THE MAORI GATE PA FIGHT.

Kumara Times, Issue 1377, 1 March 1881, Page 2

THE MAORI GATE PA FIGHT.

[bay of plenty times.] Some time ago a notice appeared in the Gazette, reserviug the grounds of the famous Gate Pa, or as it is called by the Maoris, the Pukahinahina Pa, for purposes of a plantation. It would have been a matter of regret had this historic site been allowed to fall into private hands, and be covered with buildings, and we are glad to find the Government had set ii apart as a public reserve. The following account of the Gate Pa tight, which has been supplied by a townsman who has a thorough acquaintance with the history of the Natives in this district for the last score of years, will be interesting to our newly arrived friends, as giving an account of a transaction that is so familiar to most of our older residents. The rebel Natives on this occasion defended themselves against overwhelming numbers with a gallantry that has !

commanded the respect of those wild hud hitherto had a contemptuous opinion of their prowess. It is supposed that there were not more than 300 or 400 warriors in the pah, aud these were surrounded by a large army, with all the' appliances of murderous warfare; To surrender or fight to the last appeared to be the only altesnatives bei fore them. They determined to tight, - and, unfortunately for the prospects of peace, they fought successfully. Before the attack was made by our troops a vast quantity of shell had been hurled into their works, but. apparently with little destruction of life to what might have been expected. A breech, however, was effected, and in May, 1864, tbe assault was made. Up to this time the Natives had reserved their fire, not wasting a single shot during the bombardment. On the advance made, they manned their rifle pits, and opened a heavy fire from the flanking positions; The troops, however, entered the breach, and apparently all was gained, when one of those sudden reverses, which are) scarcely to be accounted for took place. The men from some cause or other, faltered, and the enemy, taking advan- 1 tage of it, poured from their covered defences so deadly a fire upon them that they caused their assailants to retreat, leaving their dead and wounded on the field of battle. The Natives, to their credit be it spoken, in no way maltreated the wouuded or mutilated the dead. Daring the night they made one oi* ttfd attempts to escape from the Pa, and towards morning this was successfully accomplished, with a loss of only a few of their number. The position, of the rebels at the Gate Pa was one of the? most Critical in which they had hitherto been placed. They were positively enclosed within a trap, aud had it not been for the unaccountable retreat of the troops at the moment the position had actually been taken, they would inevitably have been destroyed or taken prisoners. The loss sustained by our: troops was very serious, sixty to seventy being killed, and about fifty wotlnded. Amongst the killed were—Commander' Hamilton, of H.M.S. Esk, Captain Muir, Captain Gloon, and Sergeant* Major Vance, all of the 43rd regiment; Colonel Booth, of the same regiment, and Captain Hay, of the H.M.S; rier, died on the Sunday following, from the wounds they received in action. The loss sustained by by the enemy is not known, they admit having lost thirty, iucluiing some of their influential chiefs. Inflated with the victory which tile rebels had achieved, they, a few weeka afterwards, issued another challenge to prepare for battle. This was said to be their last and final stand, the position selected Was called Te Ranga, situated about two miles beyond the Gate Pa, but whilst in the act of digging their rifie pits they were discovered, ah attack was successfully made, and within a few hours 120 were buried in their own graves (rifle pits); which they had dug, and it is currently reported that the country round about was covered with bodies, which the vultures fed upon, but which the dense forest of scrub forbade access to search and bury. After this the tribes sued for peace, upon which Sir George Grey (then Governor), with his Ministers, Sir William Pox aud Mr Whitaker, and General Cameron and staff, visited Tauranga to receive the submission pf the tribes. The occasion was grand and imposing, and evidently had a wonderfal effect on the minds of the friendlies and the rebels. The surrender was unconditional, and the address delivered on the occasion was touching and im-. pressive, particularly that portion which referred to the dying words >f Colonel Booth. He had been left behind in the trenches wounded, on the memorable day of the assault at the Gate Pa. Wearied and dying, he cried for water, water, when one of the rebels, at the peril of his life, volunteered to fetch him water. Such humane oonduct, said His Excellency, would not, on this occasiou be forgotten, and as they also had not committed any acts of cruelty to Europeans, or wilful destructian of property, the crown would exercise . mercy to them ; he therefore declared that, though Tauranga lands had been confiscated by proclamation, he would return to them three-fourths,''with Crown titles, retaining one-fourth, 50,000, for the part which they had taken in war, viz, that portion of the land lying between the Wairoa Biyer, and the Waimapu stream, on beyond Oropi and Paengaroa until the quantity of land before named was obtained.