Life in Early Poverty Bay

Settlers Who Were Slain

Settlers Who Were Slain.

“At Matawhero the most conspicuous residence was that of Mr. Bloomfield, a brother or step-brother of G. E. Read. He died shortly before the Massacre. Near that residence. Major Biggs lived, and Captain Wilson's house was not far away. Walsh and Padbury, who were in partnership as butchers, had premises there, and Cadle and Blair were also in partnership there as storekeepers. These firms' premises were each within thirty chains of Major Biggs' residence. All those mentioned, with the exception of Blair, who did not live at Matawhero, were murdered on the morning of the Massacre. An old bullockdriver named Jim Garland, who lived on Bloomfield's property, escaped death. Captain Wilson's residence was further away from the centre of Matawhero than any of the others mentioned. Near him lived George Goldsmith and another settler named John McCulloch. Goldsmith escaped, but Maria, his daughter of about 16 years of age, who was out around Matawhero on the morning of the page break page 101 Massacre looking for their milking cows, was shot and killed off her horse. McCulloch was killed and his wife also was killed, but Sam Tarr, his brother-in-law, escaped. I saw Sam come into the redoubt on Kaiti later that morning. A family named James had been living near McCulloch's, but whether they had left before the Massacre I'm not sure. Anyhow their boy Charlie was in Major Biggs' employ and he escaped with his life. I also saw him in the redoubt that morning and as he had a spot of blood about the size of a fiveshilling piece on one leg of his trousers I asked him how he got it and he said that in running away he had fallen on Major Biggs, who was lying dead in the passage between the house and outhouse. Beyond Matawhero and what is now known as Bushmere, lived Jas. Wyllie and his family, and about half a mile from his residence James Hawthorne and Howard Strong had a small store on sledges.”