A PIONEER'S STORY

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7784, 15 August 1903, Page 4

A PIONEER'S STORY

AT SUMNER.

STRANDING OF THE ALMA. MAORI TROUBLES. (By A PIONEER OP THE FIFTIES.). At a spot close to thp «nd of the Sumner Jetty, Hies deeply embedded in the sand, all that remains of the screw steamer Alma. The day previous to the wreck a party of immigrants, under the direction of myself (I was then acting as emigration' officer), took passage in the Alma from Lyttelton to the steam wharf on the Heathcote river, where they disembarked. On the return voyage, the steamer stood on to take the Sumner bar with the ebb tide, andt by some means missed the chanftiei and ran on to the rock on which the beacon is now placed. After she struck she backed astern, and went aground on the sandbank immediately in front of the rock nearest the jetty. There she stuck hard and fast. Chains and tackle were brought over from Lytteiton, and logs of timber cut out of the Riccarton Bush, and an attempt was mad© to. salve t&e.vessel. The chains, after being passed round the hull, were made fast to the rock, and, with the object of keeping her afloat when she slid into deep water, the logs of timber were lashed to her sides. In spite of these precautions, however, the vessel sank -immediately upon being dragged off the sand bed, the chains, it was thought, having cut her in s two. It was a. distinct loss to the settlement, for the Alma was admirably adapted for the requirements of the river trade. She was the first steam vessel to trade between Lyttelton and Heathcote. The Alma was followed by the' paddlesteamer Planet, purchased in Melbourne by a Canterbury syndicate, called the Canterbury S.S. Company, and the latter vessel was in turn succeeded by the s.s. Mulloch. Major Hornbrook, I might add, was the first occupant of the Mount Pleasant Run, the summit of which was the only signal station, in use then for announcing the arrival of vessels at the Heads. ■*•* THE SUMNER MAGAZINE. Shortly after the commencement of the Maori War in the North. Island, I received a warrant covering my appointment as prosecutor under the Arms and Native Act — in fact, a deputy commissioner in Native affairs. I took into my confidence a chief n&med Isah, of Port Levy, a most intelligent Maori, and a perfect gentleman in his way. He filled the office of Native Assessor, and his duty lay in keeping me informed, on any matters of importance concerning the Some few weeks after my appointment Isah came into the office at Lyttelton and' stated that he had an important communication to make. Having taken all precautions to ensure secrecy, he informed me that Jacky Williams and two other Natives from the North Island proposed to break open the door of the powder magazine on the Sumner Road, and take possession of the contents. This magazine, I may explain, consisted of a cave hewn out of the solid' rock in PolhiU's Bay — the next bay beyond Sticking Point. Williams's plan was to come round from Port Levy in a whaleboat, land on the beach, from where he and his companions could climb the hill and loot the three or four kegs of powder which the magazine contained. A few days after making this communication Isah again came to the office, and stated that the attempt was to be made the following night, between midnight and 2 a.m. The whaleboat would be landed at Gollan's Bay. \ iMARAUDING MAORIS. We made our preparations for a capture, and Friday night having arrived, two constables and myself made our way to the bay and secreted ourselves behind some flax bushes, within fifty yards of the road. We had been in hiding about two hours, when at about 1 a.m. we heard the grating noise <of a boat being run ashore on the beach below. Presently a slight rustling! noise fell upon our straining ears, and three figures came into view. They all halted aiwhile, evidently to hold a korero, and then, leaving one of their number to act as sentinel, the other two crept cautiously towards the magazine. As • they began to fumble with the lock w,e made a rushj and, knocking the sentinel senseless, we were on the other two before they recovered from their surprise. While we were attending to his companions the sentinel suddenly came to his senses, and bolted. However, we had ;twp of them, and we set ourselves to getting them down into their boat. After a good deal of labour we managed to effeeb'this, and giving them a parting reminder — they were then in a partly dazed condition — we shoved off the boat and left them to look after themselves. I afterwards learned 1 from my friend Isah that they arrived 1 at Port 'Levy the following morning in a sad' plight. They were laid up for some time at the pah, and when sufficiently recovered' they made itheir way back again to th© 'North Island *in a cutter called the Fly. The third mam Ijneve* heard of again, but it was believed that he came from Kaikoura. After this occurrence a sentry was posted nightly at the magazine for several months. A SCRIMMAGE WITH THE MAORIS. When under the influence of drink a Maori is, as a rule, anything but a lovable companion, his inclinations being 1 distinctly pugilistic. This unamdable "side of the Native character being ijeoognised, an ordinance was passed prohibiting the sale of alcoholic liquor' to Maoris. The" mcnleut which I am about fcb narrate happened in Lyttelton in 1853. On my periodical official visits to the pahs I c&me to the «.'oticlusion that the Maoris were consuming more liquor than was <good for tihem, so' orders were ismied to the police to keep 'a sharp look-out to detect those supplying the stuff, and to arrest any Maori ujsdcr the influence of drink.) One Maori in particular gave us a good deal of trouble, nob alone from his drunken lhabits, but from his thievish proclivities. He went by the name of Jacky Williams, and he had formerly been ah officer's servant in the North Island. Without exception he was a thorough scoundrel. His woman was known by the name of "big Sarah." She was an immense ' creature, sft llin in height and very stout in proportion. She had a particular affection for a big clay Bipe, which was never out ,of her mouth, ne afternoon I • saw Jack and his woman come out of the Robin Hood' public-house, both the worse for drink. It was a pretty tough job to tackle the- two unaided, "hut I made a start after them, whereupon Jacky aaid 'his wife fooltedi. I Overtook and passed lvei" ladyship, and, keeping in Jacky's wake, was close upon that worthy's heels when he entered.' me pah. « By the ■time I got insido Jacky was very near to the top of a ladder leading to. a loft, and with a great effort I succeeded in catching one of his legs, to which I clung. Big Sarab had in the meanwhile arrived' on the scene, and dutifully went to the a.id of her 1 1 lord by mounting tha ladder and hanging on to my leg. The ladder, unable to bear the weight, cairied away, and we three, each hanging on to the other, cam© to the ground with a crash. Sarah recovering first threw herself on top of me, and set to work to loosen my. hold of Jacky. . Her immense bulk was slowly crushing me, so I called the other Maoris to my assistance, and by dint of sheer force they at last pulled her, away. I then handcuffed Jacky, and helped him to his legs. He was in a sorry plight, amd so for that matter was I. Jacky's nondescript military umforta, tie pride of his heart, was in rags, and my clothing was torn and covered with filth. 3The journey to the police depot was rather* eyentful, the whole of tbe tribe, about 200^

