Armed Resistance

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 554, 5 January 1929, Page 5

Armed Resistance

SON AND ANOTHER KILLED

Two Constables Wounded

IT WAS in April, 1916, that Rua became one of the promi- * nent natives in the history of New Zealand. He was then arrested by a strong armed party after a fierce resistance by his followers, who defended the pa at Mangapohatu and lost two of their number.

Kua. whose full name is Rua Tapunui Hepetita, was “wanted” for sly grog-selling, the cases having been dealt with by the Court, and Rua being required to serve his sentence. Born poor and of an undistinguished family, Rua reached his zenith In the years 1908 and 1909, when his influence over a section of the Urewera natives was arousing the interest of Maoris and Europeans. In those days be was about 40 years of age. slimly built and tall, with his long wavy hair j and pleasing features, slightly marred j by a flat nose, his face illuminated , with a pair of fascinating eyes. He | impressed an interviewer as having 1 a charming personality, and being the j reverse of an over-bearing despot Rua adopted the title of Maori j Prophet, and his strong point was his I religion, which seemed to be a mix- [ ture of the Old and New Testaments. 1 11© used to declare that he was not preaching Maoriland for the Maoris, but really was Europeanising Maori customs and ways. If these intentions were really genuine they were not maintained, and the police began to take an interest in his efforts to encourage such habits j as liquor consumption among the j natives. PRISON FOR SLY-GROGGING In May, 1915, Rua was sentenced to three months’ imprisonment in the Auckland Gaol on charges of sly grogselling, and was convicted and ordered to come up for sentence on five other charges. After his discharge from gaol he reverted to his former ways, and in November he was summoned to appear at Whakatane for sentence on the five charges on which he stood convicted. The magistrate, Mr. R. W. Dwyer, received an impudent note, Rua stating that he was too busy harvesting to attend. His excuse was not accepted, the magistrate fining Rua £SO and £2 17s costs on two charges of supplying liquor to natives, and sentencing hirb to three months’ imprisonment on each charge. He was further sentenced to one month’s imprisonment with hard labour for introducing liquor to a Maori pa, and for permitting the sale of liquor in his own house was sentenced to one month, the term of imprisonment being brought to a term of nine months by another month for aiding and abetting others to sell liquor.

As tho offender was not in Court instructions were issued for his arrest. Several attempts were made to induce Rua to submit, but he retreated into tho back-country, and a force of police had to be sent to arrest him. TWO KILLED Early on Sunday afternoon, April 2, 1916, Rua was taken at his Urewera bush stronghold, the capture being carried out with bloodshed. The Maoris opened fire on Commissioner Cullen’s police force from several points in tho confines of the pa, and the adjacent scrub. The fight lasted half an hour, and the police sustained four casualties, the constables being wounded with pellets from shot-guns. Two of the Maori defenders were killed, including Toko Rua, the prophet’s younger son, aged about 22 years, and three were wounded. The other Maori killed was Maipa, Rua’s principal bodyguard. The force sent to arrest Rua had as guide Constable A. M. Grant, of Te Wliaiti, who previously had gone out to arrest Rua. Including the officers and men mounted, on foot, and pack-horse drivers, the main body of the assaulters numbered about sixty. They had encamped on Saturday night in the heart of the bush about six or seven miles from Mangapeliatu, and set out on the last stage of the journey at 7.30 a.m. on Sunday, donning uniforms and shakos for the first time. The way lay through dense bush, then up a mountain side with a steep ascent for 3 h miles. About 11 a.m the party came to the top of a ridge whence they caught the first glimpse of the temple, meeting-house, and wliares, forming Kua’s settlement, which stood 3,200 ft above sea level A white flag was flying on a knoll in the valley between the force and the pa. and it was thought to be a sign that Rua would “go quietly.” As the cavalcade passed the base of tlie knoll, however, the white flag was no longer flying. Commissioner Cullen ordered his men to load 20 rifles and about forty revolvers, and issued to each man 20 rounds of ammunition. The march then continued. The advance guard on reaching the foot of a clearing about three acres occupied by Rua’s stronghold, waited the arrival of the pack-horses and its rearguard. , .. Over the last few hundred yards the cavalcade moved forward in single file On the summit of the rise where the’ pa stands .as a rough flag-stalf. and a Maori flag bearing the inscription: "Kotahi te Ture mo Xga Iwi. G. Rua, Mangapohatu." This may be translated. 'One law for two People. The paxty could make naught of it.. :

