VETERAN OF MAORI WARS

Hawera Star, Volume LIII, 2 August 1933, Page 6

VETERAN OF MAORI WARS

NINETY-SIXTH BIRTHDAY. TARANAKI AND WAIKATO STRIFE (By Telegraph—Press Association.; MOILRJLNSVILLE, July 31. Living in quiet retirement in Morrinsville in a cottage which lie and his wife have occupied for the past 33 years, Mr. Enos Holloway, a veteran of the Maori Wars, celebrated liis 96th birthday to-day. Mr Holloway was born in Bristol in 1837, the year that Queen Victoria ascended the throne. As a youth he learned the baking trade from Ins father, who had a contract to supply bread to the Great Western Railway Company. Flo enlisted in the army at the age of 18, and loft England for Australia with his regiment in the; troopship Windsor, which struck a sand-bank at Williaxnstown, near Melbourne, the troops, numbering 400, being taken ashore in small boats. in 1860, following the commencement of tlie Maori War in Taranaki, the 40th Regiment, in which Mr. Holloway was serving, was ordered to New Zealand from Australia. Among other exciting incidents, Air. Holloway took part in the disastrous attack on Pnketakauore Pa, near Waitara, when the British casualties were GO out of an attacking force of 200. Included in the defenders of the pa on this occasion and largely resxxmsible for the punishment inflicted on the attackers was the renowned King Country lighter Rewi Alaniapoto. Air. Holloway is one of the few survivors of this attacking force.

During the "Waikato War of 1863-64 Air. Holloway served as a baker on tin* commissariat staff. Bread was baked in portable iron ovens. On receiving his discharge from the Army, Air. Holloway followed liis trade as a baker, first at Te Awamutu and then at Cambridge. In those days much of the bread was made from wheat grown by AVaikato Alaoris. Air. Holloway weighs over *l2 stone and is very active in spite of liis age His hand is still steady, and many men 50 years his junior would give much to have his style of writing. Ho has practically lost the sight of one eye, but is able to read quite well with the other, aided by a magnifying glass. His mental powers are undiminished, and he can converse equally well on current events as on personal experiences of 80 years ago. Air. Holloway married a daughter of Air. and Airs. Williams, who were among the pioneer settlers of the province. His wife was born in Auckland 84 years ago.. 'J’lie wedding took place in To Awamutu on September 21, 1866, almost 67 years ago. Air. and Airs. Holloway had a. family of 34, of whom six are still living. There arc 24 grandchildren.