A VETERAN'S STORY.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 914, 6 September 1910, Page 4

A VETERAN'S STORY.

MAORI WAR INCIDENT RECALLED, A DISPUTED CLAIM TO THE NEW" .■ ' . ZEALAND CROSS. , '•.' An interesting light on Mr.' Wrigg's claim to the New Zealand Cross haa : reached Mr. W. P. Massey (Leader of the Opposition) froni a man 77 years of ageEdward Johnson formerly in the Opotiki Rangers, and now resident on Great Bar. rier Island. "I think," he writes, "I am.the only man alive who can give you the true history of the murder of Mr. B. White, as I was travelling with, him from Wkaltatane to . Opotiki when he'- was murdered. -I was chainman for Mr. Petchkame, also member of the Opotiki Rangers. Mr. Petchkaine and I; also Mr. - Surnet-li (surveyor) and his man loft Wiuv.u. katane together for Opotiki, to dravr"'our survey pay. When we got .to Opapii ■ wo had to wait for. low:water in the", river till three' o'clock in the morning.,'■"■ When I went to get our horses mine broke away, so Mr. Petchkaine told m£ ?> - until tlle afternoon, when Mr.-■-?■ U kite and the Native mailman were to - come on, and I could join them as- they w . er <> going to Opotiki. We got on all right till we crossed the Ohewa. Then -■; my horse, broke down/ and would :not ;; move. Mr. White.' advised ■me to leave '-■■'■ my horse and saddle at the ferry and > ■walk -When., I got to: a . rocky: point" about li-miles from, Ohewa I found I, could not get on fast, enough to' catch the ■■• tide,.and-I went back to get a horsen°i m J? 8 'ferryman, but he-was away: Only Mrs. Balneavis, the wife of. Colonel J3alneavia,. was .there,: so I waited tillthe terryman came home. -Next morning 1 wont on with two Natives. ■- When we got to the Waiotahl, the uroper'crossing-' Place jas about a chain: up v the creek, v ' Out the Natives -went right out to low water this time.. I followed,- but wondered whatwxis up. When-we-got across ' 1 saw White's horse dead on'the beach, so 1 rode between 'the : -Natives, and •e ■'},■ \ ' nem li "would .'shoot', them - it they left me.: ■I' had. two revolvera - under ,my : shirt. I knew they, were hot : armed, and they - knew I was a good shot,as they.used. to; practise in the survey - camp. However,-it turned out afterwards the Maoris only, wanted White and 1 no One else. ,: When .I-got from under the high land,. I left the Natives and galloped" into Opotiki,; and- made my report lb Colonel St., John.and Major Mair. The troopers went out and. fetched in White's ■head, .which- had been cut off and. left' -on a stone. The mailman they had for ' dinner. 'When I saw the; dead "horse; I •' to .the: Natives: White -was killed. - Colonolf;vSt.s:-;John : - camped;a;number--of 'men/atthe-Waiotahi : ■ to .patrol "the -beach,' onj-the,- :samo'••:' day. - That made it perfectly: safe 'to' travel;-as' the-only dangerous:part of the'road'-was" from Opotiki to'Ohewa, but'the Natives were .not within 25 miles of the - beach when Wrigg went to Tauranga with. the '■'- dispatch. ■:•.--;..-■-

On' the same:: day," continues 'Mr,/ Johnson,., ;i went ■ out 'to . Whakatane' myself, about.; some" plans .for 'Mr. Pctchkaine. I- met three ::other .men travelling in., Everyoae knew the Maoris only wanted White, because: he got:five' of them, hung rip, for .the. killing of Fa'loona and the crew of the cutter .Kate;v They murdered Whito.at the place where we took the.-' murderers. -Some? '■■ of/the -■ party were.working for us oh the survey, but there:was no,evidenco.against:them, • only, hearsay evidence. There' never was' an adjutant in.my time named Ban\ Itwould be dangerous if,: as .he (Wrjgg) says,: the road 'was'/-infested by hostile Natives, but it was not.' There were"• only fifty. Natives/in the-party; and .they got. back over.-rtho: Waimana., If" therewere many hostile Natives about; Colonel ' St. John, the commanding .officer, ■ wouldhave sent/after them; but ho' did not, because ..he knew, when ■■■ they'.- murdered' •'White: they scattered' ,to their 'different : kaiangas. : As to ;■ volunteering: to- g0,. ; there was not a trooper but would have been glad, of: the chance for the pay." Captain Simpson/ was Opotiki at the - ' ie, noi; because of hostile Natives, but, : ,-,_e us, to-get his: money.''l served in thelcolonial forces, from, 18G2 till 1870./ I >erved in.the Waikato, under., Cameron; ■on the West-Coast,.under General Chute, / oh his march to New Plymouth; on the East Coast, under- St.; John,and. the Mail Mothers.. I was; discharged stone deaf: as the result of. hardships; •' and 'broken/ in - health.. The reason L : .'did -not'' write-.: before ,was out of respect' for Mr. Seddon, / who,was fooled -by.,someone.'V/ -, .■;::-.'/