A REMINISCENCE OF THE WAIKATO WAR.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 4, Issue 22, 19 March 1915, Page 4

A REMINISCENCE OF THE WAIKATO WAR.

During the preeent week, Major Lusk, the. Provincial President of the Farmers' Union, is visiting the Raglan district for the purpose of founding new brarjehes of the Union there. It will be interesting to recall the circumstances of the Major's first visit to Raglan, nearly fifty-two years ago. Towards the end of 1863 Geceral Cameron had pressed back the Maori rebels to the upper waters of the Waipa. He had between four and five thousand men at the front, and the commissariat was with difficulty supplied by a small river sieamer, which unfortunately struck a snag in the Waipa and sank with her cargo of supplies. Captain Lusk was then in command of the voluuteers at Pukekohe, Mauku and Waiuku Taking advantage of a short furlough to visit some land he had in the north he had juet returned to Auckland, when he was aroused at two o'clork in the morning to a.-k if he would undertake the task of endeavouring to get supplies through to the front by way of Raglan river. That afterneon he left Onehunga in command of a detachment of the Waikato militia, with a cargo of stores, pack-horsea and working bullocks A track was rapidly cut through the broken bush country, and before very long pack-traina of supplies reached the soldiers. One or two fledges drawn by bullocks were got through, but the hill-sides were so precipitous that it was found better to trust to the pack-horses. Until the sunken steamer was replaced the troops were entirely dependent upon this route.