WOMAN WAR VETERAN

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21990, 27 June 1933, Page 8

WOMAN WAR VETERAN

GATE PA SIEGE RECALLED ■ ."■• I HEROINE OF HISTORICAL INCIDENT. (Per United Press Association.) ' ROTORUA/June 26. The death has occurred of Mrs Jane Foley, aged 97 years. Mrs-Foley had a most interesting history, taking part as a combatant in the Maori wars, both oti the side of the hostile tribes and a% a member of a friendly party assisting Captain Gilbert Mair in the pursuit of Te Kooti. Mrs Foley was present at the siege of Gate Pa and was the central figure in an historical incident when she took water under fire to Colonel Booth of the Imperial Forces, who was lying badly wounded within the barricades. She also participated in a skirmish when a band of Maoris on the way to join the Tauranga Natives who were defending pate Pa'came into conflict with a party of Forest Rangers. After escaping from the pa she joined a party of Arawas under Chief Matenga, who was acting under the conviction that Captain Mair was against Te Kooti. Mrs Foley, in addition to Maori and English, spoke. French fluently and was for several years a teacher and goverf ness. > She was an expert shot and had many interesting reminiscences of the early' days- in the colony. She was married twice and lived to see five generations of descendants. CAREER DEATH OF ANOTHER NONAGENARIAN. ■• (Special to Daily Times.) -AUCKLAND, June 26. Mrs Heni Pore, who died at Rotorua on Saturday, was one of the few sur-. viyors of those who" saw the flames of Kororareka when it was sacked by Hone Heke in 1845. She had attained the age of 93 years and few, women had had a more adventurous career. "When she was a very small child she was hidden in a tea tree at night to escape Hone Heke's followers. The next day she was put on the Government brig Victoria, and when that vessel was sailing out of the Bay of Islands for Auckland she saw the flames of Kororareka and heard the guns firing on the township, which was then occupied by the Maoris,