"THE MEMORY OF THE PAST."

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 319, 9 January 1909, Page 6

"THE MEMORY OF THE PAST."

(By Win. Jeiimiiiss, ili'.) '

To-morrow (Sunday), at Auckland, 1111 event of considerable interest to the earlier settlers of Svw Zealand ami their descendants takes ]ilace. 11 is the removal of the old regimental colors vf the "Black Cull's," known in the British Army records as the sSth licgiliicnt, from the Supreme Court to the '.Municipal Library room. The services of the men of this regiment can never be forgotten by the earlier colonists of Auckland, Tarunaki, and Wellington. The men were in the forefront of the early New Zealand war of 1843, aad whenthc rebellious .Maoris outnumbered the European population. The men of the Grenadier and Light companies particularly were as line a boil)' of men as ever look service to maintain the supremacy of the British Empire. They were picked men from England, Ireland, and Scotland, in the days when a man would be rejected if lie even had a mole on his skin! Over 20(H) of the officers, men, women, and children competed | with this regiment settled in New Zea- ; laud during the fourteen years it was (stationed here, and their' descendants to-day would uuinbc'r probably over 110,001) souls. I have met in Parliament, managers of sawmills, ami in other lesponsihlc positions, tillers of Hie soil, in high responsible Government positions, in journalistic walks, men whose ■eves brighten at the mention of the "•(lid Mack Cull's." and who are descendants of men connected with the Vcgimcnt that bravely defended I lie colonist, from being "-wept into the sea," as was the boast in those days. The trials of I lie men in the Bay of Islands war. known as lleke's, has been recorded by .Major Bridge and Br. Thompson, of the regiment, and may be seen in the Public Library, Auckland, landed in the bush in winter time, no roads to reach the enemy, badly provisioned and clothed, ami, hi addition, set tasks by blundering Colonel 'Bespard that cost the lives of many brave, active men, their work was herculean. So bad ivas their condition from want of food, clothing, and boots, that when their own Colonel (familiarly called by them "Bobby") Wynyard arrived from Sydney to command them, lie broke down and cried when lie saw how hiany of them had been slaughtered I owing to the stupidity of Bespard. At the attack on Oliaewai pall 124 men \vcrc shut down in less than live minutes. Ji was here that Captain Grant, of the Grenadier company, was shot and mutilated by the Hanks being cut oil' him, and it was at this pah Ihat the captured soldier was tortured by burnt kauri gum being lighted on his bare chest. I have in my possession the. silver-mounted castle, of Gibraltar, the emblem of the 58lh Kegument, which was worn by Captain Grant at the time of his death. Mr. James Hart, who (lied in Xew Plymouth, four years ago, and who was a sergeant in the reginient, related to the writer how the troops were literally starving when Colonel Wynyard arrived, and bow lie instructed the ollicers to coniinandeer slice]), pigs, poultry, potatoes, etc., from some persons who refused to supply the troops. Tii,c war quickly ended under Colonel Wynyard, for Ohacwai and Ruapekapeka pahs followed in quick succession, and the troops went back to Auckland city.

Thc colors of every regiment have a, history of glory to tell, but the 58th Colors have blazoned on them such battles and sieges as stand foremost in the annals of Uritish renown—"Gibraltar," "Egypt." "Maida," "Salamanca,'' "Vittoria," •{Pyrenees," ■'Nivelle," "Orthes," "Peninsula," The colors which are to be removed lo the Public Library to-morrow were presented to the regiment in Edinburgh in 1840, and when the regiment arrived home in ISoS, new tolors were presented to the regiment, and Colonel Bridges, at the unanimous Wish of the officers and men, .sent out to Auckland the honored badges. When the colors arrived there was quite a gala dav in Auckland on October 22u.1, 1800. The discharged soldiers of tic; regiment in Auckland paraded, and with the. band of the Auckland Rille Volunteers marched to Government House, where the colors were unfurled, and the band played the National Anthem and "Auld Lang Sync." Thousands of people lined the streets as the procession moved onwards. From Government House, after the seat of Government Mas removed from Auckland, the colors were placed over the Judge's bench in the Supreme Court. To-morrow they Will be removed to the Library, the nieii Of the regiment that are still'alive will accompany them, the volunteers are to line the streets, and the Garrison Band 'will escort the colors to the Library, 'where the .Mayor will receive them (il Mialf of the" citizens and place (hem 'ill a secure position for all time. So an echo of nearly fifty years ago will come back of the kindly feelings of reciprocal i'stccii and respect of tlie citizens of 'Auckland towards the men and colors of (he 58lh. So until the last.