THE MAORI BATTLE AT POROTI.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 285, 28 July 1888, Page 3

THE MAORI BATTLE AT POROTI.

ORIGIN OF THE TROUBLE. It has already been stated that the ill-feel-ing existing between the combatants of the late fight had been simmering for some time, and the straw that broke the camel's back was the attempted sale of a lease of a gumfield by Taurau Kukupa's people. This field, known as Tokatoka, had been kept exclusively by the Maoris of the other side and worked by them, and possibly they might have continued in possession of the land had not one ot bhsir hapu played a sharp trick on Taurau's people in connection with the sale of another gumfield. It will be remembered.that some time ago these same natives threatened to fight, and that Mr Clendon, the KM., had great trouble then in preventing hostilities breaking out. At that time Mr Sam Rawnsley, who holds considerable gum areas in and around Poroti, had purchased a lease and a new Held from Taurau. The old chief received from Mr Ilawnsley in payment £300. This money Taurau, at a meeting of the hapu, handed over to the other nati\ et present to be passed round in the native fashion before division. But one minor chief, in getting possession of the £300, coolly stuck to £200, and threw the remaining £100 down for the rest to scramble for. Instead of the natives present taking thia chief by the "scruff" of the neck and causing him to disgorge, tiiey &eem to have quite lost their heads over what to them must have been an unprecedented breach of etiquette. A tenible row and words ensued. Taurau's people, led by Pomare Kingi, said they would not demean themselves by touching the £100 ; they did not want the dirty lucre, and those who took it were " taurikarikas " (slaves), and after using other opprobrious epithets, challenged the opposite side to fighb. Pomare wa.% allowed full play in his denunciation of what he conceived to be a mostungentlemanly proceeding on the part of his opponents, while the latter not only walked off with the £200, but the other ClOO was also attacked by a younger native who was less fastidious about the observance of obsolete Maori u&ages. This row nearly ended in an open rupture, as your readers* know. Since then, Mr Sam flawnsley had arlanged with Pomare Kingi for the lea&e of the other field above described as the Tokatoka, and in which many of those belonging to the hapu, who forcibly seized the £300, weie themselves digging gum. Mr Kawnsley had given the natives a cheque for £100 upon a survey being immediately made. Mr Andrew Wilson was engaged to make the survey, and proceeded to the ground, but before doing anything, thought it best to pub out a feeler, and suggested that Pomare should go with some of his people with survey sticks, and pretend to survey the gumfiold, to see ii the other side would interfere. This Pomare did, and

THEN THE TROUBLE BEGAN. As soon as the natives placed the' sticks in position, the other side came up and pulled them down. Then they began abusing each other in the choicest Maori language — a process themost filthy conceivable. An old Maori hag belonging 1 to Taurau's hapu gave the insult, which the other hYIo had to accept as a challenge, and it was then mutually agreed that they would tight it out next day. With this understanding each party ictircd lor the night. No pickets were posted, for the Maoris do not imitate the tactics pursued at Tel-el-Kebh of attack by night. They bpent the time more profitably in cleaning thoir guns and laying in a good supply of ammunition, of which, by-the-bye, there was no scarcity. Some time ago, when the natives of this district threw up a pah at Poroii and entrenched themselves when bouncing the Governmentabouta new road, itwas alleged they had at least two lons of ammunition that had been saved up for years. At any rate, the natives engaged at the Battle of Tokatoka had plenty of arms of the best make, and enough ammunition to annihilate half the white population.

THE BATTLE. Early next morning the natives were astir. On both bidets dovotional exercises were seriously attended to, as in days ot old, but there was but little apparent excitement. They were sullen determined, Taurau Kukupa-thogreat Ngapuhi chief, who must be upwards of 90 years old — was present at Poroti, and though he counselled his men to again proceed to Tokatoka and re-erect the survey ftag, he did not accompany them there. The party- lett for Tokatoka about fifty strong, all armed with rifles, and mostly clad in war att.ire, namely, only a flannel around the waist. The place where the tight occurred is simply a very uninteresting piece of undu lating green range,- with here and there a little scrubby ti-tiee. The &pot whero the survey flag wnB to be placed was on top of ata open green range. The Poroti natives, to reach this point, had -to march over some

consid erable extent of gum land 1 , and had the defenders of Tokatoka desired, they could have shot down the bulk of the attacking party before they reached the flag hill at all. But this was not to be. The natives arrange these things very nicely, and take no mean advantage of each other. The Poroti contingent marched straight to the flag hill, and planted the sticks in position. The Tokatoka natives, who were in waiting within 150 yards and partly hidden with scrub, immediabely began tiring. Whether the tiring was directed at the Poroti tribe on the hill, or was merely a challenge, it is not known, but none of the advance party were shot. The Poroti natives immediately replied, and

