IHE EARLY HISTORY OF WANGANUI.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 9999, 31 March 1898, Page 2

THE EARLY HISTORY OF WANGANUI.

" Weekly Press and Referee." At the request of the editor, I endeavour to give an insight into the early history of Wanganui. In doing so, some of our earliest settlers, who carried out the enterprise of colonisation here, will be named, with some slight insight into their trials and their brave, self-denying, industrious lives. Want of space in a newspaper article, with the limit of the war of 1846-7, which I have set for this article, will necessarily bar the mention of many facts and persons of later, and, indeed, of that time, who are entitled to recognition. Their ability, enterprise and perseverance soon brought them into prominent local positions, both politically and socially. Many I would gladly name, with some who arrived after the early war, but, for the present, I must stay my hand. The sons, daughters and grandchildren of nearly all I have mentioned still live in Wanganui, holding foremost places in the district and in the esteem of all who know them.

The earliest settlers here all came from Wellington, and may truly be ranked amongst the best of those first New Zealand colonists. Wanganui must be considered as an offshoot from the earliest settlement, with whose history, in those days, its own runs side by side. The first ships landed their passengers and cargo at Petoni. When the survey of the town was completed, or before it was quite finished, these people were removed by water, there being no road, to Britannia, as Wellington was then called. After waiting for a year or two the Wanganui block was thrown open for selection. Many of these waiting settlers, who were spending in Wellington the money intended for clearing the soil, journeyed to this part and took up the lands paid for so long before in London. Streets of the young town were called after the principal selectors, and still keep their names in mind.

Wanganui has always been intimately connected with Wellington ; its trade and goods all came thence. As part of the province, in after days its political connection was as much interwoven as its commercial interests. Wellington merchants always owned its steamers, and, till quite recently, dominated its mercantile interests. The advent of ocean steamers, the frozen meat business, the tourist traffic, and the opening up of our river by steamers, which ran far inland, are at length making the piece stand on its own feet and feel position and power.

The earliest settlers had many frights, often causeless, such as the following. A boat loaded with immigrants was landing on the beach at Wellington by night. She came from the Aurora, the first ship which arrived, January 22nd, 1840. Now, when this boat reached the surf the Maoris, in great excitement, threw off every shred ef mat and blanket. They rushed into the surf shouting their welcomes, anxious to drag her and her occupants high and dry. This style of welcome so alarmed the " new chums" that they returned to the ship, reporting that the savage cannibals desired to murder them all. Colonel Wakefield, however, who happened to be on board, after inquiry, called them a " pack of frightened geese," and told them to " go to bed." It was such "new chums" that had to find their way to this new district. The men, generally, preferred walking that weary 157 miles of sand and rocks to the dismal horrors of a voyage in a ten ton hooker through the boisterous Cook Strait. (The women and children had no resource, sail or stay was the word for them. At this time the Gem, the Sandfly, and other hookers wero kept busy. There were cutters, luggers, ships' long boats " raised upon," and such small fry. The skippers, rough sailors, were kindhearted, honest, very considerate for women and children, as a rule. One lady relative of mine made many voyages in such crafts; in the "Sarah Berry" lugger, for instance, she went to Taranaki, Wellington and Nelson tnore than once. She spoke in the highest terms of the skippers she sailed with, with horror of the crafts they sailed. She never went below, not even at night; an awning by day, a tarpaulin by night, anything rather than the stifling hole they called the cabin. The cabin table was about 2ft by 3ft or 4ft, the lockers, on which one sat, were general receptacles for tarred rope, paint, red herrings, cheese, bags of biscuits and a thousand other things. Oh ! the smell of those close dens ! It was well they could hold no more.

