air. W. Benson crossed over and warned him of his danger, shouting “Clear out, the Hauhaus are down!’ However, Air. Strong had sent a boy to Willie’s house, and he heard their shouts of disgust when they found tliat their intended victims had escaped. They did not search Air. Strong’s place, otherwise lie would most 'certainly have been captured. Shortly ai ter wards Sergt. Butler arrived with the news of the massacre of settlers. The hoy arriving later, Mr. Strong took him on his horse mid they rode into Turanganui safely. Had Alajor Biggs taken the sett’ers’ warning, Air. .strong del lares the Hauhaus would have been heard and seen when they stinted to ordss the Patutahi at the wide shingly ford and all the Europeans would have been warned in time. Another fatal blunder was the failure to erect a fortification at Matawhero. it was proposed in October, 1858, to const!uct a redoubt in the middle of that farming area, and the iov.nl Maoris agreed to supply and erect palisades if the Europeans would assist in the work of construction. However, the authorities did not approve of the erection of a redoubt there and so nothing was done to provide a place of retuge lor the settlers and their families in case oi attack.

lu connection with the allotment of the blame, however, another viewpoint is given by Alajor Gascoyne in “Soldiering in New Zea'and,” for he writes thus in vindication of Major Biggs, whose carriage, prudence and energy he praises: “He (.Major Biggs) was mistaken in supposing that Te Kooti would advance by the Reinga road, but the in'ormation at his command made it certain he would do so. Blame for the surprise must he on the niggard policy which,gave him in spite of his strong representations of the danger one small party of men to watch an extent ol countrv that required large parties to watch it efficiently.”