James Hawthorne

“ M‘Culloch’s brother, a child, standing by her when she was bayoneted, escaped to reach Turanganui unhurt. Many people, after lying concealed for awhile, contrived to get off clear, all in a pitiable plight, with nothing on them but the clothes—chiefly night-dresses—in which they escaped. Mr. and Mrs. Newnham, an aged couple with an adopted child, were beguiled into the belief that the Hauhaus would not hurt them, by two old Maori spies. These spies brought the murderers to Newnham’s house on the succeeding day, November 11th. ”

“ Sergeant Butter pursued the road to Matewhero, and had a narrow escape. As he neared the residence of Major Biggs, where he was bound, he found the Hauhaus were inside the premises, and their horses fastened to the garden fence to the number of 12 or 14. He found all the habitations between Matewhero and Turanganui deserted; every one, Europeans and natives, who escaped, were flying for life, and several houses were already in flames. ”

“ He said the Hauhaus were killing the white men. Nothing more definite could be extracted from him, Firmin being ignorant of the Maori language, so Mr. Firmin hastened to warn his neighbours, Wyllie, Stevenson, and Benson, all married men with very young children. These men and their wives, snatching up their children, fled along the bank of the Waipaua, making for Turanganui, but the firing before them became so heavy they feared they would be intercepted, so they decided to cross the Waipaua, and escape to Murewai, on the coast, by the right bank of the river. ”

“ On the 20th, Major Biggs being absent, with the view of inducing the native deserters to resume duty, the Europeans were attacked by Te Kooti, who had been somewhat reinforced by quondam Hauhaus of 1865. At sundown the whites were defeated, with the loss of seven killed and wounded. The Europeans had expended all but a few rounds of their ammunition, and but for night must have been cut off. The enemy stormed the European camp, and captured horses, food, in fact everything but the men and their arms. ”

“ On some occasions, it is well known, the men have been so worn out by the unmerciful exactions to which they have been subjected by Whitmore’s ideas of discipline, that they were utterly unfit to take the field. They dare not complain; for should one of them presume to write to a newspaper on the subject, and the name of the writer be known to Whitmore, expulsion from the Constabulary as a “dirty bird” would be the probable consequence. There is no doubt the colony has lost the services of good men in this way, and no one seems inclined to put a stop to such a state of affairs. ”

“ In two days, 29 Europeans and 32 loyal natives were killed under revolting circumstances. Subsequently, many loyal natives were butchered by Te Kooti at various times. Some hapus of tribes have been well nigh exterminated, and, including natives killed at Ngatapa, most of whom had been carried captives to that stronghold by Te Kooti, the loss of life must have been very great—probably not less than 250 people in all were slain. Some settlers escaped the massacre by miracle, but the instances are too numerous to record them all. ”

“ Unaccompanied by Whitmore or any of the Europeans, Rapata started in pursuit of the flying Hauhaus. For a week he chased the enemy through one of the wildest regions in New Zealand. He overtook and killed 80 men, and captured 50 prisoners. 150 fighting men or more must have got away with Te Kooti, half of whom were perhaps Chatham Island prisoners. ”

“ It was between the Waipaua and the Waimataha that the massacre of the 10th and 11th November, 1868, was perpetrated. All the Europeans who lived between those rivers and escaped the slaughter fled to Wilson’s redoubt, situated on the north side of Waimataha, opposite Turanganui, at a distance of a quarter of a mile from the sea. Most of the settlers reached the redoubt on the first day of the massacre, and were joined by the scouts on the evening of the same day. The scouts were 12 in number. ”

“ Combined with what ministers represent as Whitmore’s victory at Ngatapa, the settlement of a difficult question might have some effect in disposing a bamboozled colony to forget the West Coast disasters. Accordingly, Government set to work to accomplish their purpose at any sacrifice of principle. Between November, 1868, and February, 1869, many prisoners known to be implicated in the murders were captured, some of them related to professedly loyal chiefs and to quondam Hauhaus of 1865. ”

