THE MAORI WARS.

NZ Truth, Issue 57, 21 July 1906, Page 7

Sir George Grey Recalled.

No. XVT,

{By J.M.P.

Mew Zealand grieved bitterly over the deaths of the five "brave officers who were killed m the ambush' at Te Ngutu-o-fe-manu. Inexperienced troops require ex- , perienced officers to lead them and, not only to lead, but to give confidence. So far as could be ascertained at the ttma the stronghold with the unpronounceable name was not completely destroyed at the first attack, and the rebels having taken refuge m it again, the second attack was necessary. j THE REBEL MAORIS seem to have been pretty well posted m the movements of tho British and colonial forces; hence, on the second occasion, they were fully prepared to meet their foe. Of the ofiacers killed m this ill-judged and ill-managed expedition, Von Tempsky was perhaps the best known. Sis name was identified with many a sharp skirmish, vigorous assault and hardfought encounter during the previous five years. In the Waikato, at Opotiki, and Patea, be did the colony such good service that his name has been held in' high honor by all who can respect brave deeds &nd gallant men. Von Tempsky was a Prussian by birth and descended from a noble family. His brother was a colonel m the Prussian Army, and was wounded m the campaign between Prussia and Denmark. Von Tempsky was A BORN SOLDIER, and from his youth a wanderer m many lands. He was a man of great literary attainments and an expert linguist. His boot of travels m South America is still standard reading. His youth, after service as an officer of Prussian Hussars, was chiefly spent m South America, and afterwards on the Oalifornian and Victorian goldnelds, and his adventures m those places, as told by himself, over camp fires, had beguiled many a weary hour during the campaign m the North Island.It was,< after the first advance of the British troops beyond Drury, m 1863, that the want of a body of bush scourers was sadly felt. Von Tempsky offered his services to raise suoh a corps, a body of men similar m; equipment and tactics to those used by the South American Government against the Indians. His offer was promptly accepted, and contemporary history shows what immense value the corps was to the harassed Government.; At Orakau Von Tempsky LED THE STORMING PARTY, and the ready manner m which he brought his men into action m intercepting the natives was an object lesson, and is not yet forgotten by such of those who took part m the storming as still survive. * ■ _ • « • When hostilities were suspended m the Waikato district, Von Tempsky's services were again m requisition to accompany Major-General Chute, better known to- his men as the Kerry Bull/from his being a Kerry man, his stunted appearance and hia pugnacious disposition, m his now famous overland campaign to Taranaki. During the service be was two or three times under fire. When Colonel Hassell fell, Von Tempsky was on hand, and Chute's ringing order : "57th, advance 1 Forest Rangers, clear the bush I" was promptly obeyed. Von Tempsky's health suffered much m this campaign; his illness, acute rheumatism, being brought about by lying out at night m the wet i and cold when he had a warm tent to go to ; but he elected to share the same ; hardships as his men, declining the shelter of a tent when they had none. * . * * After the Taranaki campaign was over Von Tempsky returned to Auckland to re- : cruit, and passed a short time with his family ,i As soon as he wa« well, his restlessness and love of adventure brought him to the Auckland goldflelda, where he had spent some time, years before, and which : he always, predicted would turn up trumps, ' sooner or later. Having resided some' i time at Coromandel, he returned to Auck- ' land, and employed his time m painting J and literature. His pictures of some of ! the most exciting . : ■ ; SCENES IN THE MAORI WAR • were highly commended. When the Armed • Constabulary was formed Von Tempsky was appointed to an inspectorship. A-l- J though an alien, he fought well under the British standard, a nd whether l as a soldier or a citizen was well respected. He left a widow and three children as a legacy ' to his adopted country. As a husband and father, it is said, no man could be : more anxious and solicitous for the wel- • fare of his wife and children,, or more domestic m his habits. One who ,fcnew him well said : — "To have seen him play-? ■ ing with his little ones at home, or attending to his flower garden, or painting, no one would "have guessed him to be the terrible Von Tempsky, the terror of the MAORI WARRIORS OP THE WAIKATO, East Coast and Taranaki." . HOW VON TEMPSKiYi DIED 1 . The "Evening Herald"- said: — "The Kupapas, who were leading, came suddenly upon a hut, which they considered an outpost of the enemy, as they immediately commenced firing. This turned out a most unfortunate occurrence, giving the enemy warning of our approach and afc lowing plenty of time for preparations, and accordingly, when our men had reached a gully about^2oO yards from and m sight of the enemy's , position, they were received with a heavy and concentrated fire from all sides. One of Von Tempsky's men was the first to fall, severely wounded, and his gallant leader, acting from the impulse of his brave heart, sprang to his assistance, and while m the act "of lifting him up received a bullet m the brain. No sooner had he fallen than another brave soul rushed forth, on the same errand, but to meet the same fate, and POOR BUCK'S BODY made the third of that heap of slain, which ,eventually amounted to-rsom© say eight, some nine, some a dozen. '- The 'following characteristic anecdote of Von Tempaky was published soon after his death :— "At 'the time he waa m San Francisco, and having called one evening to see a sick friend at an hotel, he left to go aboard one of tho floating boarding-bouses, where he lodged. Noticing that he' was dogged by some men, | who followed him down to the wharf, he ! tried to evade them, but he was intercepted, and after a desperate 1 resistance was overpowered. During the struggle he got knocked into the water. Being a man of great muscular power, he struck out, but his pursuers followed him m a boat. On > coming up with him, not liking to make any unnecessary noise by despatching him with revolvers, they struck at him with their oars ; he diving to escape and feigning insensibility, when one of their number leaned over the side of the boat to grasp him. Having hauled him m, they proceeded to search for the leathern belt usually carried by the miners to keep their gold m, and worn next the skin. They stripped him of his outer clothing, and perceiving that life was not extinct, one villain> was RAISING HIS BOWIE KNIFE when Von Tempsky made a lost, effort, threw him back, .upset tho boat, and escaped by swimming to the wharf, where he was found by some persons, half naked, clinging to the piles, m the morning." * « * I believe the New Zealand Government made provision for the widow and children of Von Tempsky. * * • Captain- Buck, another of the victims of the ambuscade, was known as a seal?

