BRILLIANT CHARLES HEAPHY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 21 August 1939, Page 3

BRILLIANT CHARLES HEAPHY

V MARVELLOUS MAN One of the most interesting of early colonists and one of the most versatile men who have lived in New Zealand was Charles Heaphy, whose life was adventurous in a generation of adventure < states “New Zealand Centennial News" ). The date of his birth cannot be certainly lixed. The date favoured by the Dictionary of National Biography, 1821, would make him an exhibitor at the Royal Academy at the age' of fifteen. In the same year that he so exhibited. 183."). his father died, a fact which may have had some effect in inducing ClTTrrles to sail on the Tory in 1839. Whether he was eighteen or twenty when the Tory picked him up at Plymouth for the long voyage to New Zealand, he was evidently mature enough to be treated as a man, and was apparently not thought of -by those lon board as competing with the 10- | year-old Jerningham Wakefield to be 1 the youngest of the ship's company. ; HcaphjGs extremely varied career—a sartist. explorer, soldier, surveyor, and official —is to some extent typical of the time as much as the man. He wrote a number of lively articles in colonial newspapers and magazines and in the “Transactions of the New Zealand Institute.” But he is likely lo be • most honoured to-day as an artist, though people to-day can hardly regret ! that he stole time from art to go cx- ! ploring. j Charles Heaphy was the only colon- | ist to win the Victoria Cross for ser- : vice in the Maori War. In 18(53 Heaphy ; had joined the Auckland Rifles. ; | volunteer troop, taking the rank of lieutenant, and almost at once of capj tain. He acted as a guide to the Waikato troops. On 11th February, 1864. ,a bathing party of troops was ambushed at the Mangapiko River. The troops I from the neighbouring camp came to . the rescue in very fast time, turning j the tables on the attacking natives, i Heaphy, accidentally on the spot, took i charge of a party and led it with great i vigour and spirit. He went forward to help a wounded man—he had some j knowledge of su-gery—and was fired jon bv a concealed party of Maoris at very shot! range, receiving three wounds. But he went on wilh his surI gery, tying up a severed artery to prej vent the man bleeding to death, got the j wounded man away, and carried on in j the battle. j The official wheels moved slowly, and , it was not till 18(57 that Heaphy actually collected his V.C’.; but in (he meantime he had been promoted Major and received the aesenl of a handsome rifle from Sir George Grey in recogi nition of his services.