Early History of Taranaki

Taranaki Daily News, 20 December 1924, Page 9 (Supplement)

Early History of Taranaki

From 1850 to 1875

Essay open to scholars of N.P. IBoys’ High School D

JUNIOR DIVISION. FIRST PRIZE. (D. Phillips, Form 111 A.; I'2 years.) The first settlement of Taranaki was made by the Plymouth Company, which sent out Wakefield to find a suitable place for settling. He chose the site where the centre of New Plymouth now i<3, and in 1889 the William Bryan, an immigrant ship, came out and landed settlers. In those days the bush came right down to where the Boys’ High School now is, but the fine settiers soon cleared more land, and farms began to spring up. 'From 1850 to 1860 was appropriately named the ’‘Golden Age.” Prosperity reigned unchallenged. In 1853 a Provincial Government was formed at New Plymouth. The first impetus to trade was given at the time of the gold rush in Australia, when a great demand for New Zealand goods arose. However, the peace which fell over Taranaki was soon to be rudely broken.

Maori Wars. —The first outbreak was caused by the foolish action of the British, who were buying Maori land. Some time before, the Ngatiawa tribe had been conquered by the Waikatos, who, although they left the land, still considered it to be theirs by right of conquest. The British paid the Ngatiawas for this land as they were in occupation. The Waikatos consequently demanded t’ne purenase money, considering the land to be theirs, but they were not paid and they began to rebel. Another reason was that a certain block of land near Waitara was paid for by the British to only a few members of the tribe. Wiremu Kingi, the chief of the tribe, did not wish to sell the land and rebelled as the land was occupied by the British. On the outbreak of war, martial law was proclaimed ana forts and redoubts were raised over the country. The forts at New’ Plymouth, Bell Block, South Road, and later Sentry Hill and Fort Niger, were connected with the central fort on Maryland Hill. New Plymouth was surrounded by elaborate earthworks. The first battle was the storming of Kohia Pah, near Waitara. The troops, which were comprised of Imperial troops, which were recalled later, and the Taranaki Volunteer Corps, the first of its kind in the British Empire, accepted a challenge from Wiremu Kingi, and stormed the pah, the Maoris having fled into the swamps. The first man to lie killed was cavalry trooper Sarten. Soon after some white people were murdered at Waireka, which is five miles from New Plymouth, by the Maoris. The vengeful troops inarched out only to be cut off, but the day was saved by some sailors and marines from 11.M.5. Niger, who stormed Kaipopo Pah. It was here that the first Victoria Cross in New Zealand was won.

Then there happened a tragic affair— Nels-on and his men were literally cut up by the Maoris at Puketakauere. This was avenged by a British victory at Mahoetahi. At this time Sir George Grey succeeded General Gore-Brown as Governor and made a truce with the Maoris, but they were still unsatisfied. The period 1-863-64 was a series of skirmishes and ambuscades, which came to a head in the capture of a pah on the Kai take ranges. This warfare gradugave the Maoris the Paimarire religion, which was organised by Te La, who gave the Maoris the Paimarire religion, that is, the religion of "Goodness and Grace.* Another leader of this movement was the famous Te Kooti. The religion was a fanatical one, thp first act of which was to murder Captain Lloyd and his men.

In 1866 General Chute, commanding the forces in Taranaki w’ith General Cameron, carried out a wonderful exploit Li the form of a great drive round the mountain. Starting at Waitotara he came up to Hawera, destroyed every Maori stronghold in that district and came through dense bush up to New Plymouth. Then he went ‘back by the coast road to Patea. In five weeks he had stormed seven fortified pahs and twenty-one open villages. In the same year Major McDonnell earned the New Zealand Cross for his bravery at the storming of the Pungarehu pah.

A little later the British were nearly defeated in the defence of the Turu-

♦••rumoki fort, where there were manv women and children. It was here that Captain Ross lost his life. Also the British, under McDonnell, suffered a heavy defeat at Ngutu-o-te-manu, where the brave Major Von Tempsky was

killed. The conclusion of the war was reached when Titoikowaru, the Maori loader, was driven out of Taranaki by Whitmore in IS6B. The last echo of revolt was sounded when the Kev. Whiteley, after whom the Whiteley Church is named, his wife and children, also Lieutenant Gascoigne, were massacred at White Cliffs.

