CHAPTER XXV. A FRESH OUTBREAK.
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CHAPTER XXV.
A FRESH OUTBREAK.
"Then more fearful grew the fray;
The swords that late flash'd to the evening sun
Now quenched in blood their radiance.
The frequent groan
Of death commingling with the storm was heard,
And the shrill shriek of Fear."
SOUTHEY.
ON the West Coast a redoubtable enemy appeared in the person of Titokowaru, before whom the settlers on the banks of the Patea trembled, and some even fled. A colonial force was enlisted, and without having time to learn the duties which would be required of them were hurried into the field. They were led by officers who had distinguished themselves both in the Maori war and in more sanguinary fields of strife; but they fell before the enemy, increasing his prestige, and spreading alarm through the country. The names of gallant officers who stood firm till the rifle brought them down, and exposed them to the gash of the tomahawk, will not soon be forgotten.
On the East Coast the war was conducted on the side of the insurgents by Te Kooti. This man was of no extraordinary note till the struggle of which we write made him famous. The most shocking massacre which has disgraced the native rebellion was perpetrated by his orders. In the early hours of the morning, before the families were awake, the bands of Te Kooti approached the houses of the settlers on the East Coast, and shot
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down the men as they arose at the first alarm. Cowering women in their night dresses begged for their lives, but were shot or tomahawked with savage delight. Little children met the same fate. Mothers trying to screen their infants from the horrible tomahawk were laid dead. A lady who was left wounded lingered in dreadful suspense and in want of all things for many days, and afterwards died of the ghastly wounds inflicted. We care not to open the scene, and, if we could, would draw a curtain over atrocities which are a disgrace to our common nature.
The news of this dark tragedy aroused alike both colonists and friendly natives. The offer of the latter to take the field was accepted, and for the activity displayed several of the Maori chiefs were raised to the rank of major. Even the determined Topia, who had told Sir George Grey some years before that he would not make peace with him, "never, never, never, neither now nor at any other time hereafter for ever," took the field against Te Kooti, and now enjoys the title of major. With the friendly natives the colonial forces were engaged, much hardship was undergone, the enemy was not a little harassed, and many prisoners were taken, but Te Kooti eluded their grasp.
In connection with these disturbances we must record the murder of the Rev. John Whiteley, an old and highly esteemed Wesleyan missionary. The excellence of his character, the length of time that he laboured in New Zealand, the esteem in which he was held by the native tribes on the West Coast--where he fell,--and the intimacy that subsisted between him and the writer, inclines our pen to linger over this melancholy subject. Coming to New Zealand in the service of the Wesleyan
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Missionary Society about the year 1832, he shared in the joy which the first years of success excited in the self-denying men whose lives were devoted to the Maori race. Many of the best years of his life were spent at Kawhia, and very satisfactory were the results of his labours. He rendered good service as a peace-maker when the natives were incensed both against each other and against the Government. The latter part of his ministry was exercised in the province of Taranaki, and though the honours of age had crowned his head, and the labours of thirty-eight years of missionary work had reduced his strength, he still performed an amount of Sabbath exercises which would make many a younger minister blush. It was usual for him to ride into the country on a Saturday afternoon from twenty-five to thirty miles, and early on the Sunday morning, commencing his work, he would hold six or seven short services during the day among colonists and Maories, civilians and military men, drawing their minds away from earth to heaven, and then, worn and weary with bad roads and crossing dangerous rivers, he returned to town in time to conduct the evening service or to listen to the sermon of his fellow-labourers. It was on such an errand of love that he left his home for the White Cliffs, twenty-five miles north of New Plymouth, on February 13th, 1869, and there, at the White Cliffs, on the evening of that day he was met by the cruel and cowardly foe and shot dead, and his horse was shot also. When found, five bullets had pierced his body, his coat was taken away, and the saddle was removed from his horse.
Both the Church and Wesleyan Missionary Societies can point to martyrs for Christ--men who counted not
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their lives dear when called to lay them down in the service of their Master. Our wonder is not that two missionaries have fallen by the hands of wicked and cruel men, but that only two have fallen in fifty-six years. Had the early missionaries been sacrificed, as they seemed again and again likely to be, few would have been surprised, but in our own day the height of wickedness was reached by the murder of men whose life had been devoted to the welfare of their murderers. The blow fell heavily on the few Maories who remained faithful to Mr. Whiteley's ministry. They could only exclaim, "Alas! our father!" It was touching to see the tangi which was held over his grave, for sincere were the tears shed and the lamentation which was uttered. We have pleasure in adding that the Colonial Government marked their appreciation of Mr. Whiteley's character by granting a yearly pension of £100 to his widow, and after her decease to his unmarried daughter.
The curiosity which the presence of our troops excited among the native people led to amusing descriptions for the benefit of those who had not seen them. "The soldiers," said a Ngapuhi chief, "wear red garments; they do not work, or buy, or sell. They practise every day with their weapons, and some of them watch constantly as if they expected to be attacked every moment. They are a very suspicious people, and have stiff hard things round their necks to keep their heads up, lest they should forget and look too much downwards and not keep their eyes continually rolling about in search of an enemy. They will attack any one their chief orders, and they will not on any account run away, but will fight till the last man of them is killed. They are fine handsome people, all looking like chiefs. The
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sailors are a different tribe, but are brave. Their clothes and arms are different from the soldiers, and they talk and laugh more." For the brave men whose graves are in our own colony, and for others equally brave who have left us for other lands, we cherish a sincere respect and anticipate a meeting with many of them in the realms of everlasting peace.
Instead of being disheartened by the hostilities of the past, the session of our Colonial Parliament in 1870 will be remembered on account of the gigantic measures proposed for the improvement of the country. These included railways which should connect distant provinces and afford facilities for conveying the produce of corn growing districts to market. Telegraph communications were to be extended, and water races to be conducted through the gold-fields. Immigration was to be invited on a large scale, the working-classes were to be largely assisted in the transit from the Fatherland, and how many other good things were to be added we know not. When the Bill was brought before the House of Representatives honourable members were taken by surprise, and some denounced the whole as visionary. But as the details were unfolded and the principles on which the policy was founded were explained, objections were withdrawn, and the Bill passed with some modifications by a large majority. To carry out these measures the Government intends to borrow several millions sterling, the range of operations extending to ten years. Supposing that this policy can be carried out, without entailing upon the colony an ungainly debt, we cannot imagine a scheme more likely to make these islands the home of a numerous enterprising and prosperous people. The House was in session when the first intelligence
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reached the colony of the war between France and Germany, and it was at once seen that our colonial policy must remain in abeyance for the present. When, however, the billows of war subside we anticipate a large increase to our population, abundance of work, and a fair measure of prosperity.
Within about thirty years the population of the colony has risen to nearly a quarter of a million, not including the Maories, and notwithstanding the injurious influences of the last ten years, its prospects are more cheering than they have been before. In the years gone by a few rich men have lost all that they had, and many poor men belonging to the working-classes at home have become rich. As the country is opened opportunities will be afforded to others to lay the foundation of family respectability, if that respectability be properly defined, and not mistaken for the false notions which have caused the failure of many. We are proud of the colonists of New Zealand, vicious persons and some that are indolent are found amongst us, but the general conduct of the people command our esteem and raise our expectations of future propriety. 1