BRISK FIRING THEN ENSUED. In a short time quite a mile of country was covered by the contestants, and every here and there the smoke of a rifle showed the position of the marksmen. The gumdiggers on the adjoining field, finding the bullets beginning to ping in the air or drop spent on the ground, commenced to retire, some in good order and many in hot haste, on Poroti, and most of them found their commissariat completely cut off, and nothing could induce them to go to their whares, which were within range of the guns. Shortly after the firing commenced one of the Poroti men was shot dead, the ball striking him fair in the stomach. The dead man was carried into camp.

THE OLD CHIEF DONS HIS WAR PAINT. As soon as Taurau saw blood had been shed, he fchi*ew off his pakeha habiliments and donned the waisfc flannel and rifle and went to the front. Pomare and his men had meantime been pressing the Tokatoka natives, and an attempt was soon to be made to dislodge the defenders from an entrenched position they held on the brow of the hill. As soon as Taurau came up to the front, Pomare moved off with a handful of men to make a detour around the hill in front and outflank the entrenched party on the brow of the said hill. This movement was cleverly executed, and Pomare got possession of the entrenchment. Whether any natives were killed in this assault or not it cannot be ascertained, as the natives will give no information. From this out Taurau's people had the best of the fight, and though throughout the day the firing was very desultory and many of the young people were simply firing wildly in the air, before sundown the Poroti natives had driven the Tokatokas back from their positions, and finally had them at a disadvantage in a gully when the Tokatokas asked for a truce, which was immediately granted, and both parties, after eventually agreeing to occupy the following day in buiying their dead and at tending to the wounded, retired to their respective camps.

FRATERNISATION OF HOSTILE FORCES. After this, many of the natives on either side met and conversed with each other, and the whole business seemed to partake more of the spirit of a duel to settle a little matter of honour than of a savage intertribal tight. Two meg and a boy were killed, and four men were' badly wounded. The same evening, Mr Clendon, R.M., accompanied by Constables Gordon and Hogg, together with Dr. Clark, proceeded to the scene of the battle, which is 16 miles from Whangarei. Mr Clendon and the party were quietly receh ed by both sides. They showed neither fear nor bounce, but rather appeared in the humour of children who knew that they had done something very naughty. Mr Clendon expostulated wich the natives, and warned them that they had all been guilty of murder, and might be arrested and have to suiter the penalty of the law. They promised they would nob fight the next day anyhow. The constables moved freely about the camps and talked to the men, who did not seem the least excited or alarmed either by the day's lighting or the presence of the police. Dr. Clark attended the wounded, and had great trouble, as the eases were complicated itnd serious. One man had his arm completely ripped up by a bullet which had travelled its whole length ; another had a bullet embedded near the bladder, which the doctor could feel by probing. A number of amusing incidents occurred after the fight. The doctor -wanted to administer some medicine to the man with a bad arm, and seized a panniken lying in the whare for that purpo&e, but the other nativesobjectedfcohisusingit, as by so doing the panniken would then be " tapu," and an old empty meat tin had to be got from outside. Another man, bleeding and suffering great agony, the docior wanted to cover with fcoine clothing, and took the first thing that came to hand, but again the natives objected, owing to the law of " tapu.'' Next morning a great tangi was held over the dead, and volleys were fired over the corpses, and then they were removed by cavalcades of horsemen, some up and some down the coast. One corpse conveyed by four horsemen in Maori fashion passed through Maunu on Monday • for the North. | It was rumouied in Wh.mgarei on Monday that Mr Clendon had advised the Government to send h'tty A.C.'s* to Whangarei, and it was also rumoured that Mr Mitchelson himself was expected in Whaui garci this week. «■>.

A Pi ess Association telegium irom Wellington says : — The Under-Secretary ol the Native Depai tmcnt ha& roceived a telegram trom Mr Clcndon. R.M , re the native disturbance at Whangaiei, to the effect that the broub'e arose out of a dispute as to gum royalty. One of the parties was desirous of putting the land through the Native Land is Court, and the other opposed the idea. They then agreed to tight the quarrel out. Matters came to a climax on Thursday last, when Taurau erected ix flag as a commencing' point for the surveyors. All day on Friday the parties were firing at one another, with the result already mentioned.

j Wellington, July 25. , The Commisbioner of Police received information this morning from Inspector McGovern relative to the native outbreak at Poroti, to the effect that both sides have agreed to remain peaceable until the Native Minister arrives from Wellington. The wounded men are apparently better than they werc.j

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