BRAVERY AT THE FRONT.

Hokitika Guardian, 8 March 1917, Page 3

BRAVERY AT THE FRONT.

A Young Mao;i Honored

Marion March 3

Tau Paruihi, a youug Raugitikei Maori, was personally decorated with the Distinguished Service Medal at Marton by Colonel Sir James Allan, Minister of Defence. Th 3 honor was for conspicuous bravery at Anzac, on August 6, 1915, during an attack on No 3 post. The circumstances surrounding the incident are that Tau was cut off from his comrades, acd was encircled by five Turks, who made a desperate effort to get theic mao. The New Zsalander, however, was not to be caught. Wish celerity and effectiveness ha drove his bayonet through one of the enemy, but was unable to extricate it, the Turk having caugh t it in his grasp and held it in the hope of stabbing the Maori with a knife. The other four Turks then tried to get the New Zealander alive, but with a heavy blow he landed one a terrific smash on the jaw, and bawled him over. Another received a kick in the stomach, end before the fourth and fifth could disable him ho was successful in getting the rifle of an enemy who had fallen. With expert handling ha placed another Turk out of action far all time by a crack on tbe skull with the butt of the rifle, In the end he had accounted for four, and with one remaining he had a real pugilistic encounter. The Turk got so much the worst of it that evontually he was glad to surrender, and Tan had the extreme satisfaction of bringing him as a prisoner into the British lines. The Maori boy’s bravery and great achievement ware observed, and as a result King George recognised the courageous act by bestowing upon him the Distinguished Service Medal, Daring the presentation Sir James Allen paid a great compliment to the work of the Maoris, and said that nothing hotter had everlbeen done in the history of New Zealand than that performed by the Maoris who bad left these shores for the battle front. Their courage and devotion' to duty had been such that the Pakeha held out his band to his Maori brother and said that if anything had separated him in the past it had gene for oven and the Maori was now one with the white race in helping to make New Zealand the finest country on the fare of the globe.