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EARLY DAYS RECALLED.

BUSIIBANUISIIS IN CAISTBBBVBI'.

Bushrangers in Canterbury! A rescue party that sped up the Avon I Today it seems incredible that such should have been; the case (says the “Christchurch Sun”), but in 1846 there was a trio of, robbejs at large in Canterbury. That the gang did but little damage was due partly to its own bad luck, and partly to the very prompt manner in which it was hunted by the pioneers after its first attack on the homestead.

Early in the year 1846 there arrived in New Zealand three ticket-of-leave men from the prison settlemeint in Tasmania. They were members of the crew of. a whaling vessel from Hobart, which they deserted. Their leader was a. fierce, evil-looking man, know’n as Blue Cap, because of the unusual style of. headgear he affected. From Akaroa Blue Cap scouted round Banks Peninsula, and decided that the homesteads of Mr E. Hay, at Pigeon Bay, and thei Green'wood brothers, owners of Purau, were well worth robbing. On a. Saturday afternoon the gang arrived at Pigeon Bay in a whaleboat, and camped there. But luck was against thqm. Visitors arrived at the homestead, and, finding themselves badly outnumbered, the outlaws abandoned their scheme to attack the place during the weejk-'end. On the Sunday they left for Purau. All was quiet in the peaceful little bay in Lyttelton Harbour as the outlaws crept up to the Greenwood homestead. They caught owners andi employers by surprise, overpowered them, and tied them hand and foot. Then they released Edward Greenwood, the youngest of the brothers, and, under threats of violence, compelled him to collect all the money and valuables in the place for them.' They made him help carry the plunder to their boat, and, threatening to shoot him if he moved from the beach in 20 minutes, sailed away for the Lyttelton Heads. Young Greenwood lost no time in setting the others free, and . a message was sent to Port Levy, then the headquarters of whalers, to tell of the robbery. It was guessed, correctly, too, that ll.e gang would attempt to rob the Deans Brothers, of Riccarton, next.

Quickly a boat was manned, and the whalers set off for Ric,carton. By the time they were within sight of Sumner the gang was .close to the •shore, and the robbers bid themselves and their boat i« a cave.

The pursuing whaleboat passed on, and cautiously' the gang followed. Blue Cap planned to lie low until a few days after the whalers had re,turned,' and then, when the excitement had died down, spring another surprise attack. At the homestead a careful watch was kept day and night, and once more the robbers’ luck was put. Snow fell the third day after the warning had been given. Footprints found by the watchers in the snow led to Blue Cap’s camp, and the trio fled through the bush before; a hastily organised pursuit.

They made tracks for Dunedin. One of the gang w.as drowned while crossing a river, and'when Blue Cap and the other arrived in the southern town they weire arrested. As there was.no Supreme Court in New Zealand in those days, they were sent to Sydney, where they were tried and punished.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/HPGAZ19280127.2.2

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIX, Issue 5232, 27 January 1928, Page 1

Word count
Tapeke kupu
540

EARLY DAYS RECALLED. Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIX, Issue 5232, 27 January 1928, Page 1

EARLY DAYS RECALLED. Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIX, Issue 5232, 27 January 1928, Page 1

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