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BY A POVERTY BAY SURVIVOR.

Printed and Published by James Wood, at His Printing Office, Tennyson-Street, Napier, Hawke'S Bay.

Reprint Published by Capper Press Christchurch, New Zealand 1974

Printed offset by The Caxton Press, Christchurch from the copy in the Canterbury Public Library, Christchurch

INTRODUCTION.

These pages have been chiefly written for such as desire to forward to distant friends a brief connected account of one of those terrible massacres, accompanied by wholesale destruction of property, which bid fair to depopulate and lay waste the North Island of New Zealand.

It is possible that only vague, indefinite reports respecting the calamities which afflict this colony have reached the majority of far-away readers; more especially in Great Britain, impressions are known to prevail which are often opposed to facts. In this little work it is intended to tell a "plain, unvarnished tale;" to briefly review the causes which led to the perpetration of a great tragedy, and to shew how it might have been prevented. If the sad story contributes, even in a slight degree, to bring about an improvement in the future, the purpose for which it was written will have been accomplished.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF POVERTY BAY.

Turanga, or Poverty Bay, lies between the East Cape and the Mahia Peninsula. North and south, the district consists of hills, and a circlet of hills bounds the interior; the hills are partly occupied as sheep runs.

The central portion of the district consists of a fertile plain, which stretches for about 25 miles inland, and averages from six to eight miles in breadth. The plain is traversed by several rivers, navigable for a few miles by small craft, and is diversified by clumps of forest in all directions.

The plain and adjacent valleys are richly clothed with grasses. Fruit groves abound, and wild honey is found in every forest. All descriptions of vegetables and fruits the production of temperate zones thrive to perfection, and require little culture; exotics are reared in gardens with little trouble or expense.

The climate resembles those of Hawke's Bay and Nelson, but is sensibly warmer at all seasons; rain is more equally distributed than in Napier. All parts of the plain are accessible by dray to the coast; vessels of moderate draught can enter the principal rivers, and the roadstead is safe for large shipping in all weathers.

Turanganui, the village capital, is situated at the bottom of a deep bay, from which the district derives its English appellation, on the south bank of the Waimataha river. It contains several stores, a handsome hotel, fine court-house, post-office, etc. On the northern side of the Waimataha, opposite Turanganui, two redoubts are placed, named respectively Wilson's and Hirini's redoubts. The population of Poverty Bay in 1867 consisted of about 500 Maoris and 150 Europeans of all ages. Matewhero was situated about five miles from the sea, in the heart of the district. Many people resided there in houses surrounded with gardens and orchards.

"AULD LANG SYNE" -- NATIVE PURSUITS -- SWIFT DECAY.

Several settlers of thirty, and even forty years' standing yet reside in Turanga, or Poverty Bay, as it is named by Europeans; and the description given by those settlers of its condition on their first arrival is interesting and instructive. In those days the Maoris were numerous and industrious; they manufactured a variety of elegant and useful articles; their houses, sometimes handsomely carved, were of a superior description, and their war canoes were magnificent specimens of ingenuity and beauty. Eighty of those canoes, each capable of carrying from 70 to 100 men, have been counted at one time in the Waimataha river. The natives exported large quantities of prepared flax and other produce, which was disposed of to Sydney traders by the earlier settlers.

Hostilities sometimes broke out between different tribes, but the settlers were slightly affected by their occurrence, and, on the whole, the whites found the Maori was a good neighbour. At that time the morality of the natives was of a higher standard than it subsequently became, and the power of the chiefs was in the ascendant.

WELD MINISTRY -- VOLKNER'S MURDER -- WELD APPLIES TO M'LEAN -- HUNGAHUNGATOROA -- MR. WELD RESIGNS -- FALSE PRETENCES -- WAERENGA-AHIKA -- TE KOOTI -- WAIROA -- WAIKARE-MOANA -- OMARANUI -- REMARKS -- PEACE -- DEPORTATION.

