MAORI MEMORIES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 8 February 1940, Page 8

MAORI MEMORIES

WHITMORE AND TE KOOTI. (Recorded by J.H.S. lor "Times-Age.”) As there were not telegraphs, roads or steamers, the news of Te Kooti’s escape was not known in Napier or Gisborne until the rebel Maoris had been organised in numbers far exceeding that of the available whites. By choosing isolated attacks and surrounding them, they collected arms, munitions, and food, killing only whqre they were resisted or where news could be spread. Captain Gascoigne’s ride through many miles of enemy country by night and day saved the whole population of Napier and Gisborne from a well-planned massacre. Colonel Whitmore arrived in Gisborne by a small vessel on the day that Wilson and Westrup had been defeated. 'The Poverty Bay volunteers, short of food and shelter, could not follow Te Kooti oh his way to Waikato, and were forced to return. Colonel Whitmore with less than 100 volunteers carried on until they were ambushed by Te Kooti’s rearguard on both banks of a river-bed. Captain Carr and Mr Canning were killed and Captain Tuke with several others wounded.

Hungry and exhausted the men were obliged to retreat. Had they only known, at that moment Te Kooti had been shot through the ankle, causing a complete panic among his followers, who believed him to be immortal. and that the Maoris were making a hurried retreat at the same time, victory would have been with the Pakeha, and the Maori idol hanged for murder, of which he was undoubtedly guilty.