The skipper's rule was " no grog at sea." (This rule was generally adhered to, but, unfortunately, not always. One of the gentlemen, whose likeness you may see attached to this paper, put his wife and children four, on board to make the voyage. Whether he went with them or not I do not remember; I think he did. This little craft was full of women and children going to join their male relatives who had gone ahead to prepare shelters for them. The skipper, perhaps in order to comfort his numerous passengers, perhaps because he had not got over his town spree, or from a desire to look well as " captain of bis own ship," took a keg of rum with him. Naturally he got drunk, naturally he fought with the cook. Now, as tho cook was steward, third, second, or first mate, and general rouseabout all combined in one, we can imagine such goings on did not tend to the comfort of the helpless people committed to their charge. A gale sprang up and the captain lost his way; he could not see the road. He picked himself up in Cloudy Bay, or Port Hardy, across the strait. Then he made a fresh start, but got fighting with cookey again. This time he got under Kapiti and lay there some time, probably till the liquor ran out; however that may be, it was between three weeks and a month from the time of leaving Wellington before those wretchedly sea-sick people found themselves safe in the Wanganui river. Those who still survive scarcely even now care to speak or think of the horrors of that short voyage. This must be taken as an exceptionally bad voyage even for those days. During the time that Mr Murphy was police magistrate in Wellington, a small craft from Cloudy Bay ran ashore and was wrecked near Wanganui. All hands were drowned. One of the crew, or a passenger, was a Maori named Koraria, a chief of the Ngatiraukawa tribe. For some reason the Wanganui natives had "a down" on this tribe, so, according to one of the pleasing little playful customs of the time and people, they outraged and mutilated the dead body of their countryman. The Ngatiapa did this. Then, of course, the Ngatiraukawas must have utu or payment for this dishonour to their tribe, so, according to another of their pleasant little ways, they came down and carried off 100 pigs and the wife of a chief, named Hakeke, as a slave. Then the Ngatiraukawas tapued the beach between Otaki and Rangitikei, so that no man might pass without danger to his life and a certainty of much enforced utu, if he were caught, as he was almost certain to be. Whites and Maoris were all barred from passing, and remonstrances and threats were vainly used to have the tapu removed. Thus the settlers had to go by sea for a long time, in just such crafte as I have described. The settlers were having hard times now. The company had no power to enforce the law, the government had no will to do so. Captain Fitzroy had arrived, and he refused to exert his authority in support of law and order where the Maoris were concerned. He said the company had purchased the land at a price ridiculously below its actual value, and had bought it from those that they knew had no right, or power, to sell. These argument would no doubt have held good had they been true; but they were denied in toto by the company, and dis-

proved to the satisfaction of the settlers at least. One thing the company truly stated was that the very large reserves of the very best land, amounting to one acre in every ten purchased, would, in a few years, be worth more than the value of the whole block bought, if left in its original state, and that most of the land was absolutely useless to those who could not cultivate or fence it. They had paid every claimant they could find, had searched far and wide to find all interested, and they were quite willing to pay again to anyone who could show a shadow of title. In the mean time, far and near, disorder, threats, and actual violence ruled supreme. The natives simply took what they desired—often in armed parties.

On April 20th, 1842, Mr W. Alfred Wansey wrote to Colonel Wakefield seeking compensation. He had taken three workmen with him to Wanganui to clear and build on his land. The Maoris came in force and threatened to tomahawk him if he did not leave; they broke into his house and completely stripped it. Upon returning, ten days later, he found them living in his house and building a pah on his land close by it. He offered to buy the land over again, but the Maoris would not sell. He and many others in more or less the same position were ruined. All the country settlers had in some way, directly or indirectly, generally in both, to pay for a sort of permission to live on their own land and be " bounced " at the sweet will of the Maori. There was no redress. These Maoris were not all bad, they were as God made them, and the weakness of our Government must bear the blame. Most truly and tersely has Major Gudgeon said lately in these columns of the Maori that it was difficult, and almost impossible, to get ideas from the Maori side of his head correctly into the English side. I quote from memory. Major Gudgeon is an expert and a judge of the Native Land Court. We could no more get our ideas into a Maori head than he (the Maori) could put his notions. into ours. Those who understood with the Maori side of their heads could not make the matter clear to their white countrymen. We see that, after ell these long years, an expert cannot do so within his own mind without difficulty. The Maoris had no written law ; custom was their only guide, and utu one of the most powerful customs. There was in Maori ideas no such thing as an accident. How could there be ? They had no hammers to fall on a cap, no trigger to touch unintentionally, not even an arrow to clip through the fingers. How could there be accidents. All injuries must be paid for; apologies were laughed to scorn, they did not believe in regret for an action done. The honour of the tribe, the rnana of the chief, and in case of death from accident or otherwise the manes of the dead called aloud for utu (payment). The whole tribe would lose caste if they did not claim and take it. The early history of our North Island settlements is a Maori story to a very great extent; and the reader, to have a right understanding of what he reads, should have some knowledge of native customs. In Auckland a human skull was washed down a river and lodged on a white settler's soil. Maoris coming down found it there. They said it hod come from a tapued burial ground above, and they must have utu. One or two war parties, fully armed, came down and danced the war dance just by the settler's house, at the same time threatening his life. They looted his premises, carrying off all they could bear, and driving the horses in front of them. They said the settler had allowed them to take these things as the utu to which they were justly entitled. The skull was there, how it got there was not for them to consider, it belonged to their tribe and it must be paid for. Accidents not allowed! Further particulars regarding this skull, &c., it desired, may be found in Brett's Early History of New Zealand, page 588. This occurred to Mr Forsaith, of Mangawhari, on the northern Wairoa river, in November, 1841.