In November, 1864, the Weld Ministry assumed office. At this time the war, being waged for Imperial objects, continued with varying success. It was at first viewed with alarm by the natives of Poverty Bay; at a later date they were imbued with the belief that their countrymen were victorious.

About this time, Mr. M'Lean, then suffering from severe illness, was urgently requested by Mr. Weld to undertake the pacification of the East Coast; no light task. The Hauhaus were already in arms at Waiapu, and avowed their intention to exterminate loyal subjects of both races. The Hauhaus were daily gaining adherents. Assistance would not or could not be obtained from the officer commanding the Imperial troops; and, but for the unexpected stand made by Mokena, a chief of the Ngatiporou tribe, the East Coast settlements must have fallen; as it was, they were in great peril. Mokena, after defeating the enemy on several occasions, was compelled to act on the defensive, and barely held his pa, against overwhelming numbers. One pa of his, in which he had placed his women and children, had fallen, and a young chief of high rank, nephew to Mokena, had been literally cut to pieces. This occurred in June, 1865. On the 1st July, Lieut. Biggs, with a few volunteers, were ordered by Mr. M'Lean to proceed to Mokena's assistance, who was thus enabled to resume the offensive. His relief by Biggs was the commencement of that long train of brilliant successes which brought the war on the East Coast to a glorious conclusion--a war which would have proved final if its fruits had not been frittered away by a Government without principle, a Government that has sacrificed every vestige of self-respect, and is guided principally by an unflinching resolve to retain office at whatever cost to the colony.

The second stage of the East Coast campaign commenced with the accession of the Stafford Ministry. On the 12th October Mr. Weld resigned, on the ground that his Ministry was not adequately supported by public opinion. He was the author of what is termed the "Self-Reliance Policy," which might have issued differently to what it has hitherto done if a regiment or two had been left in the colony for a year or two, and the mother country had granted that pecuniary assistance to which New Zealand was fairly entitled when she undertook to establish the Queen's supremacy, and to end an Imperial war after the British forces had failed, and for which the colonists have been heavily taxed.

It may be truly said that Mr. Stafford obtained office under false pretences. Whilst accepting the "Self-Reliance Policy" he promised to effect a reduction of ?240,000 upon the Estimates, which it was impossible for him to do. This was proved at an after date, when it was found that by a cheese-paring economy, calculated to impair the efficiency of the public service, his boasted savings amounted to about eight thousand pounds.

Mr. Stafford became Premier on the 17th October, 1865. During that month the Hauhaus in Poverty Bay were busy erecting three formidable pas, of which one named Waerenga-ahika was the strongest. On the 9th November Mr. M'Lean arrived at Poverty Bay with the victorious forces from Waiapu. On the 10th he sent an ultimatum to the rebels, of which no notice was taken. Fighting ensued on the 17th, and continued five days, during which about sixty of the enemy were killed. On the 22nd Waerenga-ahika was surrendered, 180 men and 200 women and children being made prisoners; 160 guns and a vast amount of plunder stolen from settlers were likewise captured. Shortly after a spy named Te Kooti was taken. He was afterwards better known as the author of the Poverty Bay and other massacres.

Upon the fall of Waerenga-ahika a profound dread fell upon the remaining Hauhaus; the other fighting pas were precipitately abandoned, and their garrisons fled to Wairoa, there to stir up sedition; the remnant came in and submitted to European rule.

The last stage of the East Coast campaign of 1865-6, was marked by the severe defeats sustained by the Hauhaus at the Upper Wairoa and the Waikare-moana. Upon the borders of that lake, the Hauhaus suffered a heavy loss; the survivors escaped in their canoes, but were mostly killed or captured at Petane and Omaranui, on the 12th October, 1866.

The East Coast Hauhau prisoners were deported to the Chatham Islands in 1866, to the number of 187, of the worst characters; their women and children were permitted to accompany them. Land, seeds, and implements were allotted each man; they were well fed and clothed, and a guard of 25 men was placed over them. One of the prisoners was the spy Te Kooti, who had planned an ambush to murder an escort party.