“ The climate resembles those of Hawke’s Bay and Nelson, but is sensibly warmer at all seasons; rain is more equally distributed than in Napier. All parts of the plain are accessible by dray to the coast; vessels of moderate draught can enter the principal rivers, and the roadstead is safe for large shipping in all weathers.
Turanganui, the village capital, is situated at the bottom of a deep bay, from which the district derives its English appellation, on the south bank of the Waimataha river. ”

“ But if they had declined, the natives still far outnumbered the whites, and had become domineering to an extent unknown before. It is true they have learned to read and write, but it is questionable if their knowledge was beneficial to themselves or their neighbours. Of their religion it is sufficient to say that whilst minutely conversant with the forms of Christianity they knew nothing of its spirit. They were even then suspicious and distrustful of Europeans, and had become what they have since (with a few honorable exceptions) shewn themselves to be—a discontented and dangerous people. ”

“ Thus the important East Coast settlements, by the infatuation of Ministers, were left a prey to Te Kooti.
In October, 1868, meetings of settlers were held to consider the state of affairs in Poverty Bay. A memorial was forwarded to Ministers, praying that 50 men of the colonial forces might be stationed in the district, and the settlers offered to build a redoubt and pay scouts. Little attention was paid by Ministers to the memorial, but after the settlers had organised a scout party, Government undertook its management, and agreed to pay the men. ”

“ On the night of the 13th, the ex-prisoners, fearing the arrival of reinforcements, crossed the coast range, and got into the bush unperceived, upon which Major Biggs decided to make a detour, after enrolling every available man, and intercept the ex-prisoners as they emerged from the bush inland. All the Europeans but the very aged, and at the most four or five others, volunteered at a few hours’ notice. About 150 professedly loyal natives were armed and ordered to pursue the retreating enemy. The Europeans numbered 65 at starting, and were but badly armed. ”

“ The existence of Ngatapa was not suspected until discovered by Rapata in his pursuit of Te Kooti. It was then found that by strongly fortifying its only assailable side, Te Kooti had created a fortress which is believed by all who saw it to have been the strongest in New Zealand. Works of great magnitude protected the vulnerable side ”

“ Every man who had them stood to his arms and lined the parapets that night. About half the garrison was armed, including the “friendlies.” Little dependence was placed in the native allies, as it was evident from their demeanour and language they [28] had no stomach for fighting. Afterwards, when reinforcements arrived, they plucked up a little more courage, but, as a rule, the friendly natives of Poverty Bay took care never to expose themselves. In the subsequent fighting with Te Kooti they had little if any share, which was reserved for the Ngatikahungunu and Ngatiporou tribes. ”

“ They were of the brave Ngatiporou tribe, and were commanded by Rapata, the chief who, it will be remembered, assisted Biggs to capture 500 Hauhaus at Hungahungatoroa, in Mr. M‘Lean’s East Coast campaign of 1865. Upon his arrival at Makeretu, Rapata announced that he would rest his men for two days, after their fatiguing march. The announcement was a ruse to disguise his real intentions from native traitors who might be in his camp. An hour afterwards, Rapata stormed the enemy’s position, and Te Kooti was forced to abandon Makeretu with heavy loss in men. ”

“ Looking out, he saw a great many natives flitting about, and, calling to his servant, Edward Moran, who slept in an out-building, told him the Hauhaus were upon them, and desired him to come to his assistance, which Moran immediately did, though the Hauhaus tried to catch him as he ran across the open space between the two buildings. They appear to have been afraid to fire, lest they might rouse the sleeping neighbours. Finding they could not induce Captain Wilson to open the door, the Hauhaus proceeded to burst it in with a log of wood. ”

“ Land, seeds, and implements were allotted each man; they were well fed and clothed, and a guard of 25 men was placed over them. One of the prisoners was the spy Te Kooti, who had planned an ambush to murder an escort party.
The Chathams are well adapted for expatriation purposes, their nearest point being 400 miles from the mainland of New Zealand. When the prisoners arrived, the Chathams were inhabited by 46 Europeans and a small number of Morioris and Maoris ”

