MR RUSDEN’S HISTORY OF “NEW ZEALAND.”

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume XI, Issue 1313, 7 June 1883, Page 3

MR RUSDEN’S HISTORY OF “NEW ZEALAND.”

Mb T. W. Gudgeon writes as follows to the “ Auckland Herald i”— “ Your leading article of to day quotes from Mr Rusden’s ‘ History of New Zealand,’ wherein he refers to my * careful omission ’ of the skirmish at Handley’s woolaheds. In regard to that statement 1 beg to make a few remarks. 1 remember the day as well as yesler<lay, when our forces had, to their disgust, retired to the Kai Iwi stream, leaving all the country outside unprotected, while Titokow aru, with 500 fighting men, elated with their partial success at Moturoa. had followed on to within 15 miles of the township of Wanganui, threatening the inhabitants. Colonel Whitmore, the officer in command, was just then called away to Opotiki, taking every available tpatt, to avenge Te Kooti’s massacre ot men, women aud children, while the Settlers driven from their homesteads, formed them selves into a mountain c -rps, and electing Mr Bryce as their captain, began the delence of the township by patrolling, day and night, the banks of the Kai Iwi. It was while engaged in this duty that seeing Tito* kowaru's men destroying Handlty’s tame pigs, the sortie was made that I describe in chapter 35 of my “ Re« miniscences of the War,” which, if you will please to publish, will dis« prove in ioto Mr Rusden’s assertions. Auckland, May 10th. The following is a portion of the chapter describing the surprise of the Hauhaus, who were killing pigs: — “ Ou the I.4th Titokowarau occupied the position of Taurang»-a-hika, an old pah on Mr Handley’s farm at Nukumaru, and commenchd to build a stronghold, at the same time sending out marauding to burn and destroy the homesteads and settlers’ property. Captain Newland, who was then in charge of the mounted men, received orders to waylay some ot these mauraders; this was done successfully. The cavalry concealed their movements by marching under the srndhills until they reached the neighborhood of Mr Handley’s woolshed, opposite Tauranga-a-hika, when a scout was sent to the top of the sandhill to observe the movements of the enemy. He returned almost immediately, and reported that a dozen or so of the Hauhaus were killing nigs at the woolshed. The troop galloped over the ridge and charged for the enemy, but very few succeeded in reaching them, as they were stopped by a formidable bank and ditch. Sergeant Maxwell and a few men of the 1 Kai Iwi Cavalry, win happened to be good riders and well mounted, got over, and killed six of their foes before they could escape, Maxwell himself killing three.”