OLD MAORI BATTLEFIELDS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 737, 9 February 1910, Page 5

OLD MAORI BATTLEFIELDS.

;„,.:: VISITED.;.:, „' ■. ■. After' an extended visit to the old Maori battlefields of: the North .Island, Mr.' F.; D. Mitchell, of Dunedin,'returned to Wellington en. ; .routo for the south 'yesterday. In the course'of a conversation with o;DojmnoN representative, 'Mr. Mitchell had a few things :of interest to say: concerning the "fields'-of fairfame". where Rewi fought) and Sir Duncan Cameion blundered. ■ : . .. •. ;■ :

■:■ "I visited the fighting grounds in Taranaki .first," said Mr! - Mitchell, spending about a month thero, and then made'my way to Auckland,- thence down' to the Waikato when I visited those historio spots—Rangiriri, Rangiaohia, Kihi Kihi," Maungatautari;,'and Orakau.; Of: conrse tho - country has been altered a- good deal.by settlenient and it requires Agood deal of local guiding: to recognise, the exact spot :of, some , of. the, encounters now.' '-.':.■ •;• • ; -•; -' .; •; '.■•'.■.. '..-..

'■"T spent three days in the neighbourhood of : Otakau—Bewi's celebrated engagement you remember—and, looking at the site and trjihc with the aid of considerable -imagination, to picture the pa as it was,: I cannot make out how on earth. the Maoris slipped past the 40th Regiment; and so.got out It is stated, I believe that, the soldiers at the time were busy making gabions. Maybe. All I oan say is that the Maoris must hare jumped over their heads in making their way-out. . ~". ■ ■ .. . ..'... , . , /.... Sir Duncan Cameron (continued Mr. Mitchell) was I bqliovo the only general who over thought it necessary to go into winter qnarters in New Zealand. It may have been 'for excellent military'reasons'—l don't know—but, looking at the site of. one of tho battles.on the Waikato. I' am convinced that the storming party must have been required to jump njclitch of;about seven fc6t;with.a take-' •off , of forty-five degrees sloping upwards. It seems incredible that such oi foat was over asked from ■ soldiers." . ' :■ A portion of iron plating brought back by Mr.; Mitchell is interesting. It is portion of the casing of the only turret warship which has ever floated in New Zealand waters—a small craft belonging to thoNeV,' Zealand Government and used' in Sir Duncan Cameron's campaigns.