BYGONE DAYS IN TARANAKI.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXI, Issue XI, 10 September 1898, Page 332

BYGONE DAYS IN TARANAKI.

ADVENTURES OF A MAN SENTENCED TO DEATH.

Enoka, for murdering' his wife at Parihaka in November last, suffered the extreme penalty of the law in the New Plymouth gaol on May 2nd. He is the fourth man who has been sentenced to death in Taranaki, the whole of them being either Maoris or halfcastes. The first man for whom the judge put on the ‘black cap’ was Hori, a half-caste, of whose adventures I shall refer to somewhat fully later on. The next was Wiremu Hiroki, who was hanged on June Bth, 1882, for the murder of John McLean, at Momohaki, in the I’atea district, on September 19, 1878. He for many years escaped from being taken as he sought refuge amongst the disaffected natives and was only arrested when Parihaka was besieged in 1881 and the natives dispersed to their several districts. Mahi Kai was the next man who received the sentence of death for the murder of Stephen Maloney, in the Recreation Ground, on April 11th, 1890. His sentence was, however, commuted to one of imprisonment for life, owing to the evidence at the trial being somewhat conflicting as to the time of the old man’s death, and the whereabouts of Mahi Kai on that day. Enoka was the fourth, but as the event is of such recent occurrence it is unnecessary for me to refer to his crime.

With regard to Hori, after the sentence of death had been passed on him he had more chances of escaping from custody than any other man on record, and he died a natural death after all. The Maoris were in a state of rebellion at the time, and as a party of the 57th Regiment, in charge of a

prisoner, were on their way to New Plymouth from the Tataramohi camp, they were surprised by a number of natives who were in ambush, when all the soldiers but one were killed. Amongst those shot were Dr. Hope and Lieut. Tragett. On June 29th, as Lieut. Waller was riding to Poutoko, he was fired at by natives, who killed

his horse. Whilst disengaging himself from the 'fallen beast a native sprang out at him with a tomahawk, whom Lieut. Waller wounded with a revolver, and then made his escape. The native was Hori, who concealed himself in the fern, where he was found by some soldiers, who turned out after the report of firearms was

heard. Hori was taken prisoner, and on his person was found a watch, pouch, belt, and other accoutrement belonging to Dr. Hope. The native was brought into town, and on July 4, 1863, was tried before the Chief Justice, Sir George Arney. He was found guilty of shooting at Lieut. Waller with intent to murder, and sentenced to penal servitude for life; and for the murder of Dr. Hope, for which he was sentenced ‘to be taken to the place whence he came, and thence to the place of execution, and there to be hanged by the neck until he was dead.’ The only gaol in New Plymouth at that timewas a small insecure place in Devon-street, and as there were no appliances there for hanging a man the provincial authorities thought it better to send Hori to Auckland to be executed.

Accordingly, on the 21st July, 1863, in company with the Sergeant of Police, Hori went on board the s.s. Airedale and was taken North, and arrived at Onehunga the following morning. Sergeant Dunn, from whom I gathered the following particulars, was a genial, straightforward man, who carried out his duties strictly according to his instructions, but without. harshness. He died in 1874 at the age of fifty-four, after twenty-two years’ service in the police force. As there was no public conveyance at Onehunga in those days Sergeant Dunn had to walk his prisoner to Mt. Eden gaol, where he left him. He then made for the Government offices in Auckland, which were then stationed in Princes-street, where he delivered his letter of instructions to Mr Domett, who was then Colonial Secretary. Sergeant Dunn had not left the Minister’s office many minutes — he had not even had a chance of looking about for lodgings for the night, although the day had somewhat advanced—when a messenger called him back, saying Mr Whitaker wanted to see him as there was something wrong. Sergeant Dunn, who was getting tired after his walk from Onehunga, reluctantly returned, and was ushered into the presence of Mr Domett and Mr Whitaker, the latter being the Attorney-General. ‘Why, Sergeant,’ said Mr Whitaker, ‘what is this I hear you have been doing? Are you aware you have been breaking the law and that a man under a sentence of death must not be allowed to leave the prison where he should be hanged? You had better take the man back to New Plymouth as quickly as you can. You are personally liable for his custody, and if he should escape I do not know what would be done to you. I never heard of such a case.*

Sergeant Dunn then retired, but he had no sooner left the Government offices than another messenger in breathless haste informed him he was wanted at the Mount Eden gaol. After another tramp of three miles the Ser-

geant found himself in further difficulties. There stood the gaoler and Hori at the gate—and the former told Sergeant Dunn he would have nothing to do with his prisoner, so he had better take charge of him. The Sergeant remonstrated and pleaded that, as it was getting towards evening it would not be safe for the prisoner to be at large and he might escape; but the gaoler was obdurate, and therefore Mr Dunn had to face the difficult situation; and weary in body, as well as being mentally worried, he, with Hori in charge, started in the direction of Auckland.

It was then quite dark, and the Kyber Pass Rond was a very lonely place in those days; so the prisoner, if he had so minded,, could very easily have escaped. He, however, stuck close to his custodian, and the two, after a while, reached some houses at the top of Edwardes - street, which were the first signs of habitation to be met with. A difficulty then arose where to get lodgings for the night, as no one was inclined to admit a Maori into their house; and public lodging-housels were scarce. There was little accommodation in the pub-lic-houses, and there were only one or two hotels in the place. Sergeant Dunn knew nothing of Auckland, never having been there before, and he therefore took the first offer in the shape of a roof he came across. It was an empty room in Edwardesstreet, and Mr Dunn, having procured a couple of blankets and some provisions, Hori and he passed the night together as well as the next two days. On the Saturday morning (July 25) a start was made for Onehunga, where Sergeant Dunn and his prisoner again embarked on board the s.s. Airedale, which left for New Plymouth on Sunday morning, and on the Monday Hori found himself back in the place whence he had been taken. Here I had better drop the subject, for Hori was never hanged, nor did he ever undergo the penal servitude for which he was sentenced by the judge for shooting at Lieut. Waller. I have heard that he walked out of the gaol one day when the door was left open; but when I met Hori at Opunaki many years ago—then a member of the A.C. Force—he declined to tell me how he made his escape. He was pardoned for his misdeeds under the general amnesty granted to the natives at the conclusion of the war, and was, I learn from those who knew him well, a very decent fellow and a fair specimen of the native race. One of the illustrations I send with this is Devon-street, looking eastward from the old bridge, and the photograph was taken about 1863. Nearly in the centre may be seen what looks like the end of a small weatherboarded cottage. That was the Police Court in those days, and a stone gaol was further on down the lane. The other illustration shows the New Plymouth gaol at the present day. It is a very strong stone building, with fifty cells, but is capable of holding nearly a hundred prisoners if required. It is situated at the back of Marsland Hill in a very healthy situation, and a fine view of Mount Egmont and the ranges is obtained from it.

W. H. J. SEFFERN.