FIFTY YEARS AGO.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 144129, 26 June 1913, Page 2

FIFTY YEARS AGO.

TARANAKI’S EARLY HISTORY* (Prom Taranaki Herald. 1863.)' Friday, June 26.—W0 hear thiA morning that Hapurona sent in a (-challenge yesterday, addressed to "The Governor, the'-General, Mr. Bell, and Mr. Parris.” It is written on half a sheet of account paper, and is signed by “Hapurona, the General of the Maoris.” Ho says that “he, and all the people, are now ready to fight, and will fight by the light of the sun.” He also wishes that the troops should go and fight him; if they do not he must make them by occupying European.land at Bell Block! Hapurona has not been in town since January 25, 1862; when he was arrested by the police for riotous and disorderly conduct in tho public streets. He was*' then, we believe, in receipt of £IOO per annum as commandant of tho Matarikoriko ! blockhouse, which he threw up in consequence of his having been made a, “slave” of by tho police. He has been residing with his followers at To Aroi, and in daily communication with' the Mataitawa Natives, whose leader ho will be in fighting against tho pakehas, as he was in the last war. Many of our' readers will remember that Hapurona was said to have been the. chief officer of engineers at Puketakauere and Hat-.’ rangi, and was in command of die' 70 v men who repulsed the 1200 ait the latter place. - i We are informed that a few Taranaki , Natives have come down from Waikato with six kegs of gunpowder, which i they intend taking, south, round the mountain. They brought messages da 1 the Mataitawa people. The weather is very fine, tho: gale* having subsided on Wednesday nighty The Airedale, due from ManUfcau this morning, hae not arrived, and isjprob-' ably detained watting for the Englishmail. ? The Bell blockhouse garrison-,.-is to be reinforced, to-mqrrbw by men ftpm-Nb. 1 Volunteers and No. 1 Militiai.