A PAGE FROM THE PAST

Hawera Star, Volume L, 5 August 1930, Page 4

A PAGE FROM THE PAST

(To the Editor.) Sir,—l had .the pleasure of perusing the Jubilee Number of your journal recently. It was loaned to me by a friend and proved very interesting reading. It took me back over half a century to the days when I knew P. Galvin, J. B. Innes, Jas. Kenwoi-tky, J. press, W. A. Parkinson, Major fi. A. Atkinson, Colonel McDonnell, Major von Tempsky, Captain Buck and Lieut. Hastings, aye, and many more. The first four I knew as printers when I was in the Government Printing Office, and Mr Parkinson was on the Hansard staff. Major Atkinson about- that time was Prime Minister, and you will recollect a slump came and all civil servants, including the Ministers of the Crown themselves, had a 10 per cent l-eduction in their salary, and the Ma jor was represented in a local paper of those days wearing hob-nailed boots. Sir George Grey I knew as Governor as well as later a Minister of the Crown. Von Tempsky, McDonnell, Buck and Hastings were, of course, in the military, and I had tlie_ honour of a personal acquaintance with them. Captain Buck and Incut. Hastings held those .positions in the Veteran Corps, lof which the Wellington Cadet Corps t formed a part. They joined von Tempsky’s Rangers in similar positions, and were shot down during the Taranaki engagements. It is a stange coincident that I have a photo of Bugler Walker, ■who was with von Tempsky at this time, and when Buck was killed lie (Walker) gallantly went out and rescued liis body from the Maoris, and also did a similar action when Hastings met his fate. Walker got the New Zealand Medal, but was entitled to the Cross, and a few years ago I endeavoured to get it for him. and fully believed, if the Hon. R. J. Seddon had returned from his trip- to Australia alive, Walker would have liad his just reward. He has a wound on his head ■where he was butt-ended by a native and was actually left for dead, but fortune, in the shape of a comrade, helped him out of the trouble. I also have a picture of von Tempslcy, which shows him being shot down while in action. These I am proud 1 to hold. The combat at To Ngutu- o-te-Monu will never he forgotten by us early settlers. I may conclude by saying Captain Buck handed his command of the veterans to my respected friend Captain Crow (who ultimately became | a colonel - ), and I was promoted to a ■first lieutenancy at this time. There are many more interesting items could be written, but the above will bring hack to the memory of many old stagers things of long ago. I might mention that when von Tempsky’® Rangers were in Wellington they bivouacked where the Wellington Club now stands, on The Terrace, and I, as a young fellow, was often up there with them. —I am, etc. 7 MARK MANTON, .T.P. Greytbwn, August 2.