The Chathams are well adapted for expatriation purposes, their nearest point being 400 miles from the mainland of New Zealand. When the prisoners arrived, the Chathams were inhabited by 46 Europeans and a small number of Morioris and Maoris; the former were aborigines of the Chathams, who had been conquered by the latter.

Upon the restoration of peace, a problem of difficult solution presented itself, viz., the administration of Hauhau lands. In accordance with Maori usage, those lands were so minutely divided and mixed up with lands owned by loyal natives, that the greatest tact and intimate acquaintance with native customs and land tenures were requisite in him who should be entrusted with the unpleasant task, in order that injustice might be avoided. There is no subject upon which a Maori is so sensitive as that of his land: but so confident were the natives in Mr. M'Lean's impartiality, that the whole of their lands were placed at his disposal, by the unanimous desire of all concerned. There is not another man in New Zealand to whom such a compliment would be paid; and if the land question remains unsettled to this day, the fault is attributable to Mr. Stafford and his colleagues. It has been shewn that, by his conquest of the East Coast, Mr. M'Lean had paved the way for its speedy and peaceful colonization. At this juncture ministers stepped in, and, jealous of his unrivalled influence with the Maoris, meanly tried to filch the laurels he had won. The administration of the East Coast was practically transferred to themselves, and Captain Biggs, a highly meritorious officer, but quite incapable of dealing with a question of such magnitude, was appointed to negotiate between them and the natives.

Consequences followed that might have been foreseen. The natives, irritated and bewildered at the seeming refusal of the Government to accept their liberal offer through Mr. M'Lean, whilst another agent was treating for the very lands included in that offer, became first suspicious, and finally disaffected. Between the date, however, of their offer to place all their lands at Mr. M'Lean's disposal and the disaffection alluded to, the natives had taken an important step and petitioned the Assembly that Poverty Bay and East Coast districts might be annexed to the province of which Mr. M'Lean is Superintendent. Such a proposal was "gall and wormwood" to ministers; accordingly, they played into the hands of Mr. Whitaker, and thereby prevented the proposed annexation and consequent settlement of those districts, though they were well aware that at that very time Mr. Whitaker, the Superintendent of Auckland and a General Government Agent, was breaking the law, and assisting to prevent a settlement of the Poverty Bay land question, by negociating, through his agent, with rebel Hauhaus, for the cession of the Poverty Bay oil springs and other lands.

The recognition of rebel claims by a person holding such a high position, led to similar dealings of the most irregular description, involving breaches of faith with the loyal natives, whose confidence became weakened by the treatment they experienced after the valuable services rendered by them in the East Coast campaign of 1865, while the assurance of those lately in rebellion greatly increased, and led both to deny what had been at first unanimously approved, viz., the justice of the principle embodied in the Outlying Districts Police Act of 1865, which assents, that "expenses incurred in suppressing rebellion should be borne out of lands of the insurgents."

But though they had by their injudicious meddling marred the fairest prospect that ever presented itself for settling a question of vital importance to the whole colony, and were compelled to ask the assistance of the man whose influence they envied and tried to undermine, their peddling policy was perceptible to the end; even whilst they gave Mr. M'Lean to understand they had no doubt though "the opportunity for carrying out good arrangements had long passed by," and the question "had become complicated by circumstances which greatly increase the difficulty;" and whilst they were constrained to admit, that if any solution of the difficulties could be arrived at, it would be solely through his exertions.

In truth, the difficulties in the way of a satisfactory solution were well nigh insuperable. Nevertheless, Mr. McLean, whilst pointing out that in his opinion not much could be achieved in the settlement of the land question, agreed to go, if Ministers would indicate what they proposed to do. He afterwards proceeded to the East Coast, but fresh complications arose. Finally his exertions were rendered nugatory by the criminal negligence that precipitated the massacre of Poverty Bay.

There can be no doubt that Mr. McLean earnestly desired the settlement of the East Coast lands question, in common with every settler interested in the welfare of those districts, and it was essential for the welfare of his own province that the East Coast should be occupied by a European population. But apart from that consideration, the high and influential positions held by him for so many years must enable him to take a more comprehensive survey, embracing not a part only but the whole of the colony, and to act as he thinks best for the general welfare.

