MAORI MEMORIES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 26 April 1939, Page 9

MAORI MEMORIES

PREJUDICE CREATES WAR. (Recorded by J.H.S. for “Times-Age.”) Just a month after the Oakura murder of 9 soldiers the deed was avenged by our troops near Tataraimaka. Many Maoris were killed and many more fell under the shell fire of H.M.S. Eclipse which lay off the coast. After this major operation the majority of our British troops went to Auckland, leaving the 57th Regiment to carry on guerilla warfare around. Taranaki. In Auckland and Waikato districts both sides felt that war was on the balance, but each one awaited the other. Tamihana had denounced Rewi’s policy and had prevented his attack upon Auckland while our troops were in Taranaki when he could certainly have massacred 1000 of our men, women and children. Had our officials condescended to consult Tamihana or to favour his suggestions, he would have readily joined with us in compelling Rewi to keep quiet. In the absence of Sir George the prejudice of those who did not understand the Maoris held sway. At this juncture the chief Apora, who visited Auckland to sell pigs, was arrested for a former political offence and sentenced by a jury of his enemies to two years’ penal servitude. This did not tend to increase the respect of Maoris for the justice and honour of our laws.

As usual in such cases, a trivial cause precipitated war. Bonfires were were lighted on every hill in Auckland to celebrate the marriage of the Prince of Wales, and was translated by the followers of Rewi as their familiar token of war.