PAGES FROM THE PAST.

Taranaki Daily News, 7 October 1922, Page 9

PAGES FROM THE PAST.

THE ATTACK ON NIAHOETAHI. SOME DESPERATE ENCOUNTERS. (By “Juvenis.”) Mahoetahi is a hill a little to the westward of the Waiongona river, through which the Main North Road now passes. It is of volcanic formation, and is one of a series of small volcanic mounds in the neighbourhood which are called collectively Ngapuketurua, and were the sites of the first settlements of the Ngatiawa tribe in the district. Kingi having appealed to Waikato for help, he received a powerful reinforcement from that tribe. Early in November, Mr. Parris received the following letter:— “To Mr. Parris: “Friend, —I have heard your word--come to fight me, that is very good; come inland, and let us meet each other. Fish fight at sea—come inland and stand on our feet; make haste, do not prolong it. That is all I have to say to you—make haste. “From Wetina Taiporutu, “From Porukoru, “From all the Chiefs of Ngatihaua and Waikato.” On the sth of November, news reached town that the Waikatos had crossed the Waitara river in force, and that they would probably be in the neighbourhood of Mahoetahi on the following morning. It was at once arranged by General Pratt that a force from New Plymouth, and another from the camp at Waitara under Major Nelson, should march so as to join early in the morning at. that place. This arrangement, was carried into effect, and on the forces arriving at the spot it was found that the main body of the Waikatos occupied an entrenchment on the crest of the Mahoetahi hill, in which were some entrenchment whares.

The detachment of the 65th Regiment, which had formed the advanced guard from town, now formed a line of skirmishes under Lieutenants Bailie and Toker, at the base of the hill, and extended towards their right. This body was commanded by Captain Turner. The Rifle Volur'Trs continued this extension towards the left, under the direction of Major Herbert; and the 40th Regiment, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Leslie, were massed in columns, forming the reserve, while the detachment of the 12th Regiment, under Major Hutchins, which bad formed the rear guard during the march, now remained in charge of the baggage and spare ammunition. The detachment of Artillery, under Captain Strover and Lieutenant McNaughten, rendered, as usual, important service. The whole force was commanded by Major-General Pratt, C. 8., who throughout the engagement, occupied a foremost, place, and was much exposed to the hot and rapid fire of his determined enemy. WAIKATOS BEGIN THE FIGHT. The Waikatos commenced the action by firing the first shots from an old entrenched position in the crest, of the Mahoetahi hill, This was quickly returned by the skirmishes, and after a short fire the 65th and Volunteers rushed up the hill, and stormed that position. In performing this service they were „ exposed to heavy Ranking fires, but it was not. until they had entered the entrenchments that they experienced any loss. Within that confined space a heavy fire from entrench»-d whares laid low the gallant son of the Rev. H. H. Brown, a volunteer, not 16 years of age, and Private F. Rooney, Light Company, 65th Regiment, while further towards the left Mr. Henry Edgecombe, aged 20, also of the volunteers, received his mortal wound. Here Captain Turner was struck in the face by a musket ball, and Colonel Sillery slightly wounded. A rush was now made on the whares, and the bayonet speedily silenced all further annoyance. This service was accomplished by some 65th men and Rifle Volunteers. Some shells thrown into the raupo swamp caused the Waikatos to quit their lairs, and now commenced the work of extermination, for a detachment of the 40th under Major Nelson, and a company of the 65th under Lieutenant Talbot, from Waitara (the latter advancing in skirmishing order), came up from the north side of the hill, and the Light Company of the 65th, led on by Lieutenant Urquhart (then forming a flank guard), closing on their centre, together with a good show of Rifle Volunteers. The rebels, who were almost surrounded, then dashed into the swamp, and a hand-to-hand encounter followed, the bayonet and the butt end of the rifle, when the bullet had missed, speedily convincing the brave enemy that the avenger was at hand. They commenced their retreat, still fighting with desperate valour, and in one of these encounters Private McGivern met his fate, though not before the enemy had felt the effects of his prowess. They gradually got in the Huirangi road, followed by a part of the 65th under Lieutenants Urquhart and Talbot, their retreating steps marked by pools of blood, and a storm of shot and shells bursting over and among them. In their terror they threw away their arms and pouches, and any articles of clothing that impeded their flight,, and the pursuers followed them to near the Waiongona river, when fatigue alone compelled them to desist, for the day had been intensely hot, without a breath of air. DESPERATE FIGHTING. The melee in the swamp had been a succession of desperate, hand to hand encounters, and many instances of courage were exhibited on both sides. Private Gilligan, 65th, shot one Waikato, and brained another with the butt end of his rifle. Many other daring acts were witnessed, but must remain unrecorded as the individuals could not be identified. But the bayonet played a conspicuous part in the exciting scene. When all but the dead and mortally wounded Waikatos had disappeared, a reconnoitring party, under Major-General Pratt composed of 12th, supported by 65th, proceeded to Ngataiparirua, and came in sight of a pa having a red flag flying, but it was speedily hauled down, and a white flag half-mast high succeeded it. The party then proceeded round by Puketakaure, and thence returned to Mahoetahi. In the course of the afternoon, after having buried in one