It has been insinuated that Mr. M'Lean desired the annexation of a certain district to Hawke's Bay province, from personal considerations, and that the petitions presented to the Assembly upon the annexation question from natives and Europeans were fictitious. Both insinuations are false. With respect to the first, it ought to be known that Mr. M'Lean desired the Poverty Bay district to be administered by a Commission. The annexation petitions were the spontaneous expressions of the opinions of a very large majority of native and European residents in the Poverty Bay districts, who, seeing the advantages enjoyed by their neighbours, desired to share in those advantages, and to have their district administered by the man who saved them from destruction.

TREATMENT OF PRISONERS -- PROPHETIC -- RIFLEMAN -- REVOLT -- FOOD FOR THE FISHES -- WHAREONGAONGA -- A GENEROUS SEAMAN -- WELLINGTON.

It has been shewn that the Hauhau prisoners were considerately treated on their arrival at the Chatham Islands. But few and trifling restrictions were imposed upon their movements from the first; gradually even those restrictions were withdrawn, and they were always allowed to communicate with the main land. Moreover, a promise had been given, contingent on their good behaviour, that they would be permitted to return home at a specified period, which the writer understands to have been two years. In letters written by the exiles to their relatives in Poverty Bay, constant mention is made of the kind way in which they were treated.

By-and-by the small guard of 25 men was reduced to 15. This was ordered by Ministers from pitiful motives of economy. Mr. Stafford had promised to save ?240,000, a sum which will perhaps be added to the heavy burdens of the colony before the subsequent mischief that ensued has been repaired. However, the reduction of the small guard most likely caused the prisoners to meditate an early escape, and a leader was soon found capable of executing the project.

In September, 1867, a waiata or poem was composed by Te Kooti, the burden of which was to the effect that Te Kooti was inspired and a prophet, and he appears to have been accepted as such by his brother Hauhaus without question. Being sent to prison for practising Hauhau rites, he affected, after his discharge, to have been delivered by the angel Gabriel. He was a man originally of no importance, and bore a bad character in Poverty Bay as a thief and drunkard.

On the 3rd July, the schooner Rifleman arrived at the Chathams; on the 4th, the prisoners rose upon the guard, and clove the skull of the only one who offered resistance. The prisoners next secured the Resident Magistrate, the guard, and the male European residents, but left the women and children uninjured and free; they then boarded the Rifleman, and imprisoned the crew--her captain was on shore. On the afternoon of the same day, the prisoners, 187 in number, shipped their women and children. They next plundered the island, cut the cable of the only other vessel at the Chathams, in order to prevent pursuit, and set sail for Poverty Bay on the 5th July--to which place the mate of the Rifleman said he was compelled to navigate them on pain of death.

During the voyage, armed guards paraded the deck day and night, the crew were forbidden to cook, and a sentry with a drawn cutlass stood by the man at the wheel, to see the right course was kept. On the 9th, when in sight of New Zealand, Te Kooti ordered his uncle to be thrown overboard. The victim was one of the three prisoners who had objected to the escape and informed the authorities. He had been secured by Te Kooti before leaving the Chathams: revenge was the motive for the murder. The Rifleman arrived at Whareongaonga, six miles south of Turanganui, on the evening of the 10th. That night and the following day were occupied in landing the cargo, women and children, and everything portable: finally, two casks of water were shipped for the use of the Rifleman's crew, and the mate was told to go where he liked.

At this time the wind blew fair for Turanganui, six miles distant, and it is noteworthy that, with a head wind, the Rifleman sailed for Wellington, 250 miles distant, leaving the inhabitants of an unprotected district to the mercy of a band of desperadoes who had committed two murders.

POPULATION IN 1868 -- RUMORS -- BIGGS AT WHAREONGAONGA -- GONE TO THE BUSH -- TREACHERY -- PAPARATU -- THE GUIDE -- WHITMORE -- FURIOSO -- A SOLDIER'S GRAVE -- CONTRADICTORY ORDERS -- TANGATA KAI AT PUKETAPU.