In Wellington, or rather Petone, in the very early days, a Maori youth named E Toko, eighteen years of age, injured his hand. Mortification set in, and the doctor said amputation alone could save his life. The chiefs opposed this, as if he died of the operation they must seek utu, and they wished to remain friendly with the whites who could not understand this law —they were so stupid. When pressed, they wished him, at least, to take laudanum to deaden the pain. The youth, however, had seen a girl or boy walking about in Wellington with both arms off, so he sat down on the grass and underwent the operation without a groan. When all was done he raised the stump of his arm and looked at it saying, " My word, werry good, &c., white man." The doctor dressed the stump and wished him to go to bed, but this he declined to do. He walked about showing the stump of his arm to every one quite proud of it, and when a few days afterwards the bandages were removed by the doctor, he found the skin healing over the bone finely. Then the chiefs wanted payment for the arm which the doctor had taken. That the young man's life was saved to him and them was nothing ; and as to paying the doctor, they had never heard of such a thing, nor ever dreamed of paying for another's skill. Their tribe had lost a valuable arm through that doctor's act, and it must be paid for. Good Maori law, and it was difficult to persuade them to forego their claim. They did so at last, but I strongly suspect that they had a present from some quarter to salve their feelings. Mr J. H. Wallace, the Wellington historian, tell this story as given above. The following story shows how a Maori, intending to be good, grateful, and just, may act.

" During the skirmishing in front of the Patarangi pah the son of the principal chief fell into the hands of the British. He was badly wounded in the leg. Every effort was made to save the limb but in vain. Amputation became necessary, after which the patient rapidly recovered. When able to move, the chief was informed that he might send for his son. He did so, and next day a cart-load of potatoes arrived in camp as a present to the General, and a message of thanks for the kind treatment his son had experienced, the chief also declaring that in future he would not kill wounded soldiers who might fall into his hands, but only cut a leg off and send them back." This story is told by Major-General Sir James Edw. Alexander K.C.L.S., F.R.S.E., in his "Bush Fighting," "The Maori War in N.Z.," page 156.

The Wanganui river was called the Knowsley, and so marked on the old maps. A picture, reproduced in Brett's Early History, shows a fine, high, sugarloaf-shaped island at the mouth of the river and inside the bar. It must have taken a trip from Taranaki, unless it is supposed to represent Kapiti, which lies about 100 miles to the south. The sand spit also has disappeared in the picture, and given place to high banks— more romantic—bigger lie. The town was called Petre, after the Hon. Henry Petre, a son of Lord Petre, one of the earliest settlers at the Hutt. It was changed, at the request of the people, in 1854 or 1855. There is no beauty close to the mouth of the river, but the view from the sea near the entrance has been well described by Mr E. J. Wakefield in his early and historical work, Adventures in New Zealand. It is a scene to make an intending settler's heart rejoice, and well deserves its native name Wanganui (large opening). The house seen in the early picture of the town, near Churton's creek, marked as E. J. Wakefield's, was not the famous " Whari Wikitoria" (Victoria). That historical building was a raupo whari of much larger size, and stood above the Ship Hotel. It has been said that it was called after a Maori belle of Putiki, the pah juet below the town on the opposite side of the river (the name is, more properly, Putikiwaranui). I think the name of the house merely indicated government house, or queen's house ; for Mr E. J. Wakefield acted as a sub-agent here for Colonel Wakefield, though not in the same manner as the agents at Nelson and Taranaki, who were appointed from headquarters in England. They were all often called "governors" by the Maoris; sometimes, in anger or derision, " Kawana Hikipeni" (sixpenny governors) or half governors, for their standard of value was a shilling. Mr John Garner, in his old age, was fond of calling himself "the father of Wanganui." Ono of Wellington's earliest settlers, he joined the police force there in 1840. A man of sterling worth, energy and integrity. He used to say that he sent the first genuine cargo of produce out of the river raised by the settlers here, and in doing so gave our afterwards great mercantile firm of Taylor and Watt their first freight to Wellington. This cargo consisted chiefly, or wholly, of pumpkins, and was shipped on board the Katharine Johnston. Mr Garner was one of the earliest and of the latest contractors for the supply of meat to the garrison before the arrival of the new troops under General Cameron in the early sixties. It was good to hear him tell stories of old times, people, and adventures. How he went into a pah full of turbulent Maoris, in Wellington, to execute a warrant, and while the lowered heads scowled, half-hidden by blanket or mat, be put the darbies on the wanted man, not knowing if their click might not be the signal for the clicking of many gun-locks or a forward rush with, till then, hidden tomahawks. Duty had to be done, though the heart were in the mouth, and John Garner always did his duty. It was a great relief when he got his prisoner clear of that pah. A kind-hearted man with a pleasant smile or a joke for all, from the little one playing in the unused street to the R.M. hurrying to take his seat on the bench ; all knew and all respected Mr John Garner. He has left many descendants in the district.

