THE Thames Advertiser Favour to none; fear of none; justice to all. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20, 1893.

Thames Advertiser, Volume XXVI, Issue 7663, 20 October 1893, Page 2

THE Thames Advertiser Favour to none; fear of none; justice to all. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20, 1893.

Mr Northcroft, Mr Northcroft. who hag filled the position of Warden and R.M. of the Thames Goldfield's district for tlio past 5-1 years, and who sncceods Dr Giles as Resident Magistrate at Auckland, must indeed havo felt gratified yostorday morning to learn from thosq who are most directly connected with tho working of tho field, that his arduous labours on tho Thames havo not been in win, and that a high sense of appreciatioii is felt in every quarter for tho impartial manner in which he has ovorperforraod his duties .either in tho capacity of Warden or Magistrate. Without doubt tho laudatory remarks wero moritoriously deserved, and wo can only reitorate the expression■' of Mr Miller, when ho said that our loss would be Auckland's gty'n. It may be of interest to our readers to know that Mr Northcroft has had a most stirring career, having served in, the colonial forces in tho campaign against the:' Maoris from 1860 to the close of tho last native war. He j joined in' Taranaki in the boginning of tho 1860 war, and took a prominent part* although then quite young, in the defence of tho Now Plymouth .district against the Maoris. Ho served, in Wanganui with the military settlers, and was altogother in 60 engagements with the Maoris. Ho was seldom out of the field and yet escaped cvon a wound. He gradually rose I loasub-in pectorship of ArmodOonstablary, and received a commission as Captain _of Militia. Mr Northcroft's bravery in the field was frequently mentioned in despatches, and his deeds in tho old war-timo are detailed in "ThoDe-' fenders of Now Zoalaud." In October, 1886, during tho Tarauaki war, he pluckily rescued Farrier-Major Duff, in Col..McDonald's force; from being tomakawked by the Maoris at the Waimiiito plains, though DufF died shortly ■ aftorwai'ds. During the atta'c| on Otauto, near Patoa, where Titokowaru was posted with tho Maorjonemy, a man named Watt, of tho Armed 'Coustabu-J lary, in Sub-Inspector Northcroffc's .division, was severely wounded, and was loft lying amongst some flax bushes, ilia place much exposed to thoencmy's fire. iMr Northcrofb wont forward and carried the. wounded man in his arms from under' tho firo, but while in tho act of doing Vsp Watt was again wounded in his arms,' and died,shortly aftowards. Ho also behaved with conspicuous coolness -and bravory on tho march with the colonial forces from Wairoit, Hawko's Bay, to Lake Waikaremoana, after To ICooti, in 1869; 'After tho native campaign Mr Northcroijt was mado Resident Magistrate in tlio Waikuto, being succeeded there some years ago by Captain Jackson.' ' •'■'''•