MUTINY RECALLED

Hokitika Guardian, 17 September 1931, Page 7

MUTINY RECALLED

EARLY COLONIAL INCIDENT. AUCKLAND, September 14. One of the rare instances of a mutiny in New Zealand is recalled by 3VI. Walter Delaney, of 49, Randolph Street Newton, • who celebrated his seventy tilth birthday to-day. In 1874, Mr Delaney was undergoing, a six months’ course of musketry 7 in struction with a native contingent un tier the late Captain Preece (New Zea land Cross), when a mutiny occurrei. on an immigrant ship, the Golden Sea at Somes Island quarantine station Wellington. Soon after the immigrant had been landed on the island, tin Wellington signal master, who happened to be passing in,his boat, heart shots on board the Golden Sea, anc concluded that the sailors had mutin ied. Colonel Motile, the commissioner, ordered that all available men should be sent front the Buckle Street Barracks by the Government steamei Luna, a paddle boat, under the command of Captain Fairchild, and Cap tain Preece and a company of sixty men went to quell the mutiny. “When we got alongside we wen treated to a fusilade of potatoes boiled in their jackets,” said Mr Delaney. “One fellow dropped a bottle of champagne on oi*ii deck for they had broached the cargo. Some of US wentold off to board the ship, and the remainder formed a covering party. Captain Preece was the first to seal, the ladder, qnd I, as bugler, followed, The antics of the sailors were amusing. Captain Preece first ,had the skipper released, for he had been overpowered and locked in his quarters. Then tin mutineers were singled out, and thost on deck placed under an armed guard. Others were located in the fo’c’stle. The officers had remained neutral. “I remember that one fellow handet me a large plug of tobacco, saying ‘Here, young un’, this is no good tc me.’ I was not a smoker, but I secured it inside my tunic to cut up among my room-mates. They mixed it with theii ordinary stock, and thoroughly enjoyed it. “We handed the prisoners over tc the civil authorities, and were marched back to the Buckle Street depot.” Afterwards, the immigrants signed : petition on behalf of the men, statin', that they were well behaved during the voyage, and had endured harsl treatment. This was not uncommon oj the windjammers in the old days. -A a result of the petition the sentence;were reduced. Mr Delaney and his companions later went by the Luna to Napier, alio from there marched to the Petane Valley, to Opepe, the scene of the mas sacre by Te Kooti, of a number of Bay of Plenty cavalry, in 1869. Then they made the long trek of 50 miles to Galatea, where they left part of their unit ■ ! and moved on to headquarters Kit Tt ,I’eko.. An .armed coiistabularly. wa* formed, and Mr Delaney served as i mounted constable, carrying moils and dispatches in the Qpotiki district, un der Late Oolonel E. Y. Goring.