Murder Aboard Ship: Turbulent Early Days In Bay Of Plenty

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 12, Issue 51, 1 June 1948, Page 2

Murder Aboard Ship: Turbulent Early Days In Bay Of Plenty

Recent speculation as to the burial place of Te Kooti brings to mind the early 60’s when the blood-thir-sty Hau Haus spread death and terror in the Bay of Plenty. Living link with those turbulent days is Mrs F. Gardiner, of Taneatua. She is a great grand daughter of Mr Bennett White, who had the cutter Kate under charter when a Hau Hau war party seized her outside the, Whakatane Harbour.

Mr Jatnes Fulloon, engaged on Government inquiries concerning the murder of the missionary, Mr Volkner, by Hau Hau followers of the fanatical and merciless Kereopa, was cold-bloodedly murdered in his bunk aboard the cutter. The only two pakeha sailors in the crew shared Fulloon’s fate, but Mr White and his young son were spared, because Mrs White was a high-ranking member of the Ngati-Awa, who now held White and his son prisoners. Ultimately both escaped, and gave evidence at the trial of Mr Fulloon’s murderers, something for which the Hau Haus had their revenge some years later when they ambushed Mr Bennett White at the Waiotahi River mouth. The son, George White, survived and finally settled at Gisborne after an adventurous youth and successful trading and timber business career.