grave some 28 or 29 Waikatos, the main body returned to the town (having left a strong force to retain possession of the field of battle), laden with Maori spoils, in the shape of double-barelled guns, ornaments, shawls, etc., etc., many battered and bloody, proving that they had not been parted with willingly. (A‘ red cross ‘lias been erected over the grave wherein the 28 or 29 Waikatos are buried. It may be seen, in an enclosure on the left of the road going to Waitara.) On the force passing the town barrier, loud and continued cheers proved to them that their conduct was duly appreciated by their countrymen. The list of casualties proves who bore the brunt of the day:—6sth Regiment, 2 ■killed, 10 wounded, 1 officer, wounded; Volunteers, 2 killed, 4 wounded; 40th Regiment, 1 wounded. The following is an extract from Mr. Parris’ report of this affair to the Native Secretary, dated the 6th of November, 1860-. “We left town this morning at 4 o’clock six hundred strong, under the command of the Major-General, for the purpose of taking possession of Mahoetahi. and on arrival found it occupied by the rebels. On approaching the pa the enemy opened fire upon us, which was warmly returned, and the seaward end of the pa soon taken. They at last went out of the pa into a swamp, situated on the inland side of the pa, and there remained until Colonel Mould arrived with his party from Waitara, when they were placed between two fires, the cross-firing wounding some of our own men. After they had lost about twelve of their number they ran away, under a heavy fire, along the road leading to Huirangi, and before they got to the Waiongona ford, ten or twelve more of them fell, and among them Wetini Taiporutu. We followed them to Huirangi, and found four on the road nearly dead, and there is no doubt but a great many have got away badly wounded.

'On the night after the battle, the soldiers who held Mahoetahi were astonished to hear x the Maoris dancing a war dance in token of defiance, and of their determination to be avenged for their losses on the preceding day. Some shots were fired from the hill in the direction of the spot from whence the noise proceeded, but nothing further transpired. When the news of the affair at Mahoetahi reached Auckland, fears were entertained that reprisals would be made in the north by the Waikatos, and accordingly the Niger and Victoria were sent to fetch 400 troops from New Plymouth for the protection of that city. % ENEMY EXASPERATED. In the neighbourhood of the Waitara the enemy seemed exasperated at the loss he had sustained. Numbers of Waikatos poured into Kingi’s pas, and .small maruading parties issued forth to waylay and murder any European they might meet. On the 9th. eleven more bodies of natives were found about Mahoetahi, making the ascertained loss of the enemy to be 45 killed. It was said by the friendly natives that the loss was 71, several having died at Huirangi, and others in the neighbourhood in attempting to reach it. A blockhouse was erected on, one of the Ngapuketurau hills, 800 yards in advance of Mahoetahi, which at that time ’was covered with a dense growth of karaka trees, Corynocarpus which have long since been felled for military purposes. Not far from this hill is another of a similar character, which was the tapu burial place of the chiefs of the hapu, and here during the ' war several relics were found. The most interesting of these was a trachytic boulder of oval shape, measuring about ten inches by six inches, with the top cut off so as to form a lid, and the centre hollowed out, and containing a piece of red ironstone about the size of a man’s thumb. This relic is said to be the memorial of the great ancestor of the tribe, who w|is buried on this hill, and it was the custom when any of his relatives died to uncover the stone, light a fire, and cook food near to it. THE DEATH OF JOHN HAWKEN. On the day after the rout of the Waikatos, Mr. John Hawken, who had formerly been in business as a miller at the Blagdon Mill, and afterwards as a butcher at New Plymouth, but during the war had been engaged as contract butcher to the camp at Waitara, left the camp and proceeded towards Mahoetahi on horseback, probably for the purpose of seeking for cattle. As he did not return search was made for him, and his horse was found shot between Mahoetahi and Huirangi, and also a letter which had evidently been taken from his person. On the 16th, his body was found, lightly covered with earth, about threequarters of a mile from Mahoetahi on the road to Huirangi. The friendly natives say that a volley was fired at him which wounded him, and brought down his horse, and that before he could extricate himself he was tomahawked by Tamihana, of Kaipakopako.