FIFTY YEARS AGO.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LVIII, Issue 14331, 8 October 1910, Page 4

FIFTY YEARS AGO.

TARANAKI’S EARLY HISTORY. (From tho Taranaki Herald of 1860.1 Monday, October B.—Ropiha visited Mataitawa on Saturday,'where a party of Wi- King’s allies; the Puketapns, are located, with a permission from the District Commissioner (Mr. Parris) for Matin, the brother of Raniera, the Assessor, who has expressed his desire to join the friendly Natives, to accompany him back again. Ropiha returned this morning, bringing not only Matin, but six other rebels, with four women, who have come over to the friendly side, and amongst them Hoera I’irere, or Big Joe, Manahi’s brother, who, it seems, has come over in a fit of' vexation occasioned by seme quarrel with his southern friends. On the receipt of the intelligence that Big Joe was one of tho party, Mr. Parris requested a number of friendly Natives, with T’ahana and Raniera at their head, to proceed to the spot whore tho rebels were (on, tho edge of tho forest near Smart’s 7 farm) and bring him in by force, if necessary, and make him prisoner. An eye-witness, who could sop tho proceedings from tho pa at Waiwakaiho, saw Raniera’s party advance. ‘ On nearing tho bush they tired their pieces in tho air as a token' of amity, which was returned by tho rebels. Others wore seen to join and salute each other, firing off more guns, and, after the lapse of an hour or moro, the whole party were seen to leave the bush and come towards the friendly pa at Waiwakaiho. Faring was still kept up during tho march, and, on crossing the Waiwakaiho Bridge, all the women from tho different pas congregated and set up the most dismal howling imaginable, taken up afterwards by tho men. When the rebels arrived at the pa, Big Joe was scop to bo tho leader,’ marching past*with great coolness and, .audacity.' and on coming within a few yards of the resident Natives they also took up tho howling, which was kept up by both sides without intermission—some of the old women vying with each other who could howl the loudest—for two hours. When this Maori modo of greeting had subsided, rubbing noses and more crying commenced, which ended, all tat down, when Air. Parris, who had ridden into town when tho party had crossed the bridge, came up and addressed a few words to them, at the conclusion of which Big Joe stopped forward and laid his musket at Air. Parris’s feet, and was followed by the rest, and the muskets were taken possession of by a policeman. Not a word was spoken by the rebels during the whole affair. About this time, a party of military arrived under Lieutenant Chevalier, Goth Regt., when Air. Parris requested Big Joo to follow him. Big Joe, apparently knowing all about it, got up,’-.cast a look:at the military, coolly took off - his .cartouche box, handed it over to a Native, and placed himself between a file of soldiers with fixed bayonets, and marched into town apparently under tho impression that it was a mere matter ot form. As the party approached the town, numbers of the townspeople were on their way to see Alanaha’s brother, the notorious Big Joo, and by tho time the party reached the barrier gate in Devon Street there was scarcely room to got through the crowd, who were groaning and hissiug at the prisoner. Joe, how-, ever, never winced, and maintained his bold defiant look. He was then lodged in the gaol and ironed. The other six rebels and tho women are Joft at large at Waiwakaiho. They arc— Matin ami wife, Hcnqro Tikikii, Hota, wife, and'child, Raniera, Te Kowoti,' wife, and child, Wi to Alaiho, and Hnihana (Joe’s wife) and two children. Why the whole wore not made prisoners of war is not stated, and wo shall he glad to hear why, the whole of them being, rebels in arms, against Her Alajesty’s authority. It has not the merit of conciliating the Natives, who impute the, act to cowardice. It is scarcely necessary to state that Hoera lias been with the Ngatiruamii rebels since’the outbreak. Wo are told by Ropiha that there woro no . casualties on the side of the enemy in the affair on Saturday under Colonel Leslie. Ho adds that Horopapcra, Hapnrona’s son, had a bullet through the sleeve of his shirt. Ensign Butler and a party of the 65th escorted carta with produce from Bel! Block to-day.