TE KOOTI.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume XI, Issue 1293, 8 March 1883, Page 2

TE KOOTI.

Poverty Bay Maisaore. (Co.xcLtnxn). CotojiEL Whitmore, having dritetl Te Kooti from Poverty Bay, turned hi» attention to those troublesome people known as the Uriwera, to whoni Te Kooti had gone. On the 19th of March our force reached Matata. Whethef Te Kooti had forseen this combined attack or not it is impossible to say, but he certainly anticipated it by stHkiiig one of those rapid blows for which he is so famous. On thb 18th, a koriri of 100 men, directed by w Te Kooti, attacked the settlement ef Whakatane. An old Frenchman, Jean Garraud, was tomahawked, but the Hauhaus were beaten off the large pah with heavy loss, but the pah in a couple of days surrendered to Te Kdoti, Major Mair coming up, Te Kooti fell bacfi to a strong position in the hills, from which he retreated to Tauaroa, where Major Mair came up with him, and surrounded him; but owing to the | absence of proper support on tne part { of some native allies, Te Kooti effected i his escape. Te Kooti, after his retreat I from Tauaroa, retired to Ruatahuna, I where he called a meeting of the Uriwera, and proposed to attack either Mohaka or Te Wairoa. The Uriwera chiefs proposed to join him provided he' would make a raid upon Mohaka, which was the more unprotected place of the two. With one hundred men ■'selected from the mixed tribes who accompanied him, Te Kooti pushed on to the Upper Mohaka, and arrived at a native village before daylight. The native inhabitants, thoroughly surprised, were taken prisoners and butchered without much noise, the tomahawk being the weapon used. He then crossed the river to attack the houses of the Europeans. Messrs Lavin and Cooper were met on the road, and the latter was shot, but the former, who was not hit, attempted to escape with his wife. They were, however, overtaken and shot. Three little children of Lavin's, while playing on the river bank, were tomahawked, as also Mr Wilkinson, making in all seven Europeans killed. Later on in the day the Hauhaus marched down the river and attacked the Huke pah, which had a garrison of six men and several women and children, the fighting men beingaway on an expedition against Te Warn. The defenders, though few in number, were under the influence of a courageous man named Heta, and they refused to surrender, and defended itself all that day and night against Te Kooti, who, finding he was losing time, had recourse to stratagem. Heta was apain summoned to surrender, but again refused) but another chief in the pah, Rutene, went out to meet Te Kooti, and was persuaded by him to go to the next pah ond fetch the son of the head chief) Kopihana. Te Kooti rightly concluded that if he had this chief he coUld place him in front and march up to the pah with impunity, for none of the Mohaka tribe would dare to endanger the safety of their chief by firing;. Rutene was successful in his mission. Te Kooti

now felt safe, and put Ropihana in front of his men and marched on the Huke pah, aud demanded admittance. Heta was called upon to open the gate but refused, but Rutene and the Hauhaus lifted the gate off its hinges, and the whole party entered. The defenders were disarmed. Heta refused, and saying, “ We know we are being disarmed that we may be more easily killed, but if I have to die so must you,” raised his rifle and fired at Te Kooti. A Haubau who was standing near knocked up the muzzle, and Te Kooti again escaped. Heta was shot at once, and a general massacre ensued. Rutene was shot and Ropihana wounded, but he succeed in escaping to the big pah. All the women and children that could be found were soon despatched, and then Te Kooti turned his attention to the big pah. News of Te Kooti's advance was sent to Te Wairoa, and a force was sent to the assistance of the beleaguered Maoris. A party of Mohaka Maoris, headed by Trooper Hill, broke through Te Kooti's lines and entered the pah, and after several days’ siege Te Kooti moved off. Our loss by this raid was 7 Europeans and 57 friendly Maoris killed. Te Kooti advanced to meet Col. Whitmore, but too late to meet him at Ruatatuna. The active ruffian then at once marched for Heruiwi, an old native village on the edge of the main bush overlooking the Taupo plains, where he could watch the movements of the Pakeba. While at this place two troopers of the Bey of Plenty Cavalry were waylaid; and one of them shot. On the 7th June he came in sight of Opepe, and was astonished to see smoke rising from the deserted wharei. lie Kooti ordered some of his men to saunter up and pretend they were friendly natives, while the main body crept up a ravine and cut the troopers off from the bush. The Hauhaus walked up to the unsuspecting men, who proved to be a party of the Bay of Plenty Cavarly. The party were somewhat startled by the sight of these armed natives, but became reassured and entered into friendly conversation. During the conversation tho Hauhaus gradually i got between the troopers and their arms, which had foolishly been left in the whares. Some of the men, seeing other Maoris coming out of the bush in skirmishing order, tried to get their weapons, but were stopped by the Hauhaus, who, having uo further need of concealment, commenced the massacre. Nine troopers were killed I immediately, but three succeeded in i escaping. Te Kooti, after taking I all the arms and ammunition of the

party, continued bis march to Waitahttna, became supreme in the Taupo ttnd shortly after paid a visit to King Tawhaio. From this Te Kooli returned to defend himself from iiie systematic campaign that had been organised against him. After one or two skirmishes Te Kooti fell back, after capturing four scouts, fell asleep in a A whare after having seem them chopped up and thrown into a swamp. At Tokann Te Kooti was attacked by a mixed force, and sustained a signal defeat, which cost him his perstige among the inland tribes, and lost him the possible support of Bewi, with his 600 fighting men. At Kaiteriria Colonel M’Donnell’s pursuing force again came up with the Hauhaus,, who sufferred severely, in men. and were compelled to take to the bush. On our aide we lost Captain St. George and Winiata, the most renowned fighting man of*the Ngatakaus. Te Kooti himself was wounded in the engagement. A bullet wounded his thumb ajid forefinger, and cut the third finger completely off, and passed through the fieshy part of his side. A smart search was maintained and our forces succeeded in finding him at the Tupapa pah, but he and the garrison bolted, leaving 80 horses behind | them. After this defeat Te Kooti re- | tired with his followers to Te Wera, a wild tract of bush couniry. In this terra incognita Te Kooti remained hidden from bis pursuers, revolvingfin his mind a dark deed of murder and voilenca, which want of men alone prevented him from executing. Here at last he was surrounded, a party of IS Europeans got on a terrace above his camp, not more than 20 yards from the huts, but divided from the Jiauhaus by a deep creek. Te Kooti was seen and recognised by several Poverty Bay Settlers, and could easily have been shot, as he was not more than 30 yards away, but our men withheld their fire, trusting the native allies would perform their share of the work An alarm, unfortunately, was given and Te Kooti again succeeded in making his escape. Vigilant search was made for him by several search parties up to 1871, but without success, i and in that year Te Kooti crossed into the King country, where he has remai- ' ned ever since. '