MAORI WAR VETERANS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3274, 13 December 1916, Page 22

MAORI WAR VETERANS.

MEMORIAL UNVEILED NEAR TUAKAU. AUCKLAND, December 10. The Hon. G. W. Russell oji Saturday unveiled a memorial on the site of tho Alexandra Redoubt, near Tuakau, to soldiers who fell in the Maori war. There was a large gathering, including veterans, among whom was Major Brown, who was in command of liie redoubt. The memorial, in (he form of an obelisk, was erected by the Government in pursuance of a policy of preserving as far as possible the names of the veterans. The neighbourhood of tho redoubt was, in 1860, the scene of a fight between the Maoris and the 65th Regiment, the British being ambushed by ;; strong body of Natives. The commander (Captain Swift) was mortally wounded, and Lieutenant Butler was wounded, but the soldiers repulsed the Natives, and, under the leadership of Colour-sergeant M'Kenna, returned with their dead and wounded to the Alexandra Redoubt. Lor Una service

M'Kenna received a commission and the \ ictoria Cross.

In the course of his speech, the Minister referred to the good work of Miss Statham, v.'ho, as an inspector of the department, had visited most of the old cemeteries in Auckland and Taranaki, and a largo number of graves .and tombstones had been renovated, monuments oroctcd, and public interest aroused, hi a number of cases the t is:; ot keeping the graves renovated had been undertaken by "local residents. In three years and a-half, since Miss Statham's appointment, the Department, of Internal Affairs had spent over £IOOO on soldiers' graves.