llant [officer m the Imperial service, wh"o, if he had the opportunity, would have further distinguished himseli m that of I tho colony. Captain/ Buck was connected by marriage with a leading Wellington settler, and had many friends m the ] community. Buck joined the 65th Regixnent m 1851, as an ensign, a rank not now known m the army, but then an ensign I was the youngest commissioned officer, whose duty it was to carry the colors, In 1353 he attained a > lieutenancy, and ;in 1860 got his company as captain. Ho served with the 65th for many years m Maoriland; but on that regiment being ordered to England he .exchanged into the 14th, and as an officer m that regiment was well liked m Wellington, not only by his men, but by all with whom he came into contact. A straightforward, gallant and honest fellow was Captain Buck. ♦ . » # ' LIEUTENANT HENRY CHARLES HOLLAND HASTINGS had . been a pressman m Wellington. Originally an officer m a cavalry regiment, Hastings, after taking part m some rough work mi n India, emigrated to New Zealand, ultimately reaching Wellington. For &' short time he was connected with the "Evening Post," and afterwards joined the staff of the Wellington "Independent," and remained on it for nearly four years. Hastings was a well educated man, a ready writer, and a pleasant companion. When' he decided upon taking up the sword once more; his press companions heartily wished him "God speed." In a letter written to a friend shortly before one of the - engagements he wrote : — "We are going m for another fight. See Mrs. Hastings and tell her to cheer up." While on active service with the sword, he wielded his pen as correspondent of his paper. He left a young wife and infant son to lament their loss, who were, no doubt, as m the case of Major Vpn "Tempsky, provided for by the New Zealand Government of the day.. • • ♦ Political, as well as war, disturbances were now agitating the colonists, and