Effect of war on progress. —The retarding effect of the wars may be imagined. An awful drag on Taranaki for nine years handicapped it greatly. Many •people left the country for safer parts, bringing about a decrease in population. Work was left while the volunteer corps was busy fighting for its land and liberty. No farming could be carried on on a big scale. It put Taranaki back 25 to 50 years.

Trade and commerce.—As before mentioned, the first impetus to trade was the Australian gold rush and the demand for New Zealand goods. In 1860 this was the cause of a shipping service between New Plymouth, and Sydney, which offered great advantages. Efforts were made to raise crops, but as competition against Canterbury was hopeless this was given up and great interest was taken in dairy farming. Taranaki was far enough advanced by 1-806 for the first agricultural show to be held in New Plymouth. The first butter shipment left New Plymouth in JS74. In 1866 oil was struck at Moturoa, which may be the fore-runner of a great source of wealth for the pro-

vince, for all we know. In 1875 unsuccessful experiments were made with ironsand, which still defies the efforts of science.

Development of towns and transport. —Although the Bell, Ornata and Gray blocks were opened in 1856, and Waitara and Patea, n.i-.r the names of Raleigh and Carlyle, were in being as early as 1860, most of the other towns did not take shape till much later, the surveying of the land being stopped by the wars. The land upon which Stratford now stands was on an old Maori road and was purchased in 1873. In 1875 s.s. Avalanche arrived with immigrants for the settlement of Inglewood. Eltham was founded in 1875.

In the time of the Hau-Hau rebellions, in 1866, Balfour and Doyne surveyed the coast and decided where the railway was to go. In 1873 the New PlymouthWaitara line w<ls started and finished in 187'5. In IS7I New Plymouth and Opunake were connected by telegraph and a year later, New Plymouth and Wellington. In 1871 the first coach service from New Plymouth to Wanganui was established.

Prior to the days of the breakwater, surf-boats were used. The old surfiboa»t harbour was where the railway station now’ is. However, in 1874, an Act w’as passed setting aside funds for the purpose of building a good harbour. Tn 187'5 Provincial Government was a'bolished and Taranaki sent three members to the Parliament in Wellington.

SECOND PRIZE. (G. Ewart, Form 111 A.; 14 years © months.) During the years preceding 1850, the colony had been steadily growing. Land had been bought, the forest had been cleared, and the pioneers were rapidly building up the province. Then, in 1850, a depression came. Land was given back to the Maoris and .settlement was restricted. Governor Fitzroy tried to shift the colony altogether. Some went, but many remained, and conditions gradually became better. In the early fifties the province began to go ahead rapidly. The native lands were re-sold to the colonists, with the result that more emigrants arrived. There was an improvement in the type of men who came out. They w’ere educated gentlemen who had capital and were not afraid of work. The timber was felled and the land made ready for crops. The colonists found a market for their crops in Australia. The great number of gold diggers required to be fed. Shipments -of produce were made regularly to Sydney. The years 1850 to 1860 have rightly been called “the Golden Age.” As the province progressed New Plymouth grew in size and importance. In 1852 the first newspaper, the Herald, was published. In 1853 the old system of government, which was really no government at all, w’as abolished and the Provincial Councils were instituted. The need for a port had long been felt. In 1857 Mr. Carrington planned a port at Moturoa, but unfortunately the project was abandoned. In the same year the Taranaki Daily News was founded. In 1860 Taranaki was the most progressive province in New Zealand. As the settlers increased new land was bought up. It was the prosperity of Taranaki that caused the trouble over the Waitara land block.

