Maori Amazon Passes

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 7193, 27 June 1933, Page 6

Maori Amazon Passes

LINK WITH EARLY HISTORY Per Press Association. ROTORUA, Last Night. Tho death has occurred of Mrs. Jane Foley, aged 97. Mrs. Foley had a most interesting history, taking part as a combatant in tho Maori wars both on tho sido of hostile tribes and as a member of a friendly party assisting Captain Gilbert Mair in the pursuit of Tc Kooti. Mrs. Foley was present at the seige of Gate Pa and was the central figure in an historical incident when she took water under fire to Colonel Booth of the Imperial forces who was lying badly wounded within tho barricades. She also participated in a skirmish when a band of Maoris on the way to join tho Tauranga natives defending Gate Pa came into conflict with a party of Forest Rangers. After escaping from the pa she joined a party of Arawas under Chief Matenga who was acting with Captain Mair against Te Kooti. Mrs. Foley, in addition to Maori and English, spoke French fluently, and was for several years a teacher and governess. She was an expert shot and had many interesting reminiscences of tho early days of the colony. She was married twice and lived to sec five generations of descendants.