FIFTY YEARS AGO

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 1, Issue 57, 7 January 1913, Page 1

FIFTY YEARS AGO

SOME EARLY RECOLLECTIONS. THE OLD DAYS REVIVED.

[BY B. A. CRISPE.I

[This series of articles was kindly written, especially for the " Times," by Mrs H. Crispe, of Mauku. Our lady contributor was amongst those women pioneers through whose courage and self-sacrifice the people of this district to-day enjoy their peace and prosperity Ed.l The Ti Ti Fight.

Engagement at Mauku in 1863. To-day I am looking at the picturesque, sloping fields of the wellknown "Ti Ti" tarm at Mauku. The sleek, contented cow« are peacefully chewing their cud, theep are quietly browsing while the playful lambs make merry skipping about in the bright summer sunshine. This eminently rural scene S2ems to speak of quietness, prosperity and peace. It shows what the hind of man has done, for where these cows now contentedly chew their cud, and the lambs skip, was once a d use forest. From heavily-timbered land it baa been turned into the beauteous country scene of to-day Fifty years ago a very different scene was enacted on this self-same spot It was here during the disastious war of 1863 that one of the most desperate fights took place between the Europeans and Maoris. This was when war, with all its accompanying miseries and desolation, owept the land from Auckland to the Waikato river, when newlymade widows mourned their husbands, mothers their dearly-loved sons, sisters their brothers. Homes were deserted and desecrated. Refugees were crowding tu the town, it being unsafe to live in the country. Maty had even to fly from their homes at a moment's notice to escape the r craf ty foe, who appeared in unexpected placea, and who murdered and tomahawked all they could come across.

Witness the murder of poor old Mr and Mrs Fahey, near Drury; also Richard and Nicholas Trust (two boys), near Howick, and many others. Oh, ye happy children of the preaent generation in this Dominion. How blest you are not to see the sights and feel the pinching, terrible scourge of war. Only those who have experienced it can fully realisa what an awful thing it is. It is to be devoutly hoped that the time is not far distant when nations will settle their differences by arbitration; or some other means better and more humane than killing one another. It seems horrible when one thinks of it for men to deliberately kill each other, who personally have done eacn other no harm. It was in July, 1863, that the

Maoris becoming aggressive it began to be unsafe for remote Fettlers to stay in their homes. Fatumahoe (Mauku) was then a Maori village, and for years they had livod on friendly terms with the Europeans at Mauku Now they were becoming sullen and impudent. Deeming it unsafe for the settlers to be in such close proximity with these natives, the Government sent a proi lamation to Major Speedy, R.M., to read to the Patumahoe Maoris, ordering them in the Queen's name to lay down their arms or leave in 24 hours. Major Speedy was accompanied by Mr Charhs Mellsop, Mr Hey wood Crispe and Government Interpreter. The next day one Maori (Jacob) brought his gun to Major Speedy; the others left the same day, and with their wives, children and all moveable belongings. They crossed the Waikato river at P.urapura, joined the rebels at the Waikato and fought against tna trooos later on, their block of lard, eome 800 acres, being confiscated. The women and children were now ordered to leave their homes and go to Auckland. In the meantime, and until some transit could be procured, the families at Lower Mauku assembled at night at Major Speedy's house, on the property row ow red by Mr Firth. Those of Upper Mauku assembled at St, Bride's Church. In both places three anxious nights were spent. One poor woman, with a three-day-old baby, was carried on a mattrass to the Church, where she was attended to by her neighbours and after three days was taken on to Drury in a military waggon. Wars and rumours of wars were now the topic of conversation, and volunteer corps were formed all over the province. St. Bride's Church was pallisaded and loop-holed, the marks of the latter being there till this day. A stockade was also erected at Lower Mauku, both strongholds being occupied by volunteers, militia ana Imperial troops. THE FIGHT DESCRIBED. The Ti Ti fight t'cok place on October 23rd. 1863, and the following is an account ot it given by Mr Featon in his "Maori War, 1863 and 1864." "At about 10 o'clock on the morning of the 23rd of October, the force stationed at the Mauku were alarmed by the sound of heavy tiring in the bush on Mr Wheeler's farm at Ti Ti. On this farm a portion only oi the bush had been cleared and burned, and in the centre of the clearing there remained several acres of felled timber that had not been burned off, but had been piled up in heaps ready for the brand. The fore-ground is open fern land, partially broken and intersected by a fresh-water stream and one or two shallow sullies. A detachment of 25 men of the Mauku Volunteers, under Lieutenant Lusk, advanced to the cbuich from the

