TROUBLED EARLY DAYS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18020, 20 February 1922, Page 10

TROUBLED EARLY DAYS.

THE WAR OF THE SIXTIES.

HISTORIC SIEGE OF ORAKAff.

Te Awamutu, in tho early days called Otawluio, is an old missionary settlement, tho Revs. W. Williams and A. N. Brown aud Mr. Morgan, of the Church Missionary Society, landing on tho banks of the Waipa not far from the sito of tho present township, on August 25, 1834. St. John's Church, which is still standing and used regularly, was built in 1854, tho limber being hand-sawn by the natives. In fact tho timber of the ceiling still bears the imprint of baro feet, though how they got there no ono seems to know. Tho church also contains several very beautiful stained glass windows.

A few vears before hostilities commenced it was seen that there would be troublo between the Waikato chiofs and the settlers, and in 1861 Sir John Gorst was appointed Resident Magistrate to tho Upper Waikato. His intrusion in their territory was resented by the Maoris who endeavoured to scare him away. The newspaper Piheihoi Mokemoko was printed at Te Awamutu on February 2, 1863. The publication of an artido, "Tho Evil of tho Ki"S Movement," greatly angered tho natives, and on March 25 they carried tho prdss away and Sir John v>as forced to leave the district on April 18, 1863. From the time of his withdrawal there wero many feuds, culminating in the terrible war, and a number o( engagements wore fought in tho district. In addition to the Colonial troops and friendly natives, 3000 Imperial troops of the 40th, 50th, aild 57th Regiments were stationed at To Awamutu, many of whom lie buried in the cemetery attached to St. John's Church. The siege of Orakau, five miles distant, wtas the final struggle for supremacy in the Waikato, Rewi Mairlapoto, tho famous chief, with 300 of his followers, occupying the pah for three days, practically without food or water, and heroically resisted more than six times their number of Imperial and Colonial troops. When called upon lo surrender when they had exhausted their supplies of ammunition, Rowi retorted with tho reply, which has since become historic, "Ka whawhaj tonu. Ako, Ako, Ake " (We will not surrendor. We will tight on for ever and over and ever). Shortly after, the whole body of defenders rushed from the pah and made for the open country beyond.