EARLY DAYS IN N.Z.

Opotiki News, Volume II, Issue 226, 28 August 1939, Page 2

EARLY DAYS IN N.Z.

BRILLIANT SH ARLES HEAP.HY A MARVELLOUS MAN MAORI WAR V.C. One of the most interesting of early colonists, and one of tlie most versatile men who have lived in New Zealand was Charles' Heaphy, whose life was adventurous in a generation of adventure- (states “New Zealand Centennial News”).

The date of his birth cannot he certainly fixed.’ 'The dace favoured by the Dictionary of National Biography, 1821, wouldl make him an exhibitor at the Royal Academy at the age of fifteen. In the same year that he so exhibited, 1835, his father died, a fact which may have, had some effect in inducing Charles to sail on the 'Tory in 1839. Whether he was eighteen or twenty when the “'Tory” picked him up at Plymouth for the long voyage to New Zealand, lie was evidently mature enough to he Heated as a man, and was apparently not thought of by those on hoard as competing with the nineteen-year-old Jcrniugham Wakefield to be the youngest cl the ship’s company.

Heap by’s extremely varied career—as artist, explorer, soldier, surveyor, and official—is to some extent typical of the time as much as the man. He wrote a number of lively articles in colonial newspapers an cl magazines and in the‘“Transactions of the New Zealand Institute”. Bn it he is likely to he most honoured to-day as an artist, though people to-day can hardly regret that lie stole time from art to go exploring. Charles Heaphy was the only colonist to win the Victoria Cross for service in the Alaori War. in . 1863 Heaphy had joined the , Auckland Rifles, a Volunteer troop, taking the rank of lieutenant, and almost at once of captain. He acted as a guide to the Waikato troops. On 11th. February, 1840, a bathing party ct troops was ambushed at the Alangapiko river. 'The troops from the neighbouring camp came to the rescue in very fast time, turning the tables on tlie attacking natives. Heaphy, accidentally on the spot, took charge of a party and lecil it with great vigom and spirit. He went forward to help a wounded man—he had some knowledge of surgery—and was fired on by a concealed party of Alaoris at very short, range, receiving three wounds. But he went on with his surgery, tying up a severed artery to prevent the jnau bleeding'to dentil, got the wounded man away, and • carried .cn in the battle.

The official wheels moved slowly, and it was not till 1867 that Heaphy actually collected his V.C.; but in the meantime he had been promoted Alajor and. received the present ot a handsome rifle from Sir George Grey m recognition of his services.