AN HISTORIC PA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20514, 15 March 1930, Page 4 (Supplement)

AN HISTORIC PA.

By NORMAN ROSS SANSON. Tapuhi, (Age 14). (Original). (12 marks).

Not many miles from our home is the historic Ruapekapeka Pa, where Hone Heke* fought his last famons battle with the British during the Maori War. The people of the district often hold a picnic on New Year's Day near the pa, where there is an excellent picnic ground. Just where two roads join, there is a lovely clump of puriri trees, a delightfully cool spot on a hot summer day. Here there is a white gate on to a track leading up a, slight rise and here is the actual pa. The hill itself is not interesting to look at; just a level topped rise covered with fern and stunted grass. But it is almost honeycombed with dug-outs and trenches. It would be very easy to fall into a hole if one was not watching carefully. Large trenches zig-zag across the hill, while in other places there are many small holes about large enough to hold three or four men. In a few cases there are two holes close together, and joined by a small opening at the bottom. When the pa was in use these dugouts were covered with heavy wooden slabs. About in the centre of the pa is an old cannon, partly broken, with a cannon-ball still stuck in the barrel, while near it one can see a small hollow in the ground about a foot across, and roughly covered with stones. This is where the Maoris had a fire, from which they could light the fuse which fired the cannon. There is also an old well, about twenty feet deep at the pa. As one sees all this, it is easy to picture the scene—the gallant natives,- stubborn to the last, determined to defend to the last the pa which they had made, and the British soldiers, in stronger force than their enemies, attacking the pa; and at last, the defeat and capture of the Maoris. It is also of interest to note that the sword which Hone Heke used is now owned by a Maori called Henare, a brother of the Maori member of parliament of a few years ago. No doubt ho treasures it greatly.