In 1843 stock was being imported into Wellington from Sydney, and horses from Valparaiso. Mr J. G. Cooke, of Taranaki, drove the first mob up the coast to that district at this time. It consisted of seventy head. Mr E. J. Wakefield passed him near where Hawera now stands, and went through the then newly cut track at the back of the mountain to New Plymouth. Mr Cooke, commonly called Captain Cooke, for he had served as lieutenant in the army, left the cattle with his man and tried to follow Mr Wakefield ; but, heavy rain coming on, he could not cross the boggy creeks. He tied his horse in the bush and struggled through on foot. It was a terrible little journey. When he returned for his horse it was found starved to death.

Bishop Selwyn reached Auckland in May 1842. On November 20th, 1843, he paid his first visit to Wanganui, having walked by way of Taupo and down the river by canoe. A great undertaking for a new chum in those days. It is good to read of our noble Bishop pitching his tent on the sandhills below Churton's creek, and living in it during his stay, enjoying many a swim in the grand river below him, we may be sure.

The Rev. John Mason was the first missionary stationed here, he arrived in Auckland in 1839. Mr John Mason, catechist, sailed in the Red Rover, was wrecked in the Bay of St. Jago, and appointed to Wanganui, I think, in 1840. The Rev. R. Taylor, M.A., succeeded him in 1842; the latter gentleman is too well known to need remark here. He wrote Te Ika a Maui and several other works on native snbjects and natural history. He lived here till his death and was succeeded by his eldest son. He was a member of the Church Missionary Society.

Kawana Paipai (Governor) was a rare old chief, one of the old school. He was covered with tattoo, which has not come out well in his portrait. A warrior friend to the whites, to whom he was always true. When the Rev. Mr Taylor arrived, he found Paipai suffering from what he thought was cancer of the mouth. He put a seton in his neck. This, or nature, cured the evil. The old fellow was very proud of his silver hunting watch; he had, I think, taken it as loot from an enemy slain in battle. On one occasion, before the dawn, it told him the time to move on a surprise attack. The rush on the foe succeeded, and great was the slaughter : ever after this he called his watch "te watcee kai tangata," or man eating watch. He showed it with pride to all the friends he met in town, where he might be seen on most fine days. Mr Taylor was a missionary to the Maoris, but for some years the whites had the benefit of his ministrations.