THE ARREST Commissioner Cullen, with SubInspector Johnson, of Gisborne, went forward * in advance of the troop to the p ateau in front of the meetinghouse Rua was standing there with hfs two sons. Whatu, the elder, and Toko the younger, with two otlier natives None of them was armed. The Maoris at once retreated toward the meetinghouse, and the two policeTvi Iked over toward them, to ferve the warrant of arrest on Rua. Only a portion of the advance guard tad reached the Kua called out: "Come and take me, ana ran with his sons and followers across Ul Tl!ree d or four policemen, Constable Neil, of Rotorua^d CasseTs. geants Skinner ° Kara Constable were among the pursuers ch he S¥ieSTor d hewing 11 firewood, closed

with Rua, and they fell down a bank six feet high, the constable on top. The axe had been dropped. Two other policemen went over the bank to his assistance. Fighting hard with fists and feet and urging on his followers Rua was determined not to be taken. Constable Neil clutched him by the throat, and Rua’s son Whatu picked up tlie axe. Ho had raised it above his head when Sergeant O’Hara felled and secured him. The police also captured Rua and two armed Maoris, but Toko and others made across the gulley and up a road. NARROW -ESCAPE | An elderly follower of Rua’s struck j a constable on the back of a hand with a piece of wood, causing him to drop his rifle, which the Maori grabbed and levelled at Rua’s captors. The , rifle however was at half-cock and before the Maori could adjust it he was j felled with a baton. Rua suffered the ; indignity of being carried frog’s- ! march fashion by six constables to j the plateau where he was handcuffed ! and placed with other prisoners under I an armed guard. At this point in the proceedings the first shot was Fired. A Maori 1 who was hiding behind a whare j close at hand, had a pot at the j party guarding Rua without any casuilties, and immediately afterwards a ragged fire began to come from the natives who had taken cover. j The men in the police force charged j the attackers. Toko Rua, while crossi ing a gully into some scrub, was cut j off by two mounted men. He made back again and reached the paddock in front of Rua’s dwelling. MAORI KILLED Securing an automatic shot-gun, he fired through tlie palings at a group of the police just outside the fence. These had their backs to him and were returning fire in another direction. Inside the paling Toko was assisted by Maipa, who was armed with a revolver and rifle, and another sniper, one of the trio using a large Mauser j pistol. Three of the police who were I wounded fell beneath the fire of the shot-gun. They were then unaware of the danger threatening them from behind. At last some of the riflemen returned the fire. Toko dropped in the paddock. He then managed to reach a shed at the rear of Rua’s house, but there he finally was shot dead with three wounds, one beneath tho heart. Soon after Toko had been killed Maipa showed himself, and received a rifle bullet in the brain. A hot encounter with twenty or thirty Maoris who had taken up a position in a. group of wliares was engaged in by other constables. This was a warm corner, and here Constable Neil was shot, but the police eventually drove off the attacking natives, most of whom escaped into the gully or the scrub. In the exchange of shots Herepo was wounded by a rifle bullet in each shoulder. The fight now quietened down into intermittent shooting. There were no further casualties. A report was then made that some of the attacking party were in Rua’s house, which was surrounded, the door was broken down, but the dwelling contained only Rua’s nine wives, and several children, who squatted in a disconsolate group with tlieir attention fixed on Rua and his sons, handcuffed together.

KILL! Rua. several times during the fight called "Pulua,” meaning “kill” or “destroy” them, but he changed this to orders to cease fire when he saw defeat faced his party. By this time, pursued and pursuers were out of earshot, the barking of a score of dogs and tlie lamentations of women mingling with the reports of tlie firearms. Rua. was dejected and he took the news of his younger son’s death calmly.

The Maoris knew the police were coining, and every move they made after leaving Rotorua. It was clear that armed resistance was intended from the first, and the remarkable thing was that Rua had not taken the dozens of opportunities offered for ambush, nor had he made the use he could have of the commanding position of the pa. This saved the police from heavy casualties. Rua then asked for permission for his women to call the men who had taken to the scrub and before very long 23 Maoris had surrendered. The meeting-house was turned into a temporary hospital and gaol combined. Rua, liis eldest son and eight Maoris being under arrest, white the remainder were kept under guard, the party camping there for the night. Thirty repeating rifles and shotguns and a considerable amount of amunition were discovered. Many of the Maoris stayed the night in the bush. The party left for Ruatahuna on tlie Wednesday, where they were met by ambulances. On Tuesday another Maori, who had been shot through the shoulder, had surrendered himself and on this morning tlie two Maoris were buried. The wounded policemen managed to ride to tlie road and were conveyed to Rotorua by motor-car and there admitted to hospital. The police party and their prisoners reached Rotorua on Friday night.

LONG TRAIL Rua was sent on to Auckland to serve his sentence on the original warrant, and the other Maoris were brought here for trial on charges of assault and obstructing the police. At the end of tlie month Rua and his followers were taken back to Rotorua, and charged with attempting to murder and resisting lawful arrest. At the Supreme Court trial Rua was also charged with making a seditious utterance. by saying that when the Kaiser became King of England, he would be made “King of tlie Maoris,” and that ho was not going to allow any of his men to enlist. The Court was informed that Rua had been interviewed on occasions by high dignitaries. including Lord Islington. Rua had complained that there was one law* for whites and one for Maoris, the judge remarking that this evidently applied to the liquor laws.

After an immensely long trial, occupying several weeks, Rua was found guilty of resisting the police and was sentenced to 12 months’ hard labour, to be followed by IS months’ reformative detention. Varying penalties were inflicted on the other natives.