WAR

Te Ao Hou, June 1959, Page 12

WAR When the Taranaki war broke out in 1860 matters started to come to a head. A large conference of chiefs friendly to the Government was held at Kohimarama later in the year but failed to arrest the drift to war. Both sides were arming, drilling and preparing for battle. In July, 1863, war started when General Cameron invaded the Waikato. Although most of the fighting was confined to the Waikato and beyond, the war did have an important effect on the Maoris in and around Auckland. Most of these people were still friendly to the Government but were in a precarious position. Those in the out-settlements like Papakura were given the option of taking an oath of allegiance to the Queen or retiring to the Waikato. The oath-taking was not always properly carried out and some Maoris were driven off at the point of the bayonet. Their property was looted.* The Government paid some compensation for this after the war. Most of the young men joined the King party and the older men, the women and children put themselves under the care of Bishop Selwyn—they were later put under Government custody. In Auckland the faithful—they were mainly Ngatiwhatua—had to abide by a curfew and wear coloured arm-bands if venturing into the streets during the day. Most found it advisable to remain at the Orakei settlement. The hatreds engendered by war meant that even friendly Maoris were not safe in town.