FIFTY YEARS AGO.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 144667, 29 April 1915, Page 4

FIFTY YEARS AGO.

TARANAKI’S EARLY HISTORY. (From the Taranaki Herald of 1865.) Saturday, April 29.—Intelligence was received in town about 9 a.m. on Sunday last that one of the Mounted Corps, Joseph Hawke, had been shot by the Natives at Stoney River the previous afternoon, and that another man named Jury, n private of the 43rd Regiment. was missing. Great excitement was caused, and at noon about 20 ol the Mounted Corps under command of Captain .Mace and Cornet Johnson, accompanied by some of the townspeople, started for the' spot. .Messrs. Kndres and Antonio were among the latter, and from them we have gathered the following particulars:— On Saturday last four of the Mounted Corps (Hawke. Reynolds, Clements and Badderly) with four soldiers of the 43rd. started under orders to fetch in cattle for the commissariat. One of the soldiers (Jury) was. on horseback, hut the others were on foot and unarmed. One of tiie latter got hold of a calf and having made fast was driving her in before him. The other men wero scattered. All at once a ‘‘cooeo” was hoard, and Hawke rode to the spot it proceeded from. A Native on horseback appeared from a bush at a distance ol six or seven yards, dropped the bridle on the neck of the horse, and took deliberate aim at Hawke with

e. double-barrel gun. firing both barrels, and Hawke fell. His companions not knowing the number of Natives that might be in ambush made otf towards the camp. Iml were pursued and driven into a swamp. Reynolds and Clements were compelled to leave their horses in it. They succeeded in reaching the camp, as also did Badderly and three of the soldiers. Jury being missing. The surprise was made about ■) p.in,, at a distance of about four or five miles trom the post. Next morning Alajor Colville, with a party of the bird, went out to reeoiun.itre the plaee. when they found Hawke’s body and Ids horse also shot, a.s well as that of Jury, lint there was no trace of the latter, and no Natives were seen. Hawke’s body was conveyed to the camp and thence to town on .Montlav.

On Sunday lasi a report was received through a Native that the Ngntinumiapoto were expected down immediately by Win. King’s people. As it would have hindered the survey and occupation of the* Wailnra, country to have any considerable number of Natives at Kaipikari, Colonel Warn- determined on taking posse.s.lon of Bukeamho and cutting off communication from the north. The Fhoebe was chartered to take 150 of the 70th and the Bushrangers down, and they embarked In the evening under Colonel Muloek. arriving off Fukcaruho on .Monday morning. About P a.m. the first boat-load, consisting'of Mr. Paris and two friendly Natives, and ten of the Bushrangers under Lieut. Free, were sent ashore

and took possession of the cliffs commanding tlio landing. Two hours later Captain Jonas anil 2o more Bushrangers, anil then Capt. Rolston and about seventy men of the 70th were landed. Then the weather compelled the Phoebe to fro to sea. and she had to go on to Alnnukau, whence the men who did not land at Pnkeanihe were brought back by the Wbanganui on Friday. They proceeded at once .to Cape Egrnont. Colonel Warro going in command, with the object of landing and taking possession of To Xanin. if William King ol L'mnroa offers no opposition.