the year 1868 saw a serious change^ of Government m New Zealand. * * # Sir George Grey,, had resigned the government of the colony into the hands o* Sir George Bbwen m February, 1868, but, did not leave New Zealand for some months. About the hour that our troops were m trouble at Te Ngutu, the leading colonists were banqueting the , OLD WAR-HORSE (not by any means worn out, however) m the Oddfellows' Hall, Wellington. The new Governor, the bncolic Bowen, Bishops, Judges, Superintendents, Ministers, and persons of all shades of political opinions assembled to do honor to the man who had for so many years guided the destinies of Maonland. He was now about to leave for EnglandV The reason of the retirement of Sir George Grey may not be generally known to the present generation, and as it is practically a part of the war history of Maoriland, its insertion may Jw excused. SubseVjluently to General Chute's Taranaki campaign, mentioned above, a dispute arose concerning the OF A PRISONER OF WAR. Colonel Weare, an" officer under General Chute, had charged the Governor (Grey) and his Government ■ with, urging Chute to take no prisoners alive. This terrible accusation Grey indignantly denied, and Earl Carnarvon, at the Colonial Office, while accepting the denial/, rebuked Sir George Grey for the tone of his despatches, and requested a withdrawal of them. This Grey refused to do. At this juncture, the Disraeli Government vent, out of office, and the Duke of Bucking-* ham succeeded Lord Carnarvon. 1 But the change made no difference to the position of Sir George Grey; who appears to have become samewhat . OBNOXIOUS AT THE COLONIAL OFFICE. The actual /uler of colonial affairs m England m the. sixties Was one Sir Frederic Rogers, afterwards Lord Blacbiord, the official whom Mr. George Higginbotham of Victoria contemptuously spoke of as "a clerk named Rogers,"- when the same Rogers .was unnecessarily interfering with Victorian affairs. No doubt General Cameron had not forgiven Sir George Grey for proving personally that the Wereroa Pah could be captured, and with a quarter of the men that Canaieron said 'Would be needed. It will be remembered that Cameron resigned Kis command, and had returned to England to lay his complaint before the War Office authorities. On August 27, 1867, Grey /was recalled, and Parliament immediately adjourned as a mark of respect for the Governor and regret at his recall. On September 6 an address from the Houses was presented to, him, m which a hope was expressed that the Queen would reWard him m some signal manner for his services/ The Ministry (the Stafford) drew up a' formal protest against the treatment to which Sir George Grey had been subjected, and regretting the discourteous recall of the Governor, expressed their sympathy with him. Sir George's departure for England, to which the baniquet was a prelude, was with the intention of putting 'himself right In regard to the Weare charges; but the Colonial Secretary, Lord Granville, refused to re-open the question, and Sir George retired on his pension. AT THE HISTORIC BANQUET, Sir David Monro occupied the chair. In his speech In reply to the toast of his health, Sir\ George Grey gave some interesting particulars as to how, and why, he became interested m colonial work. "Years ago, when England was m a state of great depression, when want and suffering prevailed among the poorer classes, when there were but few openings for the young men of the middle class, or the sons of gentry, I determined to devete myself to the duty of finding new homes to which these -persons might proceed. I believed that m doing this I would be doing my duty to the generation and the age m which I lived. I entered upon that duty with no further motive than that it was a duty that I ought to have performed with no prospect that it should ever lead to results which the most far-seeing could not then have anticipated. That I should have seen COMMUNITIES RISE UP m several parts of the world ; that I should see thriving populations m places which I myself had disco-vered ; that I should see great wealth and great prosperity, and great intellect existing m countries which were a few years ago almost wastes;; that I should see indivi-.

duals whe had come to this colony witliout a home, and with little prospect m life, now become the possessors of estates, living iri competence and ease ; that I should know that there are ia many lands thousands of houßSs which I can enter as a welcome guest; that I should know that over graat districts of territory m several countries,- no+. a marriage takes place but I know th» parties or their parents, and enjoy the sense of satisfaction which is inspired by the knowledge of the happiness of others ; that I should see legislatures, as well as communities, and I may say Governors of provinces; that I should see boys whom I have petted m their youths GROW UP TO WARRIORS, who came forward when required to the service of their country mv the time of danger, and that I should know that all these men 1 look upon, me as their friend. One gets overwhelmed when these thoughts burst on the mind. Nay, I know that there is scarcely a churchyard that I could enter, m which,-look-ing round upon the tombstones, 1 w"quld not see the names of those whom I knew and respected while living, and for whom I could weep as I stood tftere. I say, that a man surrounded with such affectionate regard, seeing whole generations rising to wealth and opulence; seeing so many new countries springing up almost under his own hand and becoming the germ of important nations, I say a man | who sees and has contributed the least to these results has been blessed beyond almost any other man of his age. Even' as I look around me at this moment I see some approaching the decline of life whom I have known m the vigor of youth, who were my friends then, and who continue to be so now ; I can see I their, children' sitting l^ere whom I have known m their infancy, and who are sow assembled to bid me "GOD. SPEED" as I am now once more about to depart from these shores. You may well believe that when' I see these things my heart is filled with' gratitude that I am enabled to indulge m such reflections as such ari occasion suggests.. I can say no more to you than that I am grateful to you, and I trust that hereafter I will be able to give you proof how entirely I reciprocate the affection that has been so! I long, shown me." And for 30 years after | Sir George Grey devoted himself to: the best^ interests of the people of New Zealand"