About the year 1852 the Rev. C. H. S. Nicholls was sent, by the bishop as the first clergyman of the parish. Mr Nicholls, soon after his arrival, went to live on the Industrial School grounds and started a Maori school, but the natives would not attend. This is now the Collegiate School ground. If Governor Hobson had been disliked by the settlers, Captain Fitzroy was hated. The former cao at least point to the treaty of Waitangi and the city of Auckland as monuments of his reign. The voyage of the Britomarb to Akaroa also, undoubtedly, saved trouble with the French, and wae cleverly arranged. It wae well they should find the English in actual possession of the spot they had chosen for settlement and the Union Jack flying there, but that that saved the island to us, as is generally supposed— no. Twice before had the English taken possession and hoisted the national flag just as was done by Captain Stanley, of the Britomart. The Queen's sovereignty over the Middle and Stewart's Islands was declared by proclamation by the Lieutenant Governor (Hobson) on May 21st, 1840. Afterwards Major Bunbury, of the 80th Regiment, hoisted the flag at a pah on the shore of Cloudy Bay ; Captain Nias, of H.M.S. Herald, and a party of marines landing for the purpose of suitably honouring the occasion. A salute of twenty-one guns was fired from the ship. Captain Cook also took possession, according to his usual custom, though this may be passed as too remote. Cook took possession at Ship Cove of Queen Charlotte Sound, when he named those localities and drank a bottle of champagne after hoisting the flag, &c. This was on Thursday, January 30th, 1770. What did Captain Fitzroy do for the colony ? Absolutely nothing; not one single act to benefit the settlers—nothing but evil. He was a freetrader, so he called his council together in Auckland and struck off all customs duties by a stroke of his pen. He substituted a 'Graduated Property and Income Tax. This was done to encourage the whaling ships to call at the northern ports. No intimation whatever had been sent to the company's settlers, who were to pay the gr»«*»r part of the money. The new tax came into force on November let, 1844. Every man who owned property above £50 in value, real, or personal, or income, had to pay £1, and so on, up to £1000, which paid £10, after which a composition would be accepted of £12 per annum. He was taxing the real estate, which he denied that the settlers owned. That was his usual logic As Governor, or politician, Captain Fitzroy was " a round peg in a square hole." In private life be was on honourable, kind-hearted gentleman, a good sailor, a scientific man, of high reputation in the service. He commanded the Beagle in Charles Darwin's botanical voyage to New Zealand and the isles of the ata. His sarviea on subject*

with storms and ocean currents were of national importance. He invented the Fitzroy barometer, and became a British Admiral.

There was no money in the colony now, and where to look for it or how to come by it no man knew. There was no export and little produce* Then Captain Fitzroy issued Government debentures, as low as ss, bearinterest at 5%, and all storekeepers and dealere in the colony followed suit.

All this time indication meetings were being held all over the colony. The settlers ia all directions were being turned oil their land and absolutely ruined. The perpetratora of the terrible Wairau massacre were let off scot free, or even rather encouraged by the Governor's words and acts.

Mr Hugh Ross, a solicitor or barrister of great ability, was one of the earliest settlers in Wellington. He was one of the first to settle in Rangitikei, near Marton. He came to reside in Wanganui proper in 1856 or about that time, and coon bad a large professional business both local and outside, for his reputation was colonial. He had probably been a member of the Pickwick Club of Wellington, the first club in the colony. He certainly was a member of the Wakefield Cluh, into which the Pickwick practically, if not absolutely, soon merged. It may be of interest to some readers to hear that the entrance fee to the Wakefield was £25, the yearly-subscription £5 ss. Whether a member of the Pickwick Club or not. this gentleman was one of the last in existence who would be suspected of following in the footsteps of poor Mr Winkle, nevertheless, that is just what he did. The matter made a great stir at the time, when it was published, Mr Ross often mentioned it, a* an extraordinary incident. As he told it to the writer, in a semi-public place, before several strangers and friends, so I give it here. In the very early days Mr Ross, with his eldest son, George, "then a lad, was up the Hutt Valley pigeon shootine in the thick forest that then covered the land. He heard a kafca screaming and saw the bird flying and flapping its wings in a rata tree close by. The bird was not very high and just outside a thicket of dense foliage. Up went the gun and down fell the bird ; but with it there came a young Maori man, who ha>l been holding the kaka as a decoy-bird, on a pole, himself hiding behind tree and leaves. The Maori wae soundly peppered, though, as it fortunately proved, not dangerously wounded. He was carried in, and, as his relatives were not great chiefs, a moderate gift of tobacco and blankets satisfied them. The intense anxiety this affair excited, when the facts were published in the papers, must be imagined ; ib can never, now, be realised. What was his rank ? Would he die ? On whom would vengeance or the claim for litti fall? These were the questions anxiously asked on every sida. A gentleman from Manawatu recently told the writer that he had been close by when this occurred—he had helped to carry in th.c Maori, I think— and that the account as given above wag correct in every particular.

