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The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Auckland Provincial District]

The Taranaki War

The Taranaki War.

Several years after the close of Heke's war, the Maoris again became troublesome, this time in the Taranaki district. Sir George Grey, during his term of office as Governor, had wisely restricted the sale of arms to the Maoris, but his successor, Governor Gore Browne, unfortunately removed the restriction, with the result that the Maoris accumulated about £50,000 worth of arms and ammunition. This, with the previous stock they had, was sufficient to supply every adult native in the colony with a gun, and sufficient ammunition for several years of active warfare.

In November, 1859, Governor Browne interviewed the natives at New Plymouth, and publicly announced that he was prepared to buy some of their land if they wished to sell. A native named Te Teira, then offered to sell a block of 600 acres at Waitara, but Wiremu Kingi, the chief of Te Teira's tribe, refused to allow the land to be sold. The Governor, intimated, however, that if Te Teira proved his title he would buy the land. Some months later, on the title being reported good, a sum of £200 was paid on account to Te Teira. A party of surveyors was sent to mark the boundaries, but they were stopped by Wiremu Kingi, who built a pa on the disputed block.

Two companies of the 65th Regiment were sent to quell the disturbance. Thus began a war which ultimately assumed such proportions that Governor Browne had to apply to England for assistance, which was speedily and liberally granted by the British Government.

Hostilities continued until the 21st of May, 1861, when a truce was declared. This truce was kept until the 4th of May, 1863, when an armed party of Maoris attacked a small escort convoying some carts between Taranaki and Tataraimaka, and murdered Lieutenant Tragett, Dr Hope, and five British soldiers. This was the signal of an open rebellion among the Maoris, who declared their intention of “driving all the Europeans into the sea, and attacking Auckland.” As a matter of fact, the Waikato rebels on the 11th of July, 1863, despatched a force in two columns to invade Auckland. Next day General Cameron, who had been sent out by the Imperial Government to take command of the British troops in the colony, placed a force of 380 men in the Koheroa ranges to intercept them. On the 17th an engagement took place, and General Cameron's force in the meantime had been increased to 500 men. The Maoris had formed several lines of rifle pits, which they obstinately defended, and were only dislodged from them at the point of the bayonet. So heavy was the fire poured in on the advancing detachment of the 14th Regiment, who were then receiving their first baptism of fire, that the troops wavered. Seeing this, General Cameron rushed to the front, rallied them, and led them on. The Maoris were defeated, and driven in great confusion across the Maramarua creek; some escaped up the Waikato river in canoes, and others along its right bank, after swimming the creek. Instead of following the natives up and routing them, nothing further was done. It was not until the 30th of October, a period of fifteen weeks, after the engagement at Koheroa, that a forward movement was made.