The land near the mouth of the Waitara was occupied by Teira Manuka, who was willing to. sell the land to the settlers. But by Maori law and tradition Wiremu Kingi, who had conquered the land, was the owner. He refused to sell the land. Other chiefs, who also owned land and were profitably cultivating it, refused to sell. The Government ignored the claims of Wiremu Kingi ami others and bought the disputed block. Surveyors were .sent out to survey the land. * They were stopped by the Maoris, whereupon martial law was proclaimed in Taranaki and soldiers were sent”to occupy the land. Fighting began at the pah known as the L pah, on the border of the disputed land. The most important battle of the first campaign was Waireka, where volunteer soldiers showed their worth. It was here that for the first time in the history of the British Empire volunteer troops fought in a pitched battle. The Maoris were defeated and New Plymouth was saved from direct attack. ‘ The Waikatos w?re defeated at Mahoetahi, four miles from the present site of Waitara.

At the commencement of the war settlers abandoned their farms and took refuse in New Plymouth. The town presented a gay scene during the war. It was crowded, with soldiers ami settlers. It was decided to entrench the town. The defences were roughly in the form of a triangle. Marsland Hill, with its barracks and fort, formed the apex, Liardet Street formed one side, and Queen Street the other. Although most of the settlers flocked to New Plymouth the pioneers at Bell Block and Oniata determined to stay. They built redoubts and both had semaphore communication with New Plymouth. During the second campaign a redoubt was built at Sentrv Hill.

The war was concluded a year after it had begun. Governor Grey held an inquiry, which proved Wirenu Kingi’s right to the land at Waitara. Unfortunately Colonel Warre took armed occupation of Tataraimaka, which the Maoris claimed by right of conquest. They regarded it as an act of war and hostilities broke out anew. The war dragged on till 1864, when it appeared to die out. Then came the second wars. The

Maoris had taken on a new religion, the Pai-mariri or Hau-Hau. The second war was a religious war and far more fierce than the first. Captain Lloyd’s detachment was surprised and slaughtered. The Maoris drove the settlers from Tataraimaka. The leader of the Hau-Haus was Titokowaru, a grim

and clever chief. His policy was to make sudden and unexpected attacks on isolated redoubts. ’ The Maoris were imbued with a religious fervour which made them more terrible. The attempted storming of the Sentry Hili redoubt in broad daylight showed the frenzy with which, they were inspired.

The war became serious in 1866 and two Imperial generals, Chute and Cameron, were sent to the province. From Moturoa, near Waverley, Chute commenced a march to New Plymouth. He stormed many pahs and took all the villages in the Hawera district. He arrived at New Plymouth and then marched back to the coast, thus going right round the mountain. He then continued the war in South Taranaki. His policy was to make attacks inito the bush and to follow the Maoris and defeat them.

In 1867 there was a lull. However, it was but a rest before the two worst years of the war. In the next year Mac Donnell made an aittack on Te Ngutu-o-te-Manu, the headquarters of the Hau-Haus. It was here that the gallant Von Tempsky was killed. A taua made an attack on a small redoubt near Hawera and very nearly captured it. Tito.<owaru repulsed Colonel Whitmore and the Government withdrew all the forts on the coast. The Maoris were victorious or laid w’aste the country down to Wanganui.

In 18'6!), however, Colonel Whitmore returned and drove Titokowaru up to the north of the province. In 1860 the Rev. John Whitteley and Lieutenant Gascoigne were massacred at White Cliffs. This ended the war in Taranaki. It had retarded progress and had only resulted in an enormous loss of property. New Plymouth had escaped much of the Hau-Hau war, as is shown by the fact that in 1865 an agricultural show was held. After 18'60 a period of reconstruction followed. In 1870 New Plymouth had telegraphic communication with Wellington and in the following year with Opunake. With the telegraph camo the railway, which opened up Taranaki a great deal. Then the province commenced to advance rapidly. A coach service was run to Wanganui while the railway was being constructed, ar.d in 1874 a harbour district was formed.

Then the inland towns were developed. In 1874 Inglewood was formed and after great labour the land was cleared. Stratford was bought and advanced rapidly. For a while Normanby and Hawera progressed side by side, but soon Hawera grew larger. The inland towns were soon centres of farming districts. The land had been cleared to make room for dairying and sown with grass. The year 1875 saw Taranaki settled after the wars and progressing rapidly. Exports had grown, communication improved and population greatly increased. Taranaki was happy and contented, an<s well on the road to prosperity.