THE MAORI INVASION OF HASTIE’S FARM

Hawera Star, Volume L, 10 April 1930, Page 18 (Supplement)

THE MAORI INVASION OF HASTIE’S FARM

BY D. J. HUGHES,

(Specially written for the “Star.”)

On 'July 19, 1886, about ten o’clock in the morning my father came hurriedly into our home and ordered me away on our racing mare to Okaiawa and ■Nonnanby to tell every man with whom 1 could-get in touch to come to Hastie’s farm at Inaha as the Maoris. had taken possession and were erecting huts and tents to start ploughing. , This suited me down to the grounu and I covered many miles and spread the news to my utmost. .1 was one of many sent scouting with the same message. By two o’clock in the afternoon it was estimated there were seven hundred mounted pakelia men at 'Hastie’s. A, good many had revolvers, but- did not allow them to be seen. Pretty well all had sticks or whips visible. All classes of horsemen were there; some from the bush, “bearded like the Pardnew chums decked out in riding breeches, riding boots, and polished spurs; young colonials, mostly riding barebacked, with. only a- rope around their mount's nose. The old military settlers were headed by Dick Foreman, James Livingston and Dan Hughes, senior, aud all were grim and determined.

Alter a consultation, about thirty men were sworn in as special constables |with the permanent _ police present. Orders were then given to clear the Maoris off the land on to the road and arrest the ringleaders. This wnjs done and many were arrested and marched to Manaia and a guard kept over them as the gaol could not hold them all. The Maoris suffered their ejection quietly and silently, true to their orders from Te Wliiti, whose manifesto was “take possession of the land the pakeha is on and he will be driven to the sea from whence he came.” This was the text given out by the Prophet, bestowed on him, he alleged, by Divine order. Many of the remnants of Titokowarn’s fighting men were there and their blood must have boiled to take it so peacefully.

But to return to the “Battle of Hasfrie’s” : Many humorous and dramatic incidents took place during the Maoris’ removal. I remember a hefty giant of a pakeha with a light rail knocking the Maoris over and with each smack saying, “take that. I’ll teach you to massacre my father in the war.”

Another son, of Erin’s Isle sat on one of the gate posts with a knotty stick and smacked a good fejv on the head as they went, out, saying with each delivery, “take that, ye black hay than.” Two Scotsmen thought they were at Bannockburn and rushed their chargers at the Maoris and knocked them over like ninepins. One tussle took place just inside the gate with a six foot Maori, named “Kereopa,” and I well remember seeing Charlie Taib holding the Maori down after my clad crossbuttocked him over. Charlie got excited and put his whole weight on Kereopa’s stomach and knocked his wind out. Someone poured whisky down -his throat which quickly brought him to . ■ll the Maoris bad resisted that day with their axes, knives and books I shudder to think of what would have happened, as there were hundreds of them.

As soon as the Maoris were -ill away orders were given to. take all their horses to. the Manaia pound and then I assure readers some fun started. We rounded up. about four hundred in the mob and let them out on the road. Those nags hailing from Okaiawa, Ketemarae, Ohangai, and Idawerasouthwards went their way in spite of us. Nothing but a bullet- in the braiii would stop them. We were used to turning wild cattle in those days, but the. Maori “weeds,” as they were called. beat us badly Eventually we yarded in the Manaia pound about one hundred and forty-five houses. O'f course the best ones got away and a fair sprinkling of the draught element remained. The horses were of all colours, but standing out in my memory the greys and roans were the bullies of the mob. The brands on them were E.R.A. on the rump. Several horses were earmarked. I never rode a bad one of the mentioned brand.

Speaking of the Maori weeds, they would buck with a rider for half an hour when mounted, be it morn, noon or night. From Sunday to Saturday one could ride them and they never seemed' to tire. The buckjnmpers nowadays at our shows couldn’t hold a candle to them. I saw Nick Higginson, the champion rider of those days sit on one that we named “Orangoutang, which bucked backwards from Chris Hunger’s -blacksmith’s shop to where Massey’s Hotel is now. at Manaia. Some of them would, tear the trousers off one’s legs if the rider failed to carry a stout switch.

All the horses we pounded "were released by the local Maoris within a few days. In conclusion I might mention that to the best of my memory the swearing-in of the special oonsables ivas performed by Messrs J. C. York© and W. Lr. Perry, J.’sP. One of the Maoris arrested died within a couple of days and an inquest, was held, but the verdict was, I think, accidentally killed. Taking it all round. it was about the greatest day’s excitement ever experienced on 'the Waimate Plains in my time.