AFTER MANY YEARS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19564, 17 February 1927, Page 12

AFTER MANY YEARS.

A STORY OF PARIHAKA* | • ' | ALLEGED LOOTING IN 1881. CLAIM BY THE MAORIS. ■ [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORREsrOXpENT.] NEW PLYMOUTH. Wednesday. Some statements regarding alleged looting by soldiers .on the occasion of th. advance on Parihaka in 1881 were made to-day at Waitara at the sitting of the commission appointed to investigate the Maori land grievances. Tupito Maruera claimed the return of lands on which stood the towns of Hawera, Pa tea, Waverlev, Normanby, Mokoia and Kakaramea. He stated that he had been promised that these lauds would be returned when the petition for consideration in respect of alleged plunder by Government soldiers during tho raid on the Parihaka village was advanced by Mr. Smith, on behalf of the natives. Counsel for the Grown questioned the relevancy of the petition. He submitted that the prayer of the petition was for consideration in t respect of lands confiscated and no mention was made in it oi plunder.. Mr. Smith submitted that the prayer was for consideration in respect of the whole of the matters mentioned in the petition. Point Reserved for Consideration. Mr. Justice Sim remarked that it was really a claim for damages made in 1927 for acts, conversion and plunder that were alleged to have occurred in 18S.t, It was hardly a business commission, but they Would hear evidence and consider the matter later. Counsel said that the Ngatirurunui tribes had lived for nine years on confiscated lands undisturbed by the Government. Some of the lands had been returned to them, but promises of the Government to create reserves had been iul.filled. Naturally the natives considered that the confiscation had been abandoned. In 1878 tho Treasury was depleted and the idea of selling confiscated lands appeared to offer a material solution. As a protest To Wluti and his people offered passive resistance with a . view to compelling the Government to investigate the position. In 1879 the natives ploughed the lands and fenced them in opposition to the Europeans, who became alarmed at what counsel tormed a friendly objeetiou with the result that To Whiti was captured and with others sent to prison, the Government, passing Acts to postpone their trials as long as they thought fit. Tho Advance on Parihaka. The story of the Parihaka, incident, when the Hon. John Bryce, with armed constabulary and colonists, numbering 700, under Major Tooke, entered the village and arrested To Whiti, was told in evidence by one of the prophet's followers -named Kangi Matatoro Watene, who was at Parihaka at the time. Tho Maoris, ha said, started ploughing • the lands and erecting fences on confiscated lands in order to force tho Government delinitely to settle the position, Tho Europeans, said the witness, pulled down the lences and destroyed cultivations. The force which arrived at Parihaka was met by about 100 little children who were skipping and spinning tops outside tho pa, while potatoes, bread aiid other provisions had been collected for tho soldiers. Mr. Bryce, through an interpreter, told the people in the p»a that they would be punished, after which the bugles Were sounded and tho pa surrounded. Women and children were stampeded by soldiers tramping over them to wnero Te Whiti was standing. Devastation in Village. When h€ was arrested •Te Whiti, according to the witness, told his people to be an example to the wdrld, When Te Whiti and Tohu were taken away the sob diers began to loot and pull down the houses, taking all the guns and powder, and breaking into peoplo's boxes and talcing money and greenstone. A big gun was placed on a knoll to fright-fen tfio people and all tho tikis and rniris that could bo found, as well as stock, were taken. All the important houses were pulled down, the ropes being put around them and pulled, so that roofs fell in. All tho crops were ruined and the village left in a frightful state. Mr. Smith said ho hoped to prove tho case, apart from tho evidence of the Maoris who were there, by possibly securing that of some members of the constabulary, who strongly disfavoured the plundering. Though it might seem peculiar to raise a claim out of acts that took place in 1881 Mr. Smith added thai tho question was still a very real grievance with the Maoris who lost many treasures of highly sentimental value. His Honor said that he could not see how any value for any looting cot/Id be assessed at this time.