Stockade, and the Maoris were then teen in considerable numbers about two miles off. Lieutenant Lusk immediately sent a request to Lieutenant Percival, of the Ist Waikato Regim-nt (a detachment of which was stationed in the blockade), to ativa;,ce without delay and reinforce him at the church. Lieutenant Percival at once started from ihe stockade with twelve men, but ins'ead of marching straight to the church, struck into the I unh with the object of attacking the natives in the rear

Lieutenant Percival'a small party toon came into collision with the natives, but alter keeping up a steady lire for some time had to retire on account ot the superior force of the enemy, atep by step the gallant little Land were lorced back out of tfce bush into tie clea'ing, and in full view of Lieutenant Lusk's party at the chutch. Seeing the natives closing rapidly en Lieutenant Percival's small party Lieutenar t Lußk immediate ly advanced at tee double to their support with the Mauku Volunteer*. Upon observing Lieutenant Lusk's party advancing, the Maorij retreated and took up a position behind the logs and brushwood that had been piled up in the clearing. Lieutenant Lusk having joined Lieutnant Percival, the two detachments, numbering altogether some sixty men, moved forward in skiimishing order and and opened fire on the natives, who replied vigorously, but without effect.

Lieutenan* Noiman, who had just arrived at the Mauku from f»rury, obtained a rifle and ammunition, and about this time joined Lieutenant Percival's party, to wnich regiment he belonged. He had with him a} the time the men's pay, amounting to about £SO. Ihe voluuteets continuing to advance, tiring all the while, the natives tucdenly broke from their cover an J railed hastily over the ciest of the hill in the direc<iun of ihe Bald bill, folbwcd by the volunteers, who were halted when tney reached the crest over which the natives had retreated. On each side of the.clearing through which tb? advance had been made, there was a strip of bush, and in order to pre vent being lured into an ambush, the volunteers were ordered to retire. They had no sooner commencedto do so than tire was opened upon them from the bush on their right, the natives appearing immediately afterwards in force in trunt and op both flinkf, opening a heavy fire on Lieutenaut Lusk's force, which immediately took cover behind ihe stumps, logs, and brushwood, which lay about the clearing. The natives having developed their strength, which consisttd of over 200 men, boldly advanced ou the handful of volunteers opposed to them, swarming behind every stump and log all over the clearing. Here a desperate and unequal convst took place and lasted for some time.

Every \olut.t:er was lightirg for dear li:e. A hasty retreat would have doomed the whole force to destruction. Each retinrg step had therefore t> be c infested.

Behkda l.g fell the gallant Percival. foremos' among lis men, but rot betore s.veral of the enemy had dropped by his hand. Lieutenant Norman also was shot, after an heioic struggle in which live or six natives bit the dust from nis rifle.

The retreat ot lieutenant Lusk's party being cut off by the way they had advanced, they were compel].d to retire thtoufch an angle of thfi bush which ptojected into the clearing. In effecting this, they had to dislodge tome of the Maoris stationed there, which they succeeded in doing,* cut ievqrai of the men got cut off from the main body and ..ad to run through a heavy cioss-fire, in which one was shut, «jud VV'orthirgton, of the Mauku Rifles, running in another direction from the main body, was pursued through the bush by the natives and tomahawked. Lieutenant Ltuk's party having got fairly under cover of the dense bush, the nalives,ceased following the retreating volunteers, who without further mulestat.on returned to camp, ihey had, however, suffeied severely, having lo=t two officers and dx men killei. and one man wounded. a The natives, owing to the desperate resistance made by the volunteers, must have lost at least 20 or 30 men killed and wcunceJ, as a number of rough stretchers used by the Maoris was afterwards found. The flying column, under Captain Rutnerford of the 70th Regiment, a-rived fiom Drury the same evening, and the n'xt mcrning started off in pursuit of the enemy. Crossing the clearing where the fight had taken place, the bodies of the volunteers who had fallen were found laid our, partially stripped of their clothes, and frightfully tomahawked. Ampule, en which a white haversack was fastened, marked the spot.

Ihe flying column readied the crossing place at Lamerontown in time to see the last of the retreating naiives escaping to the other side of the river in canoes. Captain hutherforu's force opened fire, and must have caused some loss to the tn-.my, as several Maoris were seen dragged out of the canoesfand into the flax bushes on the opposite site. Having no means of crossing the\-Waikato in pursuit, the flying column, which had been ji ined by Jackson's company of Forest Kai.gers, returned to the Mauku. [ln the next article further interesting details associated with the fight will be related.—Ed.]