THE WAIRAU MASSACRE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2649, 21 December 1904, Page 25 (Supplement)

THE WAIRAU MASSACRE.

At Nelson in 1843 there was not sufficient land to meet the claims of Wakefield's English purchasers. The only course

was to cake up a block on the Wairau River, running into Cloudy Bay. Colonel Wakjfield clainud this land as part of h's purchase from Te Rauparalia in 1831, and on this assumption despatched his surveyors to coaimcnce work. The Maoris burnt their huts and pulled up their pegs. Captain Wakefield — Jiird of thj Wa^efield Brothers, — head of the Nelson Settlement, instantly proceeded to Wairau, accompanied by a Magistrate and an axmed force, to arrest Te Rauparaha. Apparently in utter ignorance of the Tapu which rendered the person of a chief so sacred, handcuffa were produced with which to manacle the chief and his son-in-law. With dignified self-restraint Te Rauparaha urged, "We are on our own lands. Do we go 1 to Sydney or to England to steal your lands ?" Force being threatened Rauparaha., with ominous calmness, replied, "That is the second time you have threatened, you should riot bo so foolish."

A shot was fired, and a woman killed. She was daughter of one chief, wife of the other. The bonds of restraint snapped in the white heat of fury, and with a rush the Maoris threw themselves upon the party, killing Captain Wakefield and eight others. Altogether this wretched fiasco cost nineteen lives. Rauparaha crossed the straits, and taking with him the historic handcuffs, made dramatic use of thean m many an impassioned exhortation to the Maoris to drive the Pakeha at once and for eiver from the land. Mr (afterwards Bishop) Hadfield thus describes his oratory • "Holding up his hands as one already manacled he said, 'Why seek to fetter me? 1 am old and weak, soon I must pass away. What could they gain by enslaving me, by fastening irons on these poor old hands? That is not the real meaning. No. It is that through me they hope to dishonour you. If they can enslave me they degrade the whole Maori race.' "

Only the influence of Mr Hadfield and Te Rangitake (Wiremu Kingi) prevented the tribes from responding to the oratory of the fierce old Ngatitoa warrior. It was these two men who averted from the Wellington settlers the tragedy of a hideous annihilation.