MAORI MEMORIES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 6 September 1938, Page 3

MAORI MEMORIES

TRIBAL WARS OF THE ’FIFTIES. (Recorded by J.H.S. for “Times-Age.”) Wiremu Kingi’s Maoris being unable to break down the outer wall of Ihaia’s stockade, collected large quantities of firewood to burn their way through. Ihaia and his party, seeing no hope, offered to surrender to the British Government if the soldiers would protect their women and children. But when told that he would probably be hanged for murdering Katatore on Government land Ihaia and his party decided they would die armed like men, not like dogs. In despair they resorted to strategy. In the darkness all fled to the bush and concealed themselves. Had it not been for the advice of a European, Wiremu Kingi would have fallen into this trap. Both parties were weary of a war in waiting, so Ihaia escaped with his people from the pa on the bank of the Waitara, and settled on the Mokau River where they camped in peace. Still there remained that most vital of all Maori living things, the land, so peace was but a respite. These tribal feuds concerned the settlers but little, and they were in no danger from either side so long as each one of them played the game with their simple hosts. Commercial depression in 1856 was caused by our Australian gold seekers having returned without much success. In the previous year we exported nearly £lOO,OOO worth of prime blightless potatoes; in 1856 it was only one-fifth of that figure. England’s war with Russia drew attention to our unique flax plant. The problem unsolved was to extract the gum without injury to the fibre for making cloth. The British Government vainly offered a reward of £4OOO for its solution.