THE LATE MAJOR ROPATA.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 10656, 9 July 1897, Page 3

THE LATE MAJOR ROPATA.

(BY TELEQBAPH.) Wellington, Thursday. The Minister of Justice is arranging for a firing patty to attend the funeral of tbe late Major Kopata. As it will bs dlffioult for Napier voluntoers to attend, owing to tbe tlme-tablo of the ooaital Bbeametß not) being enltable, Id la probable that one of tbe Government steamers will take a party from Wellington direct. Tbe funeral is to take plaoe on the 13th (net. Later. The firing pafty at Major Ropata'i faneral will bo a detachment of tbe Permanent artillery 25 Btrong. Tbe Hon. J. Carroll end another Minister will repre< send tho Government,

Lieutenant-Colonel Porter relates the story of the hte Major Rop&ta'n life in the Poverty Bay Herald, In the Course of which he says:— lt was in 18S4 that Ropata emerged from the oi polloi of Maorldom to become a prominent figure lv the turbulent times that followed tbe outbreak of war lv that year. The oarly part of the year saw the birth of tbe new rellglqn— Te Pal Malrero, afterward* called Hau Hau— a fanstlolim thatßpread like wildfire throughout the North laland, and led to a long Berles of dietnrbances and hojtllltloß, with much bloodshed, in many parts, "Te Pai Mairere " having been established, la order to spread it far and wide, Te Uii lent out prophets, the principal one of whom, Hapanala, was early shot la a engagement on the West Coast. Two others, Eereopa and Patara, were sent to the tribes of Rawblte (Rising Sun, i.e., Kaab Coast), and the murders and rights that followed the preaching of these peaceful propbetß are a matter of blßtory. They brought with them the heads of Captain Lloyd and Piivate Kelly, and the latter, left with a Poverty Bay tribe by Kereopa, was afterwards taken and forwarded to Napier. At Opotlkl the Rev, Mr Volkner was hung, and his body dcospltated and the eyes swallowed by Keroopa, who henceforth was called Kal~ whatu (Eyo Eater). From Opotlkl Kereopa ccme inland to preach n the Poverty Bay tribes, and Fatara travelled m the coast to the East Cape, the headjuartera of tl;o Ngatiporou. Led away by the new religion, namban joined from the vaiiaus pub-trlbcs of Ngatlporou, md simultaneously Kereopa was making oonvartu of the natlvei) of Povarty Bay. These simultaneous rebellions made the position of tbe Europeass on the East Coast the more serious, and leoesßltated the employment of two foroes to suppress the rising. The promulgation of the new tenets amongst the Ngatlporou, however, was not allowed to ;o on unreslsted, At) the most critical ilme, an there was daDger of it spreading hroughont the whole oommnnlty, a stand ivai made by oerbsln chiefs, the principals jolng Ropata Wahawaba, Mokena Kohore, and Henare Potae. The Hauiau« soon began to arm and erect fortlfiifttlons, and they threatened those who lid not join them that they would be put o death. Several persona, indeed, who ealsted were murdered by them. Being ilmost defencelef», the loyal chiefs tppealed to the Government for aid In irma and soldiers, which the late Sir Donald M'Lean speedily afforded, a mall force nnder Major Fraier and Japtatn Biggs being sent to Waiapu as veil as a supply of arms and ammunition or the loyal ohlefe and their men. Prior to the arrival of relief several engagements took place, in which Ropata listlDgniahed himself. In repulsing an ittook at Tfkltlkt, where his email body )f loyal followers were outnumbered In irma and men, Ropata decided the babble n a truly Maori fashion, The parties ivere firing from torraoes on either side of ivaller and Ropßta's men were falling •apldly. This enraged him so tnnoh that, n defiant)." of the bullets, be rnßhed midway into the valley, gnashing Mb teetb, lumping, flourishing fela mere (axe), being ttherwl&e unarmed, and yelling defianon :o the rebels to come on. Moved by his ;aunts a ohlef from tbe enemy rushed out 10 the front, Ropata, exolted and ltnjatienfj, and Impervions to the bullets ffhloh were being Gred at him, advanced ;o meet the too, (brave). It was qulokly }ver. After a few frantle rushes and slows Ropata succeeded In oatobiogbls >pponent by the hair and dashlug his Brains out with his mere, This was the stroke of victory, the rebels, panicstricken by the fall of their ohlef, retreatIng with considerable losb. The arrival at Waiapu of tbe Hawke's Bay volnnteers under Major Fraaer and Captain Biggs was followed by Beveral sharp engagements between the allied troops and the rebels, one taking place at Pakalromlroml and another at Pakemare. Prom the latter pah tbo Hsuhaus retreated to an inaccessible fortification in the buck ranges of Hloks Bay, known as Hungahungatoroa, where they were pnrBned and defeated with very nevero loss This virtually ended the fighting In tbe dißtrlot) of Wulnpa proper. Tho enenaltlei on both tildes bad been considerable. Ab B«oh of the engagements Ropata was the leading toa, and at Hnngahnngatoroa he particularly rtlstingalHhed himself by scaling a precipice v>ibh a few men in the teeth of a heavy fire and engaging In a hand-to-hand encounter with the euemy. It was immediately after this that tbe pah fell.