A TAUHERENIKAU TRAGEDY.

Digger (Invercargill RSA), Issue 31, 15 October 1920, Page 1

A TAUHERENIKAU TRAGEDY.

(By 49/672, In Te Kiwi.)

I never shall forget the day we landed at that cheerful little spot, Where canvas tents predominate and comfy huts are not. We'd had a cup of tea and cake quite early in the day, And at three p.m. the most of us were feeling rather gay. We couldn't spot a biscuit, there was no sign of bread ; WTe wished we were at Trentham and we wished that we were dead. Then suddenly arcgie a cry, "Here comes the bally scran," And we wildly charged the rations with desperate elan. The tucker suffered badly, and although we had some jam, We wanted fish and poultry, we wanted eggs and ham. We finished all the scraps, then we vvan. dered round ahout, And we saw some hungry blighters who had brought "the baggage out. Their faces were a study, and went as white ae lard, When we told them there was nothing left to feed the baggage guard. The position grew quite serious, the Quarter's face was grave, And he hunted through the country far and wide ; But not a scrap of tucker to that baggage guard he gave, So of hunger want and famine they al] died. The sole survivors gathered round that ■awe-inspiring sight, Aitd pitched their tents upon their graves and slept in them that night, And many a day has passed since then, but we can ne'er forget The noble souls who gave their lives to guard Bill Massey's kit.