A LIFE OF DUTY.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLV, Issue 258, 6 November 1911, Page 3

A LIFE OF DUTY.

IN TPIE SERVICE OF HIS COUNTRY.

RETIREMENT OF CONSTABLE BIRD.

Constable. John Bii'd, who i& rotiiing. at bis own request, from the Police Force, on superannuation, has not reached the allotted retiring ago, being only 62 years old. His life has been a y,ery strenuous one, and if ho could be prevailed upon t(o speak, would make good reading. But Constable Bird is a modest man, and the few notes of his career which follow had literally to be dragged out of him. Although interesting, />ne can see that what he has omittett to tell would have proved a i»r more enchanting and sensational tale than tho bald facts given to the reporter. " John Bird was born m England in 1850, and in August of 1855 he arrived in Nelson, being then on|y five years of age. Later he was at Upton Downs station in tihe Awatere, for over three years. In May, 1804 he went to Taranaki. He was tfhen not much over 14 years of age, and tihe Maori War was in full swing. The following July he joined the Taranaki Military Settlers corps and served for three years in different parts of the Province. He was frequently under fire, and took his full share of the hardsihips incidental to tihe strenuous and dangerous war times. For his eefvices during the Maori rising he received a grant of 50 acres of land. lii April, 1867, lie sold his holding and returned to his home in Nelson.

The Maoris again broke out m the following year, and young Bird at once enrolled for active service with the Nelson and Taranaki contingent of volunteers. The terra of service was three months, and during that time 1 he saw some very fierce fighting against the redoubtable Tikokouaru, in the Patea district, w^iere tiae, tax>uble was. He was present when Major yon Tempsky was killed at Te Ngutuotemanu, and has a vivid recollection of the events leading up to and following that event. , When -fihe term. o.f # three montihs had expired: the contingent were sent back to Nelson in the old transport Sturt, Captain Fairchild., ; Jn April of 1870 Mr Bird first became connected with the police force, joining the, No. 3 Division .of the Armed Constabulary;, theu stationed at. Patea, '■ under- Colonel' Lyons. With his division he took part _ in rr;any long and weary expeditions throught tlie bush after natives.; Large number of prisoners were taken, and many stands of arms were located and confiscated. This life was very exciting at- times, but Trooper Bird tired of it and resigned from the Constabulary, returning again to Nelson. In October of 1871, he joined tlie army of swaggers and "tramped it" over the Maungatapu to the Wairau, where ho succeeded ml getting employment at) Tua Marina at fencing and firewood cutting. After nine months of this he? left for Wellington, where he rejoined the Armed Constabulary. When the notorious Te Kooti caused the trouble in Hawke's Bay Trooper Bird was sent to Wairoa, and for a while was stationed at Lake Waikareraoana, in tlie Urewera country. He was tiliere at the arrest of Kereopa, who murdered the Rev. Mr Volkner at Opotiki. Kereopa was afterwards hanged at Napier. Then oame some great hardships and privations in the Urewera country, where the Armed Constabulary and friendly Maoris were out after Te Kootii and' his band. After five months of this chase Te Kooti was finally driven into the King Country, and the C4overnment put a price of £5000 on his head.

Mr Bird again left the Armed Constabulary and went over .to Napier, where he worked as 000k # on a sheep station. He was. some time tihere, but the old associations were calling him, and- he again found himself in Wellington as a member of the Armed Constabulary. He was again sent to Wairoa, and Lake Waikaremoana, where he put in 12 months. Things were very quiet tihere, and | the wanclere.r once again relinqui&ht'd j his position and returned to Nelson, I where he was engaged in laboring ! work. In August, 18~5, he was i appointed warder y at tJie < Nelson ; Asylum, where he stayed for 2\ years. •;' During that period he joined the • ranks of the Benedicts, and at the I beginning of 18"S he joined the : Police Department, and .was for a i time stationed in Wellington, afterj wards being transferred to Nelson. j On the reduction of the fore© in j 1880, Mr Bird was one of those dis- [ charged, and he returned to labori ing work. In August of 1881 an i opportunity offered, and he rejoined jtihe police force at Wellington. He 'remained there until May of the j following ywu*, when ho Avas. sent to i G'hristchtiich. From there ho was \ transferred to Sydanham, returning Itc Nelfsmt, wluiro ho served four years. i From NoViOH he wus wmfc to tiho Westl ! Coast, where ho put jit seven y«ars, | and wjk» tlien utfain transferred to i Nelson, wliojo )us d'ul duty for I another f/v« y«nrs. Fivuh Nolson i lio was sliiflK'd on to BUinluum, wlier© iho has lK!on. i*t»ttiont'.U for Mha j>just I 9* years. "(jonstablo Bird i'mMwd lii ( i dutiow on Tuosday la«t, nn«l intends to ! sottlc at Sprirtp;lfin<]«, wli«fo ]\<\ lutoly | ]>urchasod a property. H<» will join ; tlie ranks of tho orchardi»ffi. Ho ! was presented by tho Vogel fJovoni--1 merit with a Maori AVar metlal, for • active services in the war.