"TARANAKI JIM."

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 57, 29 August 1911, Page 2

"TARANAKI JIM."

*o>- ' SOME MORE PARTICULARS. Some doubt having been raised as t( tl(e actual place where the Maor krtown as "Taranaki Jim" or "Big Jim' was killed and buried, Mr. Thomas Kyle late No. 0 Division A.C. Force, writes tc Captain Black, secretary of the Veterans Association, clearing away the doubt He says: —"It was stated in the Tara naki Herald that Taranaki Jim wai killed in llawkc's Bay, and another re port said that it was in the Uriwers country. I shall now give you the rea facts of the case as \ know, being there J was in No. II Division A.C. Force, undei Colonel Roberts (then Major). Mr. Wal lace, in the Ha.wera Star, writes of 'Jin and his men.' He commanded no men He belonged to the corps of scouts undei the command of Captain Swindley. W r < marched across the plains from Fori Galatea ( which was built afterwards' and entered a narrow gorge, with : creek running through it. It bad prett; , steep sides, and we had to cross an< reeross it a good many limes on ou: journey. Tn the afternoon it began t< open a bit and was better marching All at once shots were heard, and, com ing up, we came to a bit of clearinj j and found that Jim was shot. Ton Adamson, Bill Ryan, Collins, and Charle; the, Greek were wounded. Afterwards I was in the Tauranga hospital with th last three. AVhen they got to this bit o j clearing there was a spur with a trad | leading up it. To get to the bottom o the track there was a small swamp, am they got into this 'before they kne\ where the)' were. While they wer floundering in the swamp they were sho from the track on the spur. A grav was dug and Jim was 'buried. Majo Wm. Mail- read the burial service an Major Roberts lent him his Prayer 800 or Now Testament, T do not know whicl After the grave was filled in a big fir was lighted on the top of it, as if it wa there we cooked our tucker, so that Hi Uriweras should not find the body. That' the true facts of the death of Scon Tarawaki Jim. By the way, Mr. Skeel sen., surveyor, father of Mr. Skcet. th surveyor here, came on the expeditio from Tauranga. sketching and talon: notes of the country."