SIXTY YEARS AGO.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19458, 14 October 1926, Page 14

SIXTY YEARS AGO.

BATTLE WITH MAORIS. FIGHT AT OMARUNUI PA. DEFEAT OF THE HAUHAUS. The diamond jubilee of the memorable engagement between the Europeans and Maoris at Omarunui Pa, which is about 11 miles south-west of Napier, fell on Tuesday last. Very few persons are now living who would remember the battle, the only momentous clash with the Maoris in Hawke's Bay. The time was that of the Hauhau rebellion, which originated in Taranaki. In November, 1865, hostilities broke out in Poverty Bay, and the Hauhaus were defeated at Waipu and Waerenga-a-hika. Trouble followed in the Wairoa district and Major Fraser, with the aid of the loyal chiefs Ihaka and Kopu, attacked the Hauhaus at Marumaru and drove them off in the direction of Waikaremoana, destroying their settlement and cultivations. In June, 1866, the defeated chiefs visited Napier and made their submission. This seemed -to end the as far as Hawke's Bay was concerned, and everyone was surprised as well as concerned when, in September, a body of about 100 Hauhaus from the Taupo district appeared at Petane, subsequently crossing to Omarunui. Te Hapuku, Tareha and Renata visited Mr. (afterwards Sir Dons Id) McLean and urged on him the need of action; and the Rev. S. Williams informed that an attack on Napier was intended. Use of Regulars Declined. So unexpected was the invasion that the defence forces had been disbanded, and the new self-reliant policy forebado the use. of the regulars then in Napier. Major Saltmarshe, who had come to Napier in August with .300 men of the 70th Regiment, offered assistance, but this was declined. On October 9, Colonel Whitmore called out the militia for training, in addition to the volunteers. The Star of the South, on the 11th.,. brought back from Wairoa Captain Fraser with his military settlers and as many friendly, natives under Ihaka and Kopu as could he collected, and the men were called out for active service. Colonel (afterwards Sir George) Whitmore was in chief command. At 11 p.m. on October 11th, Captain Buchanan's volunteers marched, and at midnight the two companies of militia under Captains Fitzgerald and Kennedy, who had with them the friendly natives. At daylight Mr. Hamilton was sent to demand the surrender of the rebels, which was declined. After waiting an hour, the Napier force forded the river without opposition, and a sharp fusillade continued for an hour and a-half, after which the ! rebels surrendered. Of their number 21 were killed and the same number were wounded, 58 surrendering. On the pakehas' side one white man, Young, and one friendly native were killed, and one other, Morrison, afterwards died of wounds. Thirteen of the natives escaped from the pa, but of these 11 were retaken. Oonfiscatkm oi Lands. At the same time, Captain Fraser, who had reached the Petane valley, met a. body of 50 armed men following the river bed. He at once gave orders to fire and 12, including their leader, Rangihiroa, were killed, the remainder taking to flight. Three of these were killed at Glengarry station by Brieqgan and Whitehead, who had remained on the place, when the settlers moved to Napier. An expedition was at once sent to Titiokura to destroy Rangihiroa*s pa, and the prisoners were despatched to the Chatham Islands. The lands of the rebel natives on the coast were confiscated, 50,000 acres being set aside for settlement and the rest divided among the loyal natives.