MAORI WAR RELIC

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18590, 28 December 1934, Page 4

MAORI WAR RELIC

TAEANAKI HISTORY

LIEUT. BROOKE VS WEAPON

HELD IN SAFE CUSTODY

In these columns not long ago there was reproduced from the regimental chronicle of the Prince of Wales’ Volunteers (South Lancashire ~ Regiment) a brief historical note on th'e death of Lieut. G. F. Brooke, a member of that corps, in the Maori War in 1860, the action which saw his death being at Puketakauere, in Taranaki. The article had previously appeared in the Auckland Star, and was from the pen of Mr. James Cowan, official historian of the New Zealand Maori Wars; its appearance in the South Laucashires’ chronicle was due to the action of Mr. J V. Scott, of Gisborne, who had, forwarded the material to the headquarters of Lieut. Brooke’s old regiment. Mr. Scott later acted as a link between the editor of the chronicle and' Mr. Cowan, and as a sequel to the first appearance of the article, there was published in the last issue of the South Lancashires chronicle the following: “In the preceding issue we published a dramatic account, of the death in action at Puketakauere, New Zealand, on June 27, 1860, of Lieut, G. F. Brooke, 40th Foot. In the ' article, kindly forwarded by Mr. J. V. Scott, of Gisborne, i on. secretary of the South African Veterans’ Association branch in his district, it was mentioned that the Maori chief who killed Lieut. Brooke , was in possession of the latter’s sword. With the almost improbable possibility of securing the trophy for our museum * collection, we communicated our desire to Mr. Scott, and have received the following interesting reply from the literary editor of the Auckland Star, to whom we are most grateful fon the extensive inquiries made. ‘‘Now that we know that the sword is in safe and proper custody, it is not proposed to pursue the matter further. We were previously aware that the regiment is commemorated on a public monument rn Marsland Hill, New Plymouth, but had no previous knowledge of the commemoration in the hatchments in St. Mary’s Church, and are most grateful for the additional information. Mr. Mulgan’s much-appreciated and historically significant letter is as follows: “ ‘Dear Sir.—Your letter of June 1 last to Mr. J. V. Scott, of Gisborne, askijig if he could obtain further information about the sword of Lieut. G. FBrooke, who was killed in the Taranaki War, was forwarded to me, and I have made inquiries. I wrote to Mr. James Cowan, the official historian of the Maori Wars, and the writer of the article which attracted your attention. Mr. Cowan got into touen with Mr. W. H. Skinner, of New Plymouth, who is the leading local authority on Taranaki history, and the founder of the. Early Colonists’ Museum there. Mr. Skinner, whose standing with the Maoris is very high, replied that the sword is deposited in the military section of this museum. I quote from Mr. Skinner’s letter: “ ‘ “Lieut. Riooke’s sword, which was looked upon by the Maoris as the most valued trophy taken by them in the Waitara War of 1860-61, was eventually deposited for safe keeping with the Ngati-Maru people at Ngakorako, or Purangi, upper Waitara River. It was a Ngati-Maru man, or men, who killed Brooke. I was not aware when .surveying the Purangi in 1887-88 that tiny, sword was h'dden in the roof of a iardp where at Ngakorako, as was also, so tip leading man of the Ngati-Maru people declared to me, that of M-nurau (Von Tempsky). But some few years later I heard about Lieut. Brooke’s sword from Tutanuku, chief of that branch of the Ngati-Maru, and I prevailed upon him as a great personal favor to hand it over to me, which he did with some misgivings, however. I doubt if he would have passed it over to any other pakeha. This must have been quite 30 years ago or thereabouts. In presenting my collection to the town of New Plymouth, for the formation of a museum, the sword was included, and is now held by the municipal authorities. The sword in question was not what I call the lieutenant’s dress or parade sword, but a heavier weapon more after the fashion of a cavalry sabre or a naval cutlass, and answers exactly to the description given to me by one of Brooke’s company in the attack on Puketakauere —Private, Jack Carey. , The sword was probably borrowed for the occasion. However, the sword in the New Plymouth museum is undoubtedly that carried by Lieut. Brooke in this attack., and captured at his death.”

“ ‘I do not think the New Plymouth authorities would part with the sword, nor do I think yon would wish them to,’ continues the letter from Mr. Mulgan. ‘lt is in safe custody, and forms part of the relics of the early history of this beautiful and highly interesting town. You probably know that all the units ol the British Arhiy that fought there, including the 40th Regiment, are commemorated not only on a public monument on Marsland Hill, but in hatchments in St. Mary’s Church. I had a good look at these impressive memorials when in New Plymouth in May last, and I saw' the sites of several 'battlefields, including Cue one on which Brooke was killed. New Plymouth;,is a treasure-house of history, ' and memory of jour regiment is well pH-* served.’ ”