Mr Henry Shafto Harrison, J. P., arrived in Wellington, April 21st, 1840. He was one of the first to visit Wanganui and take up his land. He came on foot and in small coasters more than once before finally removing his family. His houee near Virginia Lake was built on his first selection ; this property, afterwards sold to Mrs Hair, is now better kuown as the Hair Estate. Hie first house was burnt down either by the soldiers or Maoris, the former, I believe, during*the.Native war of IB , !?. Mr Harrison was several time 3 returned as M.H.R. for Wanganui. He was Sheriff for many years, Auditor for the Province, President of the Jockey Club from its start till his death. He passed through all the early troubles and adventures of our earliest and best colonists. He was captain of the troop of lancers raised for our defence and a captain of Militia. No man was better known between Wanganui ami Wellington, and he had friende all the way. His only surviving son atul three of h<3 daughters, with many grandcuildreu, reside here.

From the earliest days the names of Messrs Taylor and Watt were as household words to all residents and visitors to Wanganui. Captain Taylor commanded their early vessels, Mr Watt looking after the store departmeut, selling the imports and buying the exports. We- have seen how the Father of Wanganui supplied their first freight, one of pumpkins. They began, as they continued, bringing in stores, takiug out any tiling in the shape of produce offered ; though they soon bought nearly all the produce .of the district. Their first vessel, the Katharine Johnston, of ten tons, was brought from Sydney by Captain Taylor, and lengthened into a capacity of fifteen tons. She soon proved too "small, whereupon the first vessel built in Wanganui was launched for them. This was the Governor Grey, a small topsail sohooner of about twenty-five tons. She was built and launched close above the wharf and shipping of the firm, as seen in the second picture above the wharf and below the bridge. The long roof seen junt below the wharf in that picture is part of the top of Taylor and Watt's wholesale Btore. The Governor Grey had soon to give place to theTyne, a schooner of co»Bulerably larger dimensions. In the early fifties or before, this firm were running brigs to Sydney. Captain John P. Watt then took command of one of these. They were the William, another that I have missed the name of; the Rosebud, the Seagull, and Venture. Captain David Bell, Captain Linklater and others well-known -were amongst their commanders. As station holders, merchants, and ship owners, the interests and powers of this firm were intricate and far reaching. They must have been in business here for about forty years, and they did much good, helping many, by stores and money, to struggle on till returns were wrunjr from the stubborn soil.

During all these early years the attitude of the Maoris towards the whites was becoming more and more alarming. Murders in the north and south, driving settlers out of house and home, with violences of all kinds, had led to actual hostilities in Auckland and Wellington. On the 14th of November, 1845, Captain Grey arrived iv Auckland. This revived the drooping hopes of the colonists. He soon got to work. After giving Johnny Heke a sharp taste of his quality in the north, he was quickly in Wellington, with the Calliope, Castor and Driver men-of-war, with soldiers, blue-jackets, militia and volunteers out after the murderers. He took Rauparaha and Rangihaeata prisoners. These were the leaders of the Wairan massacre. Rangihaeatadied in prison, Rauparaha was kept on board a man-of-war for a long time. The Wanganui Maoris had joined in the southern fighting to some extent, and now, returned warriors, were inciting their countrymen to take up arms in Wanganui.

On March 13th, 1846, the Governor came to Wanganui in H.M.S. Castor. H.AI.S. Driver, mentioned above, was the first steamer that entered Wellington harbour, February 12fch, 1846.

Times were getting warm and merry now. Te Heu-heu, the great Taupo chief, with many other chiefs and 200 armed followers, came down the river. This is how this fine old warrior savage spoke to those in authority here, as translated by the Rev. R. Taylor. (His dancing, running, jumping, and contemptuous gestures during delivery can only be realised by those who. have seen these old school warriors in excitement and at war times.) " I am come to take possession of my land. This is my land ; it is mine and my brother Tairoa's (one of the great Taupo chiefc in the party). I am come for

