AFTER WAIRAU.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 5665, 12 August 1905, Page 5

AFTER WAIRAU.

HOW WELLINGTON WAS SAVED. AN AUTHENTIC STORY. A month or two ago- several interesting articles appeared in the “ Times ” regarding the events that transpired at Otaki when tho Ngatitoa chiefs returned from the unfortunate collision with tho arresting party at tho Wairau in 1843.

Mr H. S. Hadfield, of Otaihangn, a roi of the Into Bishop Hadfield, has furnished to -Mr W. Gray, Secretary of tho Post Office, an account of these, occurrences from his recollection of what ho heard at subsequent times from his parents and others concerned. By t'ho courtesy of Mr Gray we arc permitted to make use of this, and a.s it is of some historic value it is printed in oslonso.

Mr Hadfield writes: —“ After the Wairau massacre, To Bauparaha, urged on by his nephew, To Bangihacata, wished to attack Wellington. My father tallied to them, and tried to persuade them not to do anything so rash, and used every means in his power to pacify them.

“ It may bo that while the excitement was at its height tho church bell rang, and broke up tho meeting for the time being. My:father in those days held morning and evening service daily, the morning service being about 5 a.m. in summer and later in winter. The evening service was held just at dusk, so that it was earlier in winter than in summer. I never heard my father mention tho incident, but no doubt au evening service would interrupt a meeting of that sort, which would have lasted all day. “ My father did stop the natives, ami went on to Wellington to inform the authorities of what was going on. As he returned lie met the natives, who had been persuaded by To Bangihacata to move on Wellington. My father again stopped them. “ Wiremu King:, who was afterwards forced into the Waitara war, was residing at Wnikanao at tho time, being tho chief of the Ngatinwa tribe. This man wsib a most loyal native, and told To Bauparaha that if ho tried to attack Wellington ho must-, first walk over bairn ck. After my father had stopped To Rc.nparaha's party twice, they sent some men past. Waikanae during the night to see if Wiremu King! meant what he said. In the morning it was soon by their footprints that a party had gone past, and Wiremu Kingi immediately sent off armed men to arrest them. This waa done, and the prisoners taken out in canoes and handed over to a man-of-war in the Straits. I do not know the year, but it was immediately after the Wairau massacre. “ There was no quarrel between To Bauparaha and Te Rangihaoata, ns they were both of one mmd at that particular time, and would undoubtedly hare sacked Wellington but for my father and Wiremu Kingi.“