MAORI MEMORIES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 20 July 1940, Page 8

MAORI MEMORIES

GUNS BRING TROUBLE. (Recorded by J.H.S., of Palmerston North, for the “Times-Age.”) A British medical officer with the military forces here in 1856-60 said: ■’No country can prosper under armed tyrants. So long as 100 Maoris have more arms than 10,000 settlers, there must always be a feeling of insecurity. This was indicated in 1857 when the Ngati Kahunguna tribe fought among themselves in a dispute over the share of land purchase monies.” One party said: "Te- Hapuku has sold the forest: he must now cook his food with the bones of his ancestors.” In that fight eight were killed and 16 wounded. Moanui, the leader of the opponents, said Te Hapuku must either be killed or retire to his own land up country. Both sides professed friendship for the settlers. Moanui wrote to the "Hawke’s Bay Herald”: "You have nothing to fear from me. We arc not anxious to have two enemies. You have brought good to our country." The tribal quarrel continued for eight months ending in a siege of Hapuku’:.'. pa, and would have resulted in a massacre but for the fact that the Governor sent 280 soldiers of the 65th in February. 1858. Mr Donald McLean obtained an armistice of 14 days and arranged that: Hapuku should march out with honour, after which his people dug' up the bones of their friends, loaded their goods on canoes, fired their homes, signalling their sorrow with a fusillade of guns and wailing of women and children at leaving. Te Hapuku and his people paddled up stream to their own land. Later on. the diplomatic Donald McLean obtained a peace treaty between the two enemies.