MAORI MEMORIES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 6 March 1940, Page 2

MAORI MEMORIES

GATE PA. (Recorded by J.H.S. tor the “Times-Age.”) In 1881 we passed through the site of "Gate Pa” close to the beutiful village of Tauranga. Only 17 years before oui' visit General Cameron with 4000 men of the 43rd and GBth regiments and marines attempted to storm this easy looking Pa. where i'OO Maoris were entrenched behind a fence of manuka scrub tied will) flax ropes. Armed with a then modern Armstrong cannon, rifles and bayonets, victory seemed simple to our officers and men. With Maori strategy and natural cunning the enemy covered their rifle pits with bracken fern on both flanks of the approach, then built false barricades will) re'd war flags round .the hill to)) which naturally drew our big gun and rille fire. When a bread) was made and chargee’ with, fixed bayonets the Maoris opened lire from 250 rifles on each flank and the real’ of the approaching columns. Worse still our brave fc-llows, thinking they were firing on the Maoris in the false stockade, shot many of their own men. Panic and slaughter, of course, ensued.

On a cliff above the harbour is a monument with grave-stones Io the memory of many officers, and men who braved death at Gate Pa—not since Dalavlava had such a calamity met British troops.