following and reviling me, At the station I had some diffic« ltv in making my way 'through the crowd, but a pipe from my whistle brought out the men from the bar-rack-room, and they opened a pathway. Jacky having been safely deposited 1 in the lock-up I went outside,, whereupon the whole mob of Maoris surrounded and abused me for meddling with Jacky. Attempts at pacifying them having no effect, I collared the ringleader and took him in also. This measure tod the desired (result, andi the Maoris were silenced . A KORERO. Having changed my clothing and got rf* of the abominable stendb, I made my way back to the pah, where I found all assembled in solemn korero over the affair. I sat down on a mat in their midst and explained the law of the land a.nd the penalty fo£ misbehaviour. After about two tours' talk) they became pacified, and hailing me as a good fellow invited me to partake of some tea, bread and boiled potatoes. Big Sarah, who sat close to me, was not at all pleased, anS I quite expected "to receive an ugly knock or amot'her squeeze. However, luckily for her, and still more luckily for me-, she forebore from indulging in violent behaviour. THE TRIAL. Next morning, at eleven o'clock, ovex 1 200 Maoris assembled in front of the Couathouse, the iwmen squatting on theirs haunches, smojeing, and the men lounging, about. The case was doubly interesting! from the fact fehat Jacky had t!he distinction of being the first Maori to be locked 1 up in the settlement. As Jacky and Ijaasjm into view of the assemblage uhew wenifc, up a mighty shout that could be heard! mules away, and one woman started ai lament. Not wishing to allow the natives to gaitbiea* the impression that I was frightened of] them I had come without an escort, and 1 I did not reach the security of the Courtroom without some misgivings. Only a few Maoris were permitted in Court, and, as /a fact, the three Magistrates, the prisoner, and myself took up the greater part of the room. My 'evidence having been given, the prisoner was asked, if he had anything to say. His only reply was — " I am a gentleman. (myself) drunk, not I." He was then: fined £5 for being drunk, £10 for assaulting the police while in the execution of their duty, £4 for damage to my uniform, and ordered to be imprisoned until the fine was paid. Poor Jacky utterly collapsed. A NATIVE DEMONSTRATION. I took upon myself the task of informing Jacky's brethren outside of his fate, and upon hearing the decision of the Bench another howl went up. v Manifold curses were called down upon my head, and the mob pressed in until some got too close to be*pleasant. Thinking it high time to bring them to their senses, I collared one of the most offensive, and, bringing him before the Bench, gave evidence upon which he was fined £1. RAISING THE ">UTIL" . I attended a korero held at the pah, for the purpose of finding ways and means for raising the mon£y to pay the fines. At last, after five hours' solid talking, they inquired if the Queen would take half In potatoes, firewood, and some Native mats. I said " No, certainly not. The Queen must have the utUj and ribthing but the. utu. All they could muster was a little over £2. I suggested that they should send to the other pahs, and probably the Maoris there would help. In three days the fines were paid, and so ended the first introduction) of the Maori to the majesty of the law. I might here mention that Jacky was thoroughly disliked by the tribe. Big Sarah, now in a very humble mood, transferred her affections from Jacky to my unworthy self, and manifested a desire to rub nos.es with me. I delicately declined the lady's addresses.