THE WAIREKA ENGAGEMENT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 348, 26 March 1910, Page 3

THE WAIREKA ENGAGEMENT.

JUBILLE CELEBRATIONS. INTERESTING NARRATIVES. THE PAKEHA AND MAORI STORIES.

The history of Sew Zealand colonisa-l tion is studded with deeds of valour. It is possible to be brave without physical fighting. Heroism may be shown in the everyday business of life, and there are weapons that may be even more effective than "Brown Bess" and her bayonet. Still "Brown Bess'' in the hands of a man who fought for his country, and by so doing provided peaceful possession for*happy successors, effected much lor Taranaki. On Monday survivors of the Battle of Waireka and their friends celebrate THE JUBILEE OF THE ENGAGE- ■ MENT. The Maori unrest of ISCO requ«ed strenuous handling, and it is apparent that in the successful issue the Taranaki Riile volunteers and militia bov; themselves notably. It has frequently been sfcid that the corps was harsnly treated, and that ••undisciplined raw troops" should have been more carefully shepherded and helped. But in the history of all bush fighting and guerilla warfare, it has been proved tme and time again, that the hardy son of the soil, who knows the country and loves it, is the equal, if not tne superior, of the trained s'oldier who is not so well acquainted with the country, and who has not the same incentive U fight ps the soldier-civilian. Mr J. Black, who was a 'sergeant li. the corps, in conversation with a "News reporter chatted interestingly of tin engagement as shared in by himself.

THE MAORIS had been "out of band" for some tun!. They were "spoiling for fight, and m order to get it they shot to death on the road close to the Omata run, three settlers, Messrs. S. Shaw, S Ford ana H Passmore. To make doubly sure the natives tomahawked all three. The Rev. H H Brown found Pote and Parker, both settlers' sons, tomahawked to death.

A PUNITIVE EXPEDITION was the only course possible, for opinion in this town would brook no delay. j.ne day "after the receipt of the message conveying news of the murders, ttte troops' left New Plymouth en route for Waireka filled with the justice of their «ause and spurred to endeavour oy popular enthusiasm. The militia and volunteers (Capt. Brown, commanding) took the sea-beach, the regular troops marching along the road. The irreguur force wag 150 strong, and it was strong, confident and cheerful party that moved out to fight THE FIRST BATTLE in which British volunteers' were engaged. When the Waireka stream was r»a«hed dispositions were effected, Capt Stapp's force taking the centre and Capt Brown and Capt. Atkinson proceeding to the flanks. The Maoris from the Waireka pah, evidently expecting trouble, gallantly prepared to meet it by rushing pell-mell down the hills towards the stream. Therefore as soon. as the advance force saw anything solid to fire at, it loosed a couple of rounds, ths distinction of firing them falling to Sergeant McCoy and Private C. Allen. The advance had been moving "en esehelon," but it quickly broke into a •mart double for

THE SEAT OP THE TROUBLE. The centre attack was composed of 25 or 30 citizen soldiers. The Maoris were between COO and 700 strong, armed variouily with, double-barrelled shot guns, muskets, tomahawks—anything that would fire a snot or /make a wound The Maoris were always good soldiers', both in attack or defence, and so they frequently avoided unnecessarily exposing themselves, were wary in their skirmishing and careful in launching their force, which in this) case was dona j in circular formation, the wings wide spread and curved so that an enfilading fir« would be ineffectual. To close in j on the centre seemed to be | THE IDEA OF THE MAORI LEADER., As they closed it was necessary for them to surmount a four-rail fence which they | did with accompanying yells). Many of j the yells were bitten short, for the range was only 50 yards. Captain Stapp instructed his men to "Give it to 'em'." \ and to use Mr. Black's expression, "tlhey j fell like blackbirds." Lieut. Blake, commanding « ft'hore party of bluejackets, 'had been shot in the preliminary skirmish, and Colonel Murray ordered the retirement of the sailor-men. There seems to have been numerous ill-timed withdrawals from strong positions hy Colonel Murray, and it was) therefore inexpedient for the volunteers to push the advance unsupported. Captain Atkinson occupied the southern gully, and Captain Stapp's command found itielf ki an open dip, with a number of wounded. This party retired to Jury's farm, and there the wounded found sanctuary and such "first-aid" as could be give* them. i., .. HEAVY FIRING from left, right and centre continued, and the dull roar of the "Brown Bess" mingled with the load explosions of reloaded shot-guns. As in the Crimea, •many men, in their haste to "'get even," put the bullet in first wid the powder after, or inserted an extra eharge, or forgot the cap—and *Jo on. There is at least one story of a Maori being killed bv the bursting of his gun whieh was loaded with nails. The volunteers' ammunition ran short, and orders were issued that no unnecessary shot* were to be fired. The short Enfield was always a poor weapon, but it is a poverty stricken gun indeed if you cannot feed it. Colonel Murray 'had a cartload of ammunition, and Orderly-sergeant

William Brown (late of tiie 65th) volunteered to carry a dispatch requesting | a supply and REINFORCEMENTS. j It is' said that Colonel Murray's reply was to the effect that since the volunteers had got into a mess, they eould get out of it. It is worth observing' that in many subsequent affairs volunteers have got regulars out of a hole. An enquiry in respect of the ammunition was subsequently made by the War , Office. : '.,...k.*m...<- ■.■'■•'.« ; ;j\ THE MAORIS' FLAG LOWERED. I It was observed that the flag on the Maori pah was lowered just about sundown, but the party at Jury's thought that this might be a device of tha enemy, and did not investigate, although Coad and Bailey volunteered to do so. It was further thought that Colonel : Murray might have outflanked the enemy and launched his blow at vtie ; rear 'of the pah. The Maoris moved to within 50 yards of Jury's), and fired: some ineffectual shots, to which there ; was reply. They did not return and tha j volunteers moved away in fours to the j Omata Blockade, refreshed, and then set ■ out on a return to town. A strong party from town was met outside the hotel on the South Road at 2 o'clock with food and ammunition. There was great rejoicing when it was found that the casualties were comparatively few. | THE NIGER MEN TO THE RESCUE.' It was then discovered that the lowering of the flag had been effected by Captain Cracroft and a, party from H.M.S. Niger. It was galling that Uri--1 tish bluejacKets should be left aboard ; while there was fighting to be done, and i so Captain Cracroft landed every avail-

I able man (in addition to tiie shore ' party under Lieut. Blake) and simply i proceeded to do the obvious thing—inI vest the pah. Captain Qracroft had 1 never been in action before, and it is related of him that he was cooler in action than any man on the field that day. The story goes' that he smoked a cigar during the storming of the pah. ; and offered £lO to any man who would ' capture the flag. The coxswain of his , gig rushed the offer, and his skipper j was close alongside. A Maori, It is said, was about to tomahawk the cox-' I siwain, when the captain remarked, , "Excuse me, that's my coxswain," and cut the Maori down with his sword. The , casualties among the citizen soldiers engaged that day were 2 killed and 14 : wounded. Paul Inch, who persisted in fighting while badly wounded, was mentioned in despatches for bravery, and '* was/ impossible to prevent him wielding a weapon until he fell exhausted. And , so the Taranaki volunteers did that dav, what every real Britisher whether soldier or civilian would be proud to do. Wb honour them, revere their memory of those who died, and admire the veterans who survive. 3nd if at any future time it should be necessary to fight for hearth and home, it is certain that the descendants of the brave pioneersi would advance to the fray with as much keenness as did the citizen soldiers on March 28th, 1860.