payment for my people, who were formerly killed here (by the lower river /Maoris). You talk about other chiefs being here. Who are they ? Let mc see them ! Mawai (of Putiki) and his people are my slaves, and before Igo I will eat some of them. (Tina threat of Heu-heu'e about eating his enemies was no mere idle threat in those days. An account of a real old fashioned cannibal feast, which took place within fifty miles of Auckland in 1842-only three years before - was »iven in the Auckland Standard of June 27tl»r 1842. Full particulars of this event may be found by the curious in The Story of New Zealand by Dr. Thompson, 58th Regt.) You and all the white people are slaves, and Turoa are the kitiga here ; and Rauparaha is king of the sea coast. Yon talk i about your Queen. Who is she ? Is she strong ? She i« a woman I And what can a woman do ? What did she do to Heke when he cut down her flag ? That was the symbol !of your country's greatness ! She was quiet I and did nothing ! She is weak ! "

Here Tauamii remarked, "And what did she do to Ranparaha, when he murdered her white men at Wairau ? "

" And," continued Heu-heu, " You who come to talk to mc nre her slaves."

This was in 1845, but war was not declared then, though public meetings were held, troops asked for, and preparations for what seeniod inevitable were begun. On December 10th, 1846. H.M.S. Calliope arrived in Wanefanui with troops. On March 13th Governor Grey arrived in H.M.S. Castor. On March 3rd, 1846, martial law had been proclaimed in Wellington. On July 18th it) was extended to Wanganui.

It is just within the bounds of possibility that, even yet, actual hostilities might have been averted but for a most unfortunate accident. A young midshipman was playing with his pistol on the river bank in town, when it exploded. He was, I believe, showing it to a Maori at the time —at all events, one standing close by was severely, if not dangerously, wounded. This was a pure accident, but I have endeavoured to show that Maoris acknowledge no accident, especially where blood has beer, spilt. The whites did their best to explain matters and exprees their sorrow, but all overtures ot friendship were received with gloomy silence, lowering scowls or derision. A party of what would now be called "hoodlums" made up their minds to sack utu, it was said, without the knowledge of their chiefs ; but if not directly sent out by them, they probably connived or encouraged the act; at all events the perpetrators of the proposed outrage were quite sure of after support from their whole tribe. These youths proposed an attack upon Dr. Wilson's residence ; not that shewn in tho early picture, but the one after wards erected on his land ntßellhaven towards the heads.

" No," said one of them, " that ie my pakeha." For Mrs Wilson had been kind to iiitn in sickness.

Then they agreed to go to Mr GilfiUan's. Mr Gilfillati was an artist. He. perhaps, sketched the picture of early Wanganui ; either he or Miss King did. The family lived on the high lamia between the No. 2 and the No. 3 lines, nearer the latter, not (as has' lately been pc-printed in a local paper) on St. John's Hill, which is on the opposite side of the river. . The Maoris came upon Mr Gilfillan in Ins garden at work or in the back yard. It \va9 late in the evening. They wounded him in the head with a toroahawlJV'and then followed the massacre of which has been too often told to require repetition here. Mi , GilEillan got; down-to Mr J. McGregor's, at Cherry Bank, and news was sent into town from there. Miss Gilfillan, badly wounded in the head, with her little brother and young sister, were brought in by the relief parties sent out afc or before daylight in the morning. The bodies of the mother and the rest of the children were also recovered and brought in—a melancholy procession. Tlie murderers, seven in number, escaped up the river. Their chiefs denied complicity or knowledge of their intentions. Majo*Kemp, the ever gallant, prompt, truehearted, and loyal, manned a canoe at once, armed its crew, and pursued. He overtook the fugitives and captured five of them, the other two escaped into the bush. For the numbers engaged in this affair I am trusting to memory, having no record of the event at hand ? there is just a possibility of error. The five captured did not deny their guilt. They were taken to town and hand,ed over to Captain Lay, the offioer in command of the troops, he hanged them on the spot and instant, called together a drum heed Court Martial, and tried the bodies after they were cut down. After General Cameron returned to England, this prompt action was rewarded by promotion, •• For gallant conduct in New Zealand."

