PANORAMIC VIEW OF HAWERA, 1898.

Hawera Star, Volume L, 10 April 1930, Page 7 (Supplement)

PANORAMIC VIEW OF HAWERA, 1898.

NATIVE LAND LEAGUE

In 1854, the Taranaki natives formed a kind of land league with the object of withholding the possession of land by the pakeha, and a great meeting w r as held at Taiporohenui in the largest wharepuni ever erected by the Maoris. Matene te Whiwhi, the organiser of the King movement in the Waikato, addressed the large assemblage of over 1000 delegates from all the coastal tribes. The meeting came to the decision that no land whatever should bo sold to Europeans except with the direct consent of the Maori Council, that European laws should not operate within native boundaries, and that no pakeha should be allowed to settle on the coast. The prospects of a settlement at Hawera were thus temporarily nipped in the hud. In North Taranaki, the Land League pjarty, headed by Wiremu Kingi, actively opposed the sale of land at Waitara, and after turning off a survey party, the trouble developed until martial law was proclaimed on February,22nd. 1860, and the following month the first* clash of arms took place between the two races there, and continued intermittently for some ten years. The local natives sympathised with Kingi’s party, and sent a detashMeiit to one of the first engagements.

The war centred in North. Taranaki, but a further proof that Ngati Euanui were fully in

their remains were interred at a point where the Manawapou bends sharply on its final run to the sea. A few men were also ambushed by the natives about this time, one, Trooper Smith, being tomahawked on the Manawapou Hill, and his four companions had great difficulty in reaching the shelter • of the Hawera blockhouse. It was from the Manawapou camp that the notorious Kimble Bent escaped, as narrated in Mr. J. Cowan’s stirring narrative. As the South Taranaki natives still refused to listen to pacific proposals, confiscation of their lands was decided on by the Government. On January 30th, 1865, Governor Grey proclaimed that all the coastal land south of the Waingongoro was forfeited to the Crown, and in the following September it was further announced that 50,000 acres in the vicinity of Hawera woidd be open for settlement under the military-settler system, whereby outposts were to be established along the coast and lands allotted to settlers, who would be obliged to serve under arms if required. Town sites were surveyed off at Kakaramca, Mokoia, and Ohawe, but, as might be inferred, there was no great rush to establish these newly-founded ‘ ‘ cities. ’ ’ GENERAL CHUTE’S CAMPAIGN.

General Cameron, having resigned, was succeeded by Major-General Trevor Chute, who started a vigorous campaign against the

A military camp was also stationed at Waihi, three miles north-west of Hawera, and this outpost was garrisoned there for nearly twenty years. Colonel McDonnell was the first officer appointed, and he operated successfully in a night attack against the rebels in the vicinity of Okaiawa, losing Farrier-Major Duff in the melee. Next month he again attacked Tirotiromoana, which had been re-fortified, and carried the palisades there after a sharp struggle. One or two of our men slain there are buried in the old ceme.tery at Ohawe, where a recently-erected monument commemorates their deeds and those of comrades who fell throughout the campaign. July, 1867, saw the last of the Imperial forces leave the colony, and the New Zealand Government were obliged to fall back on a selfreliant policy for offensive and defensive purposes. An Armed Constabulary Corps was raised in the beginning of .1868, and the celebrated Major von Tempsky arrived in Patea to take a local command. A temporary lull had occurred in.hostilities,, and a few pioneer settlers, among the first of whom were the Messrs. Middlemas, took up holdings near Hawera. These hardy forerunners of our farming industry experienceduntold hardships in the break-ing-in of their selections, and few of the present generation fully realise what we owe to the dauntless spirit and resolute tenacity of these men. the true and genuine aristocracy of

and in • consolidating the retreating force. After this victory, Titokowaru took the offensive and passed triumphantly down the coast, cutting off a few of the inland settlers en route. At Motoroa, near Waverley, the Hauhau chief threw lip a strong redoubt, which lie called Papaeti-Akeake, and Colonel George Whitmore, who had succeeded to the command on the resignation of Colonel McDonnell, advanced Jo meet him with a fully-equipped force t of 350 men and several guns. Not profiting by previous experience, he launched a frontal attack against the almost impregnable pa, and was repulsed with terrible loss. The colonel, though .much superior in force, made no attempt to avenge the fall of so many brave men, but contented himself with falling back tp protect Wanganui. Shortly afterwards the colonel was called away to the East Coast to assist in the suppression of Te Tvooti, and Titokowaru entrenched himself at Turangaika, in the Nukumaru district, constructing there a fortification of which Vauban, the great French military engineer. might Avell have been proud. Whitmore returned to Wanganui in a few months, and immediately took the field against Titokowaru. who unexpectedly abandoned his intricate citadel without striking a blow in its defence, perhaps a fortunate circumstance for the headstrong colonel. Thenceforward the Hauhau chief’s mana as a general was gone, and he began a retreat northwards, of which the little

and beside him rode the friendly chief. Hone Pi ham a. The party were lodged at- the home or Mr. Middlemas, and on the following morning, started again for New Plymouth, via the Waimate Plains. The Parihaka magnate, Te Whiti, however, would not allow tlicni to traverse his lands, and the travellers were perforce obliged to take to the beach, eventually reaching New Plymouth in safety late the following day. They received a great welcome at that terminus, and thereafter a coaching service between that town and Hawera was instituted, the late Mr. John Flynn being one of the first to conduct this means of transit around the coast. As Jehu he had some exciting experiences, on one occasion being stopped by the piilitary, and his luggage searched for arms, which some mischief-maker declared he had been supplying to the Maoris. “They dumped everything out on to the road,” said the old man indignantly, “and left me to reload it myself.” Years later, in 1579, when the .armed outlaw, Hiroki, was making his way i,o Parihaka, intelligence came' to Mr. Flynn from Hone Pihama that the murderer was in his immediate neighbourhood, and had vowed to .'destroy any white man in his path. Mr. Fiynp unspanned his team at dusk, and kept guard over his cargo all night without closing an. eve. Then at the first streak of dawn he harnessed up and made all haste out of the dangerous locality.