THE MAORI WARS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 60, 5 December 1918, Page 6

THE MAORI WARS

PEOGEESS OF AN OFFICIAL HISTORY. The Minister for Internal Affairs, in the annual, report of his Department, mentions that Mr. James Cowan has been engaged to write the history of the New Zealand wars from 1845 to 1871. Though many books on particular campaigns, notably Featon's "Waikato War," and narratives like those written, by Sir George Whitinore, Colunel Gudgeon, and Colonel M'Donell, all containing valuable information, have been published, there is no one work dealing with the war as a whole—nor, indeed, any complete account of Heko's war or this Thranaki and Bust .Coast .wars. Again, little attempt has been made to show the inter-relation of the wars in the "sixties," and to trace the development of the anti-pakeha crusade the various sectors, beginning with Taranaki in 1860. In the natural course of things such a history would not be written until sufficient time had elapaod to enable tho troubled period to be viewed in a true perspective. It was felt, however, that any further delay would result in many sources of information being lost. In the official records of tho Government, of course, there is information that wifl always be available for the use of historians, but it is a matter of only a few years now when the last survivors (both European and Maori) of the last of the' Maori wars will have passed away. From them it is hoped that Mr.' Cowan will be able to gather and place on record valuable information that otherwise would bo lost for ever. The history to be written by Mr. Cowan will appear in four volumes, as follows:—Volume 1: Hcke'e war in the north, 1845-16-Ohaeawai, Ruapekapeka, etc.-the war in the Wellington district, 1846—the Hutt, and Porirua—capture of To Bauparaha—the fighting at Wnnganni. Volume 2: The Kingite movement -the first war in Taranaki, 1860-Wai-tara, Waireka, etc.-the Waikato campaign, 18(i3-64-Koheroa, Eangiriri. Paternngi, Ortikau—fighting in Bay of Plenty district — the Gate Pa, and To Eanga. Volume 3: The-Hauhau ware—fighting in Taraimki—General Chute's campaign —use of the colonial forces under the self-reliant policy—East Coast wars—Titokoivaru's w.v in Tarannki—engagements on tho Waimate Plains—final defeat of Titokowaru. Volume i: Hauhau campaigns on the Bast Coast—Te Kooti's re-bellion-Chathain Island to Poverty Bay —Ngatapa, Waikaremoana, etc.—Native Contingents' pursuit of To Kooti, 1870—1 —final engagements in Urewera Country. Mr. Cowan is at present engagod in visiting the various, districts involved in his work, and lias already gathered much valuable material.