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Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21416, 7 March 1935, Page 6 (Supplement)

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The Cutting of the Flagstaff It will be 90 years on March 11 since Hone Heke, Maori chief and warrior, cut down the flagstaff at Kororareka for the fourth and last time. The struggle that began with this act lasted 10 months—till January 11, 1846. The trouble began after the transfer of the seat of Government from Kororareka (or Russell) to Auckland in 1841. Kororareka had been 3 prosperous settlement for 25 years before the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi, and had nourished exceedingly as long as tj ...^ as capital of the new British colony. But with the change made by Governor Hobson in the little settlement suffered m several ways—trade fell away. Population decreased, and customs outies were imposed. The Maoris Believed that all their troubles came from Maiki Hill, overlooking fK22 r !F eka ' where were set the agstafl and the flag, emblem of the wmte man's power. t ®° ne H , e ke was a nephew of the °« ef Hon g ,; . and he had 2?™' Hongi's daughter; so of course he was brought up in the

tradition of savagery. He had been educated by the missionaries, but had foresaken his teaching to return to the tribal savageries. In the early forties he desired revenge on the Government for the troubles that had come upon his people. His excuse came in 1844, when he claimed utu from a white man named Lord, whose Maori wife had insulted Heke. Lord could not pay the demand, and so Heke followed the Maori custom of extracting the value .from other Europeans. He began on July 8. 1844, by cutting down the flagstaff. But now a friendly chief, Waka Nene, stepped in. He and others agreed to watch Heke if the Government helped the Maoris of Kororareka. The customs were abolished, and the flagstaff was set up again. In January, 1845, Heke could no longer be controlled, and cut down the flagstaff twice. It was set up again in a foundation of concrete, but this did not stop the determined chief. On March 11 he took part in a native attack on the little settlement, and for the fourth time chopped down the offending staff. Now the Government troops, allied to the friendly tribes of Waka Nene and Taonui attacked

the rebel natives, and the fighting lasted on and off till January. 1846, 10 months later. When Hone Heke and the rebels were defeated, Heke retired, probably with a bitter heart. He had fought heroically for what seemed to him the good of his people.