PIONEER PASSES

Hokitika Guardian, 27 June 1933, Page 5

PIONEER PASSES

WOMAN'S DEATH AT 97. LINK WITH THE .MAORI WARS. (Per Press Association Copyright.) ROTORUA,. June 27. Thb death has occurred here of 'Mrs Jane Foley. She. was ninety-seven years ot .age. The late . Mrs Foley had a most interesting history, she taking part as a combatant in the Maori Wars, both on the side of tlie hostile tribes, and as the member of a friendly party assisting Captain Gilbert Mair m the pursuit of Te Kooti.

Mrs Foley was present at the seige ot tne Gate pi, and she wa s the central figure m , a , historical incident when she took water, under fire, to Colonel Booth ot the Imperial Forces, who was lying badly wounded within the barricades. . She :•„!«> participated in a- skirmish when a band of Maoris on their way to join the Tauranga ma.tive 6 in defending the Gate pa, came into conflict with a party of Forest Rangers. After escaping from the pa, she joined a party , 0 f the Arrives, under the chief Matenga. who was acting in co-opera-tion with Captain Mair against Te Kooti.

Mrs Foley, in addition to speaking the Maori and English languages, spoke- French fluently, and she was for several year's * teacher and a governess. She was an expert shot, and she had many interesting reminiscences of the early days of tluColonv' She we* mx tried twice, and she lived to sec 1 live generations of her descendants.