ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 78, 28 June 1943, Page 4

ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO

A NELSON CHRONOLOGY 26th June, 1843: Mr Tuckett and several others left for Nelson in Cotterell’s and Parkinson’s whaleboats. —Barnicoat’s Diary, Before leaving, the Principal Agent (Colonel Wakefield) handed to Mr Tuckett an official letter appointing him Acting Agent for the Nelson Settlement until the pleasure of the Directors of the N.Z. Company should be known. —R. M. Martin, “British Colonies.” On this day news of the Massacre reached Nelson. “Dressed and went, to town and arrived just as the meeting to examine the sailors who brought the news had concluded. Walked with the sailor who said he had landed Rah* giata with three wounded on the oppon site shore.” —Saxton's Diary. 27th June, 1843: At Nelson the grief and horror of the inhabitants at the news of the massacre were excessive. Everything was at a standstill. The Magistrates were bus- 1 led in taking depositions and devising measures for the general protection, the belief in the possibility of attack being universal. Some hundreds were sworn in as special constables and nightly watches were kept. The men were drilled by the Hon. C. A. Dillon and R. Newcome. As the alarm subsided the attendance dwindled and drilling ceased in a few weeks. —“Nelson Examiner.” 28th June, 1843: In speaking of the fight everyone seems to take it for granted that because the white people (though much fewer in number) were put to flight by the natives they necessarily behaved in a cowardly manner. I saw a great deal of courage shown by our party on the occasion, several of the men loading and firing with the greatest coolness, but they were undisciplined and unaccustomed to meet bloodshed and also to meet men almost nursed in blood. —Barnicoat’s Diary.