“ Eighty of those canoes, each capable of carrying from 70 to 100 men, have been counted at one time in the Waimataha river. The natives exported large quantities of prepared flax and other produce, which was disposed of to Sydney traders by the earlier settlers.
Hostilities sometimes broke out between different tribes, but the settlers were slightly affected by their occurrence, and, on the whole, the whites found the Maori was a good neighbour. At that time the morality of the natives was of a higher standard than it subsequently became, and the power of the chiefs was in the ascendant. ”

“ At noon on the 4th, Rapata stormed the lower trench without European assistance, except a covering fire, and Whitmore looking on at some distance. That night, Colonel Whitmore was warned that the enemy would escape. He appears to have lost his senses, repeatedly starting up with apostrophes to his “unlucky star.” It had been arranged that Ngatapa should be stormed on the following morning at daylight. Just before dawn of the 5th, a woman cried from the pa that the garrison were escaping. The pa was rushed, but the Hauhaus were gone. 200 women and children and 7 men were taken. ”

“ CHAPTER V. POPULATION IN 1868 — RUMORS — BIGGS AT WHAREONGAONGA — GONE TO THE BUSH — TREACHERY — PAPARATU — THE GUIDE — WHITMORE — FURIOSO — A SOLDIER’S GRAVE — CONTRADICTORY ORDERS — TANGATA KAI AT PUKETAPU.
At the beginning of 1868, the inhabitants of Poverty Bay numbered about 450 natives and 200 Europeans. Most of the natives were Hauhaus of 1865, who had become once more exceedingly disaffected, owing to the non-solution of the land question. It appears probable that they were aware of the intended escape from the Chathams before that event occurred. ”

“ The mountain is surrounded in almost every direction by forest extending to an illimitable distance, and the entire district for many miles around is cut up by precipitous mountain ranges and profound ravines. Ngatapa mountain rears itself unconnected with neighbouring hills, from which it is separated by chasm-like gullies. No drawing can convey an idea of its tremendous strength, because a complete view of Ngatapa cannot be obtained from its base. ”

“ At a later date the influence of the chiefs declined; another species of domination arose, under which the Maoris (probably the most acute people in the world where their temporal interests are concerned) learned to prefer their rights before their duties. From this period the natives rapidly degenerated: old customs were forsaken; industry declined; and immorality prevailed where before it was almost unknown. All these causes combined, sadly deteriorated the race. By the end of 1863, the Turanga natives were a remnant of what they had been. ”

“ On the northern side of the Waimataha, opposite Turanganui, two redoubts are placed, named respectively Wilson’s and Hirini’s redoubts. The population of Poverty Bay in 1867 consisted of about 500 Maoris and 150 Europeans of all ages. Matewhero was situated about five miles from the sea, in the heart of the district. Many people resided there in houses surrounded with gardens and orchards. ”

“ Events will prove Te Kooti retired to Ngatapa with not less than 400 men. He had forwarded on the women and children, amounting to 200, some days before his defeat at Makeretu. The women and children were set to work to strengthen the fortifications of Ngatapa, and to dig fern root to increase the supply of provisions, of which at this time the garrison were by no means deficient.
The distance to Ngatapa is six miles from Makeretu, through a very difficult country; the last two and a half miles are the worst. ”

“ Messrs. Wyllie, Firmin, and the rest pursued their way, overtaking other families as they advanced. Finally, they overtook Major Westrupp. Under his guidance, the survivors south of the Waipaua retreated by a fearful bush country to Mahia, where most of them shipped for Napier, the capital of Hawke’s Bay province, at which place they safely arrived.
About an hour after Firmin and his neighbours left the village where the chief Tutari lived, Te Kooti and 12 Hauhaus arrived, and demanded where the Europeans had gone. ”