VETERAN OF MAORI WARS

Taranaki Daily News, 13 October 1928, Page 13

VETERAN OF MAORI WARS

COLONEL ROBERTS’ DEATH. By Telegraph.—Presss Association. Rotorua, Oct. 12. The death of Lieutenant-Colonel John Mackintosh Roberts, N.Z.C., the oldest veteran of tho New Zealand wars, has occurred. Ho was born in Bombay, India, in 1840, arrived in the Dominion in 1855, served with distinction in the Maori Wars, afterwards holding an important civic position as Warden and magistrate. lie retired in 1909 to his home at Rotorua. Two sons and two daughters survive him. Lieutenant-Colonel Roberts was a wellknown figure in the Maori Wars, He joined Major Jackson’s Forest Rangers in 1803, and later Von Tempsky’s Corps. He took part in many engagements, notably Orakau, Ngutu-o-te-Manu, Moturoa, and Ngatapa. In 1869 he was officer in command of tho Urewera expedition column, and was mentioned in dispatches and' awarded the New Zea land Cross. From 1870 to 1878 he was O.C. in the Taupo and Tauranga districts; from 1879 to 1881 O.C. in Taranaki, and commanded at Parihaka in 1886. He became O.C. of the permanent militia. He relinquished military duties in 1888, and was appointed resident magistrate, finally retiring in 1909. A GALLANT, DIGNIFIED FIGURE. TE NGUTU 0-TE-MANU RETREAT. ■ Having won himself lasting distinction for valour and wise but daring leadership at a time when courageous acts had to be outstanding to merit mere than passing recognition, Lieu-tenant-Colonel Roberts, N.Z.C., always occupied a dignified position in tho thoughts of New Zealanders. His name can never be forgotten in Taranaki because it is intimately bound up in the history of its most troublous days, but outside this province, too, he was known and respected not only for his services in the Maori war, but for his activities as a civilian in later years. . The memorable deeds he performed as a soldier 60 years ago may be appreciated, perhaps, from one typical example of his bravery. Colonel McDonnell’s force had .been routed at the battle of Te Ngutu-o-te-Manu. They were retreating in the dense forest, surrounded by enemies firing from the treetops. Major Von Tempsky was dead. Captain Buck held his position, while SuO-lnspeetor Roberts went to try to bring in the body of the gailant Prussian, said an old account of the battle. He was away but a few moments, but when he returned Buck lay dead, with his face to the foe . . , The supreme task, of leading the little band of SO men out of the ambuscade into which they had stumbled now fell on Roberts’ shoulders. ... If there was a Hero in the story, of that terrible defeat it was he. His coolness and courage rose to the. occasion. At first he exposed himself with the greatest recklessness. A sergeant seeing him about to throw himself into almost certain death to give bmp to his men flung his arms around Renerts’ waist and Kept him back by main force. For a few moments Roberts stormed at the man, but the fellow stuck to his point. “I’m right, sir, and you’re wrong,” he said as the rifle shots rang out in their ears, “We are here and our lives are in your hands. It is your duty to keep out of danger.” Roberts saw the justice of th© rebuke, kept his head, got ms men togeuier, and tried to thread his way out of the trackless tangle ef forest, ferns and creepers. But he had many narrow escapes, and once his carbine was nearly knocked from bis hands by a shot that hit it.