At the beginning of 1868, the inhabitants of Poverty Bay numbered about 450 natives and 200 Europeans. Most of the natives were Hauhaus of 1865, who had become once more exceedingly disaffected, owing to the non-solution of the land question. It appears probable that they were aware of the intended escape from the Chathams before that event occurred.

On the 9th July, 1868, it was rumoured in Poverty Bay that the prisoners had escaped, and were at Whareongaonga. The rumour was disbelieved. It was afterwards ascertained that a Taranaki chief, one of the prisoners, proposed, on the night of the landing, to march at once on Poverty Bay, and murder the European population; but was overruled. On the 11th, Major Biggs received a letter from Mr. Johnston, a runholder near Whareongaonga, stating 49 armed men had passed his house, but that he had been unable to ascertain their intentions. Next day, Major Biggs called at Johnston's, on his way to Wairoa, and heard sufficient to prove the prisoners were really at Whareongaonga. He at once returned, and mustered what men he could on such short notice--120, of whom 40 were Europeans. With these he arrived at a spot within half-a-mile of Whareongaonga, at 10 a.m. July 13th.

On the night of the 13th, the ex-prisoners, fearing the arrival of reinforcements, crossed the coast range, and got into the bush unperceived, upon which Major Biggs decided to make a detour, after enrolling every available man, and intercept the ex-prisoners as they emerged from the bush inland. All the Europeans but the very aged, and at the most four or five others, volunteered at a few hours' notice. About 150 professedly loyal natives were armed and ordered to pursue the retreating enemy. The Europeans numbered 65 at starting, and were but badly armed. They were mostly mounted.

On the 16th, the Europeans started for a point inland, distant about 30 miles. The route lay over a very rough country. On the 18th, they were lying in wait for the ex-prisoners at Paparatu, where they were expected to emerge from the bush. On the evening of the 18th, it was known our doubtful allies had treacherously abandoned the pursuit. Some of them had seen Te Kooti and accepted presents.

On the 20th, Major Biggs being absent, with the view of inducing the native deserters to resume duty, the Europeans were attacked by Te Kooti, who had been somewhat reinforced by quondam Hauhaus of 1865. At sundown the whites were defeated, with the loss of seven killed and wounded. The Europeans had expended all but a few rounds of their ammunition, and but for night must have been cut off. The enemy stormed the European camp, and captured horses, food, in fact everything but the men and their arms. The Europeans retreated all night through a fearful country, with their wounded, and pursued by the enemy. Their escape is due to the fidelity of Henare Kakapanga, a brave chief of Turanga, and universally esteemed by the whites.

On the 20th, Colonel Whitmore assumed command in Poverty Bay. He had volunteered his services, and they had been accepted by his friend the Defence Minister, Colonel Haultain. Very little was known of Whitmore in Poverty Bay at the time of his first arrival. He brought with him considerable reinforcements, sufficient to have crushed Te Kooti, if well directed.

The first thing done by Colonel Whitmore, was to announce that he would capture Te Kooti in twenty-four hours; his next was to heap the foulest abuse upon every settler and native with whom he came in contact. Having thus paved the way for a great success, he proceeded to the front. In rather less than a month, he had advanced about ten miles further inland than Biggs had done in two days. On the 8th August, he was beaten by Te Kooti at Ruakiture. Seeing some of his men fall, Colonel Whitmore retreated, leaving his wounded to the mercy of the enemy. He afterwards asserted they had been killed; but, subsequently, the bones of Captain Carr were found on a hill nigh half-a-mile from where he fell. He was a gentle, brave officer, much beloved, and had distinguished himself whilst serving in the Imperial Army; and it is sad to reflect that such a man should have survived, perhaps for days, to find himself helpless and deserted by his commanding officer.

Major Fraser and his men are said to have remained at Ruakiture fighting with Te Kooti for several hours after Whitmore's retreat from the field, and, it is believed, would have beaten and captured the enemy if he had been properly supported.

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