STRIFE 75 YEARS AGO

Taranaki Daily News, 17 August 1935, Page 17 (Supplement)

STRIFE 75 YEARS AGO

WRECK OF GEORGE HENDERSON. MAORI WAR IN TARANAKI. Just 75 years ago the brig George Henderson, which was being fitted up for taking the families of Taranaki settlers to Nelson, broke her moorings and was driven ashore northward of the Henui River, New Plymouth, in a gale. It was then found necessary to call out the militia and volunteers to prevent the wreck being plundered by the natives. This and other events, notably the death of Ephraim Coad, who was shot while coming from the wreck to the town, the killing of Henry Crann, while searching for bullocks on Avenue Road, and the burning of the whole Henui village with the exception of the church, chapel and minister’s house, led to the following declaration being endorsed by a large majority in the House of Representatives:

“That in the opinion of this House, the interference of Wiremu Kingi at Waitara, and his resort to force to prevent the securing of land, that rendered the measures adopted by His Excellency the Governor indispensible for the maintenance of Her Majesty’s sovereignty, and the welfare of both races of Her Majesty’s subjects, peremptorily require a vigorous prosecution of the war to a successful termination.” ‘

On August 18 a large force marched to Kaihihi and destroyed several pas. The proclamation of the general demanding the removal of women or children was not only disobeyed, but in some instances resisted, the women positively refusing to leave their husbands and sons, choosing rather to suffer the miseries of a seige. A proclamation was then made offering a discharge from military service of all married settlers who were willing to move with their families to Nelson.

To alleviate to some extent the strain of the seige a comic paper, the Taranaki Punch was published for the first time.