THE WAITARA CLAIMS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXII, Issue 19439, 27 October 1925, Page 2

THE WAITARA CLAIMS

INCIDENTS THAT LED TO MAORI WAR. A PIONEER’S STORY. There aro few pioneers possessed of all their faculties and capable of relating some of the incidents leading up to tho Maori War troubles at Taranaki, and also matters appertaining to the Waitara natives’ claims for compensation for land acquired in tho early days. However, there resides in Wanganui Mr. J. K. Revell, la Maori War veteran, who has been 85 years in New Zealand, and is the sixteenth oldest settler in the Dominion, who is able to shed some ■light on the issues in dispute between the Maoris and tho Government. In conversation with a “Chronicle” reporter during the week-end, the hardy old pioneer pointed out that Ehaia and Taumati, who were always friendly natives, sold to the Government the property where the Waitara township now stands. Subsequently a chief named William King and his tribesmen came across from some of the islands, settled there, and took possession. Later th? Government sent surveyors to survey tho land purchased from Ehaia and Taumlati, but King’s men pulled up the pegs and drove the surveyors off. In 1860 the Government despatched the 65th Regiment, which was camped at Poverty Flat, New Plymouth, to protect the surveyors, and Mr. Revell well remembers tho day they struck camp and marched off. Some time elapsed between that day and when tho first shot Was fired on March 17, 1860.. Mr. Revell said he remembered the day King and his men passed New Plymouth in canoes en route to Waitara. The day was perfect, and the sea resembled a sheet of glass. He witnessed tho sight from the shore, where the New Plymouth railway station now stands. There was no doubt that King took possession at Waitara, but Mr. Revell said he always regarded him as a squatter. If tho land ho was referring to was that for which the natives were endeavouring to get compensation, ho could not see whore they had lany claim, because the land was purchased by tho Government from Ehaia ana Taumati. The two remained friendly chiefs, and ho had visited their pahs at Waitaria on many occasions. Mr. Revolt admitted that the land he had in mind might not be that for which the Maoris were claiming compensa tion, but if it was, ho considered it was not necessary for the Government lo make payment for it.