If the reader thinks that Kemp, or any other old native, would look upon this murderous act from our point of view, the stories introduced into this short and imperfect sketch have been written in vain. To interfere with those whom he and the lower Wanganui chiefs chose to permit on their lands, was to decry their mani. The chiefs' mana was to be supported to the death ; the tribe must support the chief to the last extremity. This was their custom, and custom their only law. Ido not say that mana was Kemp's only motive, nor do I think so, but it would, and should, have been a sufficient one. The dark, triangular patch on the street, just by the little grocery shop, in the second picture, is sand drifted oat of the foot of the hill on which the Rutland etockade, with its two blockhouses, stood. These blockhouses, with overhanging upper stories and long, narrow horizontal loopholes, frowned over the town and protected its inhabitants in war. It was on this hill, a little behind the artist's point of view, and just above the back of the courthouse, that the Gilflllan murderers met their fate on the end of long ropes. Again, the reader I hope will perceive that war at once became inevitable. Mana and utu for the np-river tribes demanded it. It is right and just that we ehould judge these cases fairly and give a proper weight to Native views and customs.

Sir George Grey went with the troops to a sharp, skirmish at Aramoho, and hid and crawled behind flax and toi-toi, just like any other sensible body would do. Some of the more daring settlers thought Sir George should have shown a bolder front and stood upright to lead his men. Ido not. Sir George was' always cool and cautious, wise and sagacious.

The Maoris got into Mr H. Churton'a wooden house, which had replaced the original whari seen in the old picture. The settlers were in a etockade on the site of the old Commercial Hotel—afterwards the Ship —being within 200 yds or so they gave their foes a warm time oi it. The house was completely riddled with bullets, and one of the great chiefs from Taupo was shot in it. The lucky shot was fired from the upstairs window, Mr John Cameron was the marksman, at least he always got the credit for it. The chiefs name was Maketu. He had joined Rauparaha in Wellington on July 20tb, 1846, and fought then against the whites. His death caused the tatoa (war party) to retire to their inland homes, to tangi or wail over the dead ; for such is their custom when they lose a great warrior. Another thing may have hastened their retreat. Either in Mr Churton's house, where it may have been stored for safety, or in Dr. Wilson's house at Bellhaven, where it may have been left in the hurry to save life, they had got hold of the Doctor's medicines or medicine chest. They pat the drugs into a tub and mixing it. upv with, water sat all ound supping it up with kuku (mussel) shells. The effects were very extraordinary and unlooked for, but as I fancy I have seen this story in the Wbrklt Pbess before, over the signature of Old Settler, I will not inflict a chestnut on your readers. I will only remark that it was supposed the chest contained the antidotes for tho poisons in it. But my space is more than filled. Yet there is an extract from a private letter to my father, which has never seen the light of day though it seems worthy of attention when, as now, such things are widely sought and eagerly scanned by many readers. This seems the place for it. It is addressed to New Plymouth :—

" Wanganui, July 19th, 1847. "My Dear Sib,—"l am much pleased to hear that yon are now really likely to become a settler in Wanganui. You are aware that we are now in the raidat of war; the natives are at this moment attacking the stockade and firing rather briskly, what between friends and foes poor Wanganui has apparently been a great sufferer, bat I do not think this of rauoh account as respects its future prosperity. The enemy have burnt about eleven houses, captured some cattle, sheep, goats, &c., and the military have burnt or destroyed about twelve honses that they might - not fall into the hande of the natives.

seven of whom were in the town. Those horrid murders and the war, in all probability, would not have oocurred, had the native mind been allayed by a public inquiry into the origin of the careless accident by which a young midshipman almost killed a chief; as it was, it appeared to be such one-sided justice that the disaffected natives were glad to lay hold of it, as a pretext for what has followed. War, I am convinced, would sooner or later have broken out, as most of those who were driven from the Hutt fled with hearts brim fuil of resentment. So far from viewing this as a breaking up of Wanganui, my firm pereuasion is that its prosperity will commence when this war cloud passes, as pass it soon will." .... I have now only to add that there are many old settlers worthy of all praise, and of high positions in,such a record, who are not mentioned here ; for room cannot be found in a newspaper article for all, even though that article be long. There are very many who arrived after the war, which I have selected as my limit. Others, again, who soon came into the very front rank, were only, afc the time I write of, beginning a career that ability, enterprise, and industry which soon made them our most influential citizens and gained them first positions in politics, commerce, and in tho respectful regard of Wanganui. Very many I would gladly name, but mnst for the present stay my hand. The Maoris were uot beaten ; the war languished and died out. We could not reach them; they could not take the town ; so they sought by trade the coveted goods they had failed to take by force. ' A.W.