EARLY HISTORY OF THE WAIRARAPA

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10633, 11 May 1912, Page 3

EARLY HISTORY OF THE WAIRARAPA

: PART PLAYED BY LOYAL NATIVES. The death of llio mie i\ij- ]}, ( s_ Wardell revives tin- history of tii-o ral - ly dayes; in tlx; Wairarnpsi. and the? p«w t token .by loyal ALaoris' m helping Mr Wardoll, .'as Resident to lr.aii.Haiii peace and order <in a district which was in a very disturbed state. The .< sllowing correspondence will bo read with g'oneral interest:— (To the Editor, j' Si«[, — I enclose a document which' I received fcrcm irv esteemed and i'oved friend, the V.te Mr H. 3'. War dell, which will ibe of inuTcst to lr.auy who kn'ow 'little r.f cvr cu'ly 1: "firry ard the troublous omes IJiat are -now happily past;.— t l'tie., TA lAW.H 10 T.E TAU. | Mastertoir, !)t!h May, 1912. I Auckland, November, 1904. I To "Jju'juvlmo To liui, £<astertou. — j , Friend.— T. .hivre brcn trnabfc to vi.v.it you r-s I .hoped whcii I wrote you lust. I expect to return ,from here shortly, but- as my stay may be prolonged T.wil'l answer a,s far as I oan -the questions el \voiu- letter of 21st August feet. lOnt of your kind .feeling for me you ask Hi? day of ir'y birth. It was the j 17tli day of May, 1830.. My first -ar- j rival in Wairarapa was in May} 18G0. Diuring the years that shave followed we have had troubled times, lint arnadist slHhe; tivjmlblc-there bafe beeri! reason for tlimiMulneas it hat no blood was spilt, and -although the friendly relations between tribes at t'htier; were j greatly {.itraradd, frsei:&h:p remain- j ed. * *

[ Vou n.i'k the' years of the trouble, and the names of those who assisted in tlie good work of preserving peace and goodwill!, in -Wairarapa during (those perilous times. Tlr? trouble commenced irt 1861, .in. sympathy with HQie 'King m-vemeiit i' l Waikato, an.d becalme tenons when the King's Flag was raised at Tuliai'ora .'in the 28rd of DecumiWr, 1832. In 1863 Wi Tako visited Wairarapa as a'l emissary of the King's party, and many violent ith'in.gs were said by -those Natives who supported that'.party ; the Militia were therefore called out at tK> Hirtt. The supporters of the King in Wai(rarapa became alarmed, a'nd threatened to take up arms. Letters w:hich excited the' pfbple tame from the King and Wi Tako, and Xgairo wrote angrily, with the result that a large ivumlber of European women and children left Wairarapa'. In consequence of this i.t was considered necestsarv to takte precautions against danger, ami .rifles were brought to Greytown on the 23rd of 'August;. On the 24th of Augiuib an armed party of Natives from Masterton approached Grey town. Ngatuere would have opposed tliehi at the ibridg*?, but was prevented. Rifles were served 'out t<> viohrn'teers in (Arcyjtown, and the armed natives were a'llow'ed' rto mia.reh througli the town.

Tllie King p>arty 'continued to keep It'he people in a state oil* unrest, and in Jiamiary," 1861,, the Defence Force •(tff'ocjpers) were sfrJtioned at Feather- j 'fcton t,o give confidence to thoes who were conter.it wll'lf the Queen's Government. In- 18(>5 tha Hauhau teaching came and increased the trouble. 'Ngaaro paid a visit to Waifcato, and a pali iwas built at .Ruugitumau. Te ".Riangikir'oa ranie to the district with 4Ui) aimed paii'ty, and tihe Hauhaus Jbccdme ivumi&rovis, and in May 1865 the troopers were removed -to 3£to!*rfon. At this time Wi Tak'o with Ma ten© To •Wliiw.lii and others visited (the district, ,as emn.ssaries of peace. Nevertheless, in June of that year Ngairo, WI Waka and others left to jcin engaged In licetilitces ag!ai;o.&t itho Queen- on the West Cfoaofe, a-nd Ivarauria Ngawhara was appointed "King." Tn Ma«4t 1866 Wi Waka •returned, and in. July took the oath ofallegiance to the Queen. Ngairo •returned on 15th of September. He was accompanied by Wi. Hapi, and an armed party who left for .their homo on the 166Ti of November cf the .siaime year, and Ngairo and his party then yielded to the Queen's authority. The Hauhaiu teaching was gradually abandtoaied, and ail feea'me peace. You ask who wero those amongst. Itflia Native chiefs who assisted to\ Ihring this about. , There .are many whose names are mot in> my imejriorv—those which arc ever before me aire:— Ngatuere iawhiio, [lliaia TL 1 Whakamairu, Hcmi To Mill a, Kaniero Te Iho, Te Itetimana, Tekawonga, ilarakaia, ilamuera Maraitai.

I think Te Hlqo ought to he added, j hut I ami not «ure; also Wi Te Weu | 'Mafliupuku, who, although belonging' to the King party, gave ma always assistance in preserving peace and order. / - - I Qiope to see you soon and talk this matter over. Nni to hoa aroha, H. S.WARDELL. Na Te Waterc.