SERCI-MAJOR CHRISTIE

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2549, 9 July 1909, Page 2

SERCI-MAJOR CHRISTIE

A VETERAN’S REMINISCENCES. TE KOO'JT AT THE CHATHAM ISLAN DS. Sergeant-Major Walter Christie, who has just been awarded the Imperial Ser- . vice Medal, is a veteran of tlie stormy ’sixties. He came out to the colonies in 1862, when 15 years of age, and after a trial “on the, land” of Bendigo, Victoria, came to Otago in charge of a draft of horses for the diggings. In 1868 ho joined a squadron of 2UO horse which came up to Wellington .rom Otago on voluntary service during the troublous times of that decade, and was detailed as uespatch-rider .for Major Dwyer (14th llegiment), his duties ' taking him into what was then the most perilous country in New Zealand —the West Coast of the North. Later he joined the Wanganui Yeomanry Cavalry, and served throughout the West Coast Campaign of 1865, being present at the capture of Waoreroa Bah, tho relief of Pipiriki, and several minor engagements. Crowded into the period of the' East and West Coast campaigns were incidents innumerable. The “Dominion” reports the following two incidents: The affair at Kakaramea (near Patea) was serious enough. The Maoris had 'constructed a sort of bridge over a swamp, and erected defences of fascines. The cavalrymen were ordered across the swamp to dislodge the enemy and had got safely over, when they were surrounded and cut off from their supports. The situation was a perilous one. Several men had their horses shot under them, and were themselves severely wounded. After a desperate fight, a relief force of Von Tempsky’s men and tho military settlors arrived on the scene, the enemy was driven back into the country, and the party regained the camp. The trooper took part in another fierce, skirmish with the enemy in the vicinity of Opotiki, and hero iie distinguished himself by saving his officer’s life. The affair was one of the many brushes with the enemy which characterised the guerilla tactics of the cam-, paign—a shot, tho alarm, a hot fire for a while, then silence. That was all. Sometimes men were wounded; at others, not even a scratch was sustained; at others again there were dead to be buried. “On this occasion,” said Sergt-Major Christie, “I was stationed near Capt. John Percy, and during the. fight he was hit in the groin. When L got to him he had clapped his hand over his head, thinking that the bullet had hit him there; I gripped him round the arms and carried him into cover to attend to him. By this time he had become very weak from loss of blood. I laid bare his wound, and saw that an artery had been severed. The best thing I could do then was to take some, biscuits, powder them, ram them into the gaping hole, and then bind it tightly with a leather belt. It was warm work, and no mistake, iho captain’s white shirt showed through tho leaves, and the bullets pattered about our heads. Several pieces of tree-fern were whipped off close by. and fell on his chest. After I had roughly attended to him, I picked him up and carried him along until I mot the ambulance party.” In 1867 he was recalled from Wanganui and sent to the Chatham Islands to superintend the construction of rainproof huts for the accommodation of 'j'e Kooti and his fellow-prisoners. He was also superintendent of road construction works. “What did you think of Te Kooti." ho was asked. “He was a pretty clever chap. He really belonged to a slave tribe, but had been looked after by Bishop Williams, and educated a bit. The Maoris had great faith in him, and his education gave, him a lot of influence. They called him the ‘To (Kooti’ (the bush-law-yer). While I was at ; tlie Chat hams he borrowed a Bible from me, and rewrote the whole of the Old Testament; he was pretty shrewd, though. To suit his own peculiar religious teaching, he merely took from the Bible such passages as would serve liis purpose, and put in others of his own.” “Were you on tho island when they escaped on the schooner Billeman?” “No—that happened three, months after I left. I remember one rather exciting incident that did happen while : I was there. To Kooti and 1 were very good friends, I might tell you. One day Te Kooti came rushing out of the bush and told his excited followers that he had seen Jehovah, and talked with him, and that he had been told that they would be free m about six months—and it is a remarkable tiling that, almost to a day, they got the "upper hand, murdered some of their enemies, and got clear away on the ship. Well, to return to tho yarn, •Captain Thomas turned out the guaid, with rifles loaded and bayonets fixed, and prepared for whatever might happen. When Te Kooti saw Captain Thomas standing there, lie whipped off his clothes, and, stark naked marched up to that officer, folded lus arms and dared him to give tho order to ‘Wiry don’t you fire?” he asked. “...Captain Thomas, who was pale and trembling, walked away, and l v. a., then requested to see'if I could.induce ■ To Kooti to quieten down, and disperse his followers, who had bv this tune formed a circle round him. I ’.vent over and talked quietly to him. ‘I will go, Kakata’ (Walter), lie. said, and the [ trouble ended ; but”’ added Mr Christie, “bad they shot Te Ivooti that day, there would not have been a white man alive oil the island next morning.” On his return from the Chathams. Mr Christie was offered the choice of 80 acres of land or a •permanent appointment in the Defence Department. He chose the latter, and for 38 years « acted as foreman of the Defence Stores " in Buckle. Street. He is the first_ to receive'' the new order (Imperial Service Medal) in New Zealand.