THIS WEEK’S ANNIVERSARY

Stratford Evening Post, Issue 8, 26 December 1928, Page 3

THIS WEEK’S ANNIVERSARY

CHRISTMAS DAY FIGHT. THE) BATTLE OF MAIIUMAHU. The battle of Maruinaru was fought on Christmas Day, 1860. Not long after the heavy fighting in the Waiapu (Gisborne) district, the Upper Wairoa natives joined the Hauhaus under tlio leadership of Te Warn and his brother Reihana, and the force raised became a danger to the town of Wairoa. Strong efforts were made by Mr McLean and Mr S. Locke (both of Napier) to secure peaceful submission, but without effect. Wairoa had only Kopu and Ihaka Whanga, with their men, and a small Ngatiporou contingent to depend on. A blockhouse was therefore built on the riverbank, well armed and garrisoned, and it was for months a- refuge for the settlers.

MACHIAVELLIAN. At this time, the object oil Te Waru and Iteihana was to cultivate the friendship of the pakehas and lull them into a sense of security, only that they might fall an easier prey' later to the tomahawk and the Brown Begs—-surely a veritable Machiavellian policy. The Hauhau forces mostly camped at Te Uhi, and the' nightly ceremonies round the poles of worship instilled great fear among the Europeans. Trade was at a stand-i still, the land was lying unfilled, and it soon became evident that a collision with the natives could not long ‘ be deferred- In December, 1860, Lieut-Col. Fraser wag ordered to! Wairoa with the remnant, of the | “Fighting Fifty,” and) IGO of tlie j Taranakis under Captain Hnssey, i and the first shot in Wairoa warfare was fired on Christmas Day, 1865. The advance began on Christmas Eve when a force of 70 or 80 men moved out under Hussey, and about an ] equal number of Fraser's men. While others were, preparing to proclaim J “Peace on earth, goodwill towards ) men,” the "Wairoa people were priming their weapons to engage the. abortginal owners of the soil.

ON A SCRUB-COVERED FLAT. 11iq enemy numbered about 250, and were posted at Te Pou, a scrubcovered flat on tlio right bank of the Manga-a-ruke river. It was about

dawn when the crossing was attempted, and while the men were advancing Captain Hussey fell, shot through the heart from behind. He had, it appears, turned round facing his men to urge them on 1 when a well-posted native shot him from one of the vvharos. He was easily marked as a “toa” among the pakohas, as 1 he wore a white helmet that day. The enemy was driven hack and retired up the Manga-a-ruke, hut the European forces lost Hussey and a brave native named Wi Christie, How many of the natives fell was never known, for the Hauhaus carried off their dead and wounded. . The battle was inde.usivd, for Te ; Warn lived to fight again. The country was difficult to fight hr, the Maoris were adepts at hush warfare and the European force little cohesion. The people of Napier, to make up for the loss on Christmas Day, sent supplies of Christmas cheer to the troops, but little ever reached the men.