A FAMOUS BATTLE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 8522, 15 January 1906, Page 2

A FAMOUS BATTLE.

* RUAPEKAPEKA'S DIAMOND JUBILEE. Two of New Zealand's soldier veterans — S&rgeant Sage and Private Tho-bo-rn—called at the Auckland " Star " office on Thursday to remind the editor 1 that that day was the diamond jubitee of the taking of the Ruapekapeka Pa. The battle was a famous and important one, leading as it did to the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi* Ruapekapoka is iti the Bay of Islands district. A Dody of Maoris, on that far a^ay <jlay— January n, 1846 — of unknown strength, were fortified in their pa on a hill, savagely defying the British troops who were arrayed, against fhem. tn their pa a flagstaff had been ejected, and on the staff hung a, largo bell— a spoil of a former victory^— oft Wirioh a 4. intervals the Maori warriors boom«d out a challenge to their enemies, shouting, "Send the pakeha to the front-— the big ones, the fat ones— for kaikai." The pa was stormed on. a Sunday morning in showery weather. About a {thousand British were engaged, consisting of seven, companies of the 68»h Regiment, two ooinpamss of the 99th, 6-no of the 96t-h, and some sailors and ni.arines. The pa was captured. Mrlthin an hour a.t a cost of thirty-six men, The assault took the enemy foy surprise, and, but for the impetuosity of a Jack Tar, it would probably haye been effected almost without • bloodshed. Jack, however, so aeon as he reached the flagstaff, ran up his blue ehirt as an emblem of possession, and. then made the bell i^sound triumphantly. The well-meant act was calamitous. Tho sound alarmed tho Maoris, many of whom had* strayed out of the pa, ttna there was a rally, which cost lives.' After the expulsion tile Maoris infested the surrounding forest, and the British ispsnt the rest of a long summer day in hunting them and driving them toward Hokiariga. The victory broke down the last vestige of Maori resistance, and the Treaty of Waitangi. signed by Govepn<M* Gray and the Maori chi«fs, followed. The storming party was led by Captain Dlnnie and Lieutenant George Wyttyard. Thirteen survivors of that battle, all of them ow eighty years of age, siill reside- in the Auckland disfcriot. They belonged to the old 58th'. and include Qn.art&rmaster-Sergeant John Mitchell (Klleralie). Sergeant J«we Sage (Winchester S&eet, Newton), Sergeant He&ley (East Street, Newton V and Privates John Thoborn (Parnell). Henry Gillan (Mangapai), James OhapMatt (Ponsonby), James Campbell. Skinner, and Jamipe Neav© (Onetounga), Alexander Whisker, Thomas O'Connor 'Newmarket>. Hei*ry Lawrenoe (Mt Eclen), Johj6 Allen (Auckland). "I am eighty-two years of ag»,' said Prirat9 Thoborn^ when the story of Huapekapeka had been 'told to the reprewntatire, " and I Tiav© never been, out of Auokland sine© that battle." " I am also eighty-two years of age,'' added Ssrgeaat Sag&, "and I hare nev*r se&n the Sotith Island." After ei«ty long years the thoaghts of t-heso old wamors appear still to dwell upon; RuapekatJeka as on til© one hax>py event of thefr lir€^.