A GALLANT CAREER

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 5439, 21 July 1879, Page 3

A GALLANT CAREER

Visitors to the Museum (says the New Zealander) will notice on guard there a soldierly-looking member of the Armed Constabulary, whose breast, decorated with a profusion of medals, showed that he has served his country long and well. Prompted by curiosity we enquired of him some particulars of his career, and the incidents given were most interesting. His name is George Hill, or as he is more familiarly known, Rowley Hill, a native of England, and some 43 years of age. A slight, active, sinewy man, the very beau ideal of a colonial soldier. He only recently rejoined the constabulary force at Napier, at the commencement of the present Maori disturbance, but previously he had seen active service both afloat and a.hore. At the time of the Crimean War ho was in her Majesty's navy, in the Baltic Flying Squadron, under Admiral Plumridge, and there won his first medal. Subsequently he was in the Crimea in H.M.y. Leopard, Captain George Gifford, and there again saw active service, obtaining a medal with the Sebastopol bar, and also the Turkish medal for bravery. A few years after he shared in some of the most stirring scenes of the Indian Mutiny, having joined the Shannon frigate, under Sir William Peel, and for good service he received his third medal and two bars, one for the relief and the other for the capture of Lucknow. He also, while in the Mediterranean, in H.M.S. Hannibal, the Adintrai's vessel, in 1861, saved the life of one of the crew who had fallen overboard, and for this good service he recsived the Royal Humane Society's medal. After this his varying fortunes Drought him to New Zealand, and he joined the Forest Rangers, under Major Von Tempsky, and his memento of that epoch of his marked service is the New Zealand medal. But in April, 1860, he won a still prouder trophy — tho New Zealand Cross, for conspicuous bravery against the Hauhau Maoris, He was the one military European who with twenty friendly natives held the Mehauhe (Jems' ilem) Pah against Te Kooti, and repulsed all attacks untilTeKootiretreated, and then although like all brave men he is modest as to his deeds, we glean from him that at the hazard of surprise and instant death he bore tho tidings to Captain Trogood, who SMita despatch to Colonel Lambert in command of the forces, that Te Kooti and his men were in retreat, and thus aided la the effectual following up of the success which he and his armful of friendlios had secured in # the beleagured pah. Rjckoning up Private Hill's services they show 10_- years in Ber Majesty's Navy, 7.V in tlie New Zealand Constabulary, 3 years under Von Tempsky, and 2 years in Major Fraser's volunteers. In addition to this he for a short time saw service under Garibaldi, and shows scars and a mutilated hand obtained in some of the engagements undor this leader. Ho waa also wounded

in the Indian mutiny, and also slightly in the New Zealand native war. Like" all men thoroughly trained in martial discipline', he is reticent to a degree as to reasons why, with all the evidence of good service ho bears, that beyond the annual pension as bearer of the New Zealand Cross, he has no further reward, and that ho still rate's only as a full private in the ArmcdJConstabnlary.- He admits that he has declined promotion to a sergeantship because of imperfect education, but seeing what very indifferent men, of rawest materials and doubtful abilities, do' by some means get into remunerative appointments, it seems pas? in_j strange iS'iat no better appointment can be found for a tried feferj»in than sentry at one of our public institutions".