OVER 50 YEARS AGO

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 265, 8 November 1937, Page 2

OVER 50 YEARS AGO

SIEGE OF PARIHAKA CAPTURE OF TE WHITI WANGANUI SURVIVORS Three out of a large number of Wanganui members of the New Zealand Volunteer Force who took part in lhe siege of Parihaka on November 5, 1881, are among the few survivors of the last military action against the Maoris. They are Messrs. George Spriggens, James Pawson, and J. C. Richardson. All are living in Wanganui to-day. The late Mr. C. W. Poynter, who died recently, the late Mr H. Hooker, and Mr. N. Meuli were among the Wanganui residents who participated in the memorable event of over fifty years ago.

The disappearance of the Hauhau leader, Te Kuti, really marked the, finish of the Maori War, but Parihaka became dangerous, a small stormcentre shortly afterwards, checking the growing friendships between Maori and pakeha. The leader of the Maoris with whom the troubles arose in 1881 was Te Whit!, who has been described as "a Christian and a mystic with more than his fair share of keen Maori intelligence.” He was not a fighting man, and he preached peace, but he had much of the power of the old tohungas. Te Whiti adopted a policy of passive resistance to the opening of the Waimate Plains for settlement. He pulled up the pegs of the surveyors and ordered the workers off, but when his followers were taken to prison h? would not allow a hand to be raised in their defence. Instead, he retaliated by ploughing up the grass lands of the pakeha. “Put your hands to the plough,” he is reported to have told his followers. “Be not afraid if any come with swords and if they smite. Smite ye not again, neither touch their goods, nor steal their flocks and herds. My eye sees all of you and I will punish the offender. Let the soldiers seize me if they will.”

When for a second time the pegs of the surveyors were pulled out, the Government did send soldiers. There were in Taranaki at the time 500 or 600 men of the armed Constabulary, and these were supplemented by about 1500 volunteers drawn from ail over New Zealand.

Conversing with a reporter yesterday, Mr. Spriggens said the men from Wanganui boarded the ship Manawatu and journeyed up the coast as far as Opunake. “It was a terrible rough sea voyage and we were all glad to get ashore,” said Mr. Spriggens. After a period of drilling the troops marched inland to Parihaka. On the night of November 5, the troops took up positions round Parihaka Pa, but the Maoris made no resistance whatever. Major Tuke, officer in charge, who, accompanied by the Minister of Native Affairs, the Hon. John Bryce, rode up and read the Riot Act. Te Whiti then turned to his people and whimsically remarked: “The potato is cooked,” meaning in modern parlance that “the game was up” and he and his lieutenant, Tohu, were arrested. “The only shot fired,” said Mr. Spriggens, “was fired by a trooper who was cleaning his rifle and he did not know that it was loaded. The next day the Wanganui men commenced their homeward journey. They were hospitably entertained at Manaia. On arrival at Waverley they boarded trucks and were brought to Wanganui by rail.”