DIAMOND JUBILEE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18387, 1 May 1923, Page 8

DIAMOND JUBILEE.

'•• :v•• :• .r-• -= r ••• PUKEKOHE PRBSfIYTERIANS. MAORI BATTLE RECALLED. 'CHURCH AS RALLYING POINT [BT TELEGRAPH. ; CORRESPONDENT.] PUKEKOHE, Monday. ' Special services to ■: celebrate ; the diamond jubilee of the : Presbyterian Church at Pukekohe East were held .yesterday. : The moderator of " the assembly* Rev. ;W. J. Comm. preached at - both services to crowded ' congregations. Sir. Comrio had ; himself been : brought up in the district, .and- he made fitting reference, to the pioneers who built the present church in 1863, and. who laid the foundations of the progress and prosperity manifested to-day in the smiling fields and comfortable homes of one of the most beautiful districts in . the Dominion. The church building which lias recently been reuo-1 vated, was in 1865 the scene of a terrible struggle with the Maoris. The male residents and a few militia had barely time to . construct defences of slabs -and logs surrounded by a ditch, when the natives beseiged them. Fighting' commenced on September 14 at 9 a.m., and continued until • 12.30, when reinforcements j came; from Springfield. However, the j struggle continued until 3 p.m., when a force of over 200 soldiers from Drury drove the : natives into the bush. Three Europeans were killed and seven i wounded, while Rewi is stated to have admitted later that the natives . lost 26 killed and 56 wounded, half of the latter dying.. ;-: ? v -' - !-1 Although the church was not erected I •until' 1863, the Rev. Thos. 1 Norrie conducted service in Mr. Dearness' hoyse as early at 1857. i; - I