“ A DARK CHAPTER IN NEW ZEALAND HISTORY.”

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 14, Issue 700, 15 July 1869, Page 3

“ A DARK CHAPTER IN NEW ZEALAND HISTORY.”

(Prom the Wellington Independent, July 1.) In resuming our review of ‘A dark chapter in the history of New Zealand/ we find that chapter vi. is purely political, and not remarkable for its accuracy or impartiality. We have, of course dished up again the celebrated removal of Major Fraser’s 57 constables, which ‘ caused 5 the troubles of the East Coast. It is not thought necessary, by the way, to notice that these troops were replaced before a single shot was fired in anger, and it is left to be surmised that there was no other necessity except that of endangering Poverty Pay, to influence Ministers in their action. We read that certain settlers at this particular moment left the bay, but we should not wonder if the attractions of the Thames Goldfields had at least as much to do with that exodus as “ the threatening aspect of affairs.” At all events we can remember that at the time this was stated to be their reason for leaving the place to the number of twenty or thirty, and that it was remarked that all those who had property, families* or anything which a residence in a threatened locality might have endangered, remained at Poverty Bay* The laborer, without ties, there as well as everywhere else in the North Island, sought the best market for his labor. The settlers now began to have meetings—little places are always having little meetings, —and this course was probably not new to Poverty Bay. Resolutions of great importance were sent to Government, who appear not to have seen their way to do for the place what it was impossible to do for Tauranga, Opotiki, Taranaki, and a score of other settlements with greater claims. Trained troops there were none, and none could be sent. An inland fortification was talked about, and the friendly natives proved, at least to some extent, their goodwill, by doing their share at great cost and labor* The Europeans, on the other hand, failed to contribute their mite, and Matawhero remained, undefended* Government, seriously anxious for the fate of the District, did however do for it what it was able. A strong redoubt at the township was placed in a state of defence, and 100 natives brought down and placed there as a garrison. The step proved an ample protection, when the massacre occurred, to every settler who reached its vicinity. Te Kooti never dared to approach within several miles of that point. Chapter vii. constitutes all that is worth reading in the pamphlet* it describes the tragical occurrences of the night 9th-10th November, and is graphically and probably truthfully written. Many of the incidents are very touching, and few will read poor Mrs Wilson’s letter unmoved. Thefate of Major Biggs’ young wife, whom. Canterbury settlers will remember leaving their Province as a bride only a year before, has called forth here, as well as at home, the strongest expressions of horror. In all this mournful tragedy there seems to have been nothing for our race to be ashamed of. Where a moment’s warning was given the settlers defended their lives .bravely, and died lighting on their own thresholds.. Captain Wilson was only overcome at last by treachery. The more we read the harrowing details, the more we feel astonished that, with safety so near, the settlers should have continued to live scattered so widely about the country. Men, who could, behave as well as they did, would have been invincible to Te Kooti had they even assembled at one or two of their many homesteads. With a Militia on active service, a garrison defending the post, scouts out day and night, surely there was enough to put reflecting people on their guard, without any special and literal warning. The writer of the pamphlet rather self-sufficiently commences one of the last paragraphs in this long chapter, with the words—“ It has thus been shown that this massacre was brought on by the refusal of Ministers to listen to repeated warnings.” We take leave to say that this has not been ‘ shown/ but only stated. As far as we can judge, the Ministry took every step practicable to place the Bay in safety, compatible with the equal claims for protection of other localities, and that the only thing omitted* —the compuD

*orj removal of the settlers from their homes,— wag advised by Mr Richmond. But it is very hard to make people leave their own hearths, and the scattered settlers were loath to do it. They were not the men to fly from a shadow, and believed that the reality would not be like a North American Indian foray, as it proved, but some advance on the long-established Maori principle. Few of the oldest settlers looked'forward to what occurred, and all were unprepared. One of the most pleasant things to notice in this chapter is the spontaneous burst of benevolence which the necessities and misfortunes of the Poverty Bay survivors elicited from all the Colonial communities. Hawke's Bay, one of the smallest-, was apparently one of the foremost in her Samaritan efforts, and they are properly recognised and acknowledged. The chapter on Tareba's performances at Makaratu follows. In the late debate we have heard something of the truth of that campaign, and now at least know something of the folly of sending out a body of paid native? to fight on their own " hook." The late debates have let us into some of these secrets, to show how easy it is to mystify people about simple things. Tareha himself, on the floor of the House, told us that he wanted to go one day, and Ropata would not go; and Ropata wished to go next day and he then declined and left the field. In Chapter viii. we have a description of Ngatapa. The old pre tence of Colonel Whitmore's arrival having influenced the natives, is repeated, though we have lately heard it contradicted by Tareha himself. The writer puts down Te Kooti's force at 400, probably about double the truth. The' attempt called " chivalrous " in the official despatch, of Ropata to take Ngatapa, and the non-arrival "by some mistake," of reinforcements, which led to his retreat, are also mentioned. Much personal abuse cf the Me noir of the author or" authors of the pamphlet follows. This is pure personality, and unworthy of criticism If'the writer had been kicked down Regent-street* by our Commander of the Forces, it might have been excusable and intelligible. As it is, it is intelligible, but not excusable. The taking of Ngatapa is ascribed entirely to Ropata, who has always been handsomely spoken of in regard to this operation. The writer's object, however, is, not so much to exalt Ropata, as to debase Colonel Whitmore, in which he is not very successful. We have too high a respect for Mr M'Lean to conceive him capable of having encouraged the author in his exaggerated denunciations of Colonel Whitmore, who, we hope, will be wise enough to despise them; and we trust we shall never again see in any party fight such weapons used by either side as those employed by this writer.

At one place, Colonel Whitmore looks calmly on at the murder of the boys; at another the force is described as idling altogether ; while, inconsistently, the author, a little further on, points out that the men were cruelly overworked by Colonel Whitmore. Personal and political prejudices warp the judgment, and even good men talk violent norsense under such influences. But this pamphleteer sinks every consideration in a blind hatred of the man he vilifies, and through whom he now and then tries to stab the late Government. Some little latitude is allowable to politicians. Had a member opposed to Mr Stafford, and personally hostile to Colonel Whitmore, put his name to this effusion, it might have been thought overdone, but would, in the depraved state of our politics, nave been, perhaps, considered legitimate. We close the book with regret that we should have ever had to open it. It is a degradation to our institutions that they should lead to such things. It is pitiable to see our best men more and more embittered against one another by such publications, and we cease to wonder at the contemptuous opinion entertained at Home of oui efforts in the field, when public men quote from such pamphlets in oui Legislature.