“All Killed There.”

Questioned as to Mr Smith's narrow escape on the night of the Massacre, Mrs Smith said that the previous day her husband had been mustering sheep on the Parker's property. That night a Maori came along and said: “All killed there” (pointing to Makaraka and Matawhero). “Kooti down and killed them.” Dan Munn had an injured shoulder and had told him he had been shot. Mrs Parker said they should all get away, but Mr Parker reproved her for being an alarmist. Mr Smith joined in with: “Well. I am going, at any rate.' They had hardly got over the river when the rebels arrived, calling out to them: “Come into the river. Komati, Komati.”

As to the Massacre, Mrs Smith said she had been told that, on the Sunday, Mr Blair, a storekeeper, had come into the church and told the men to be ready to go out as Te Kooti had landed at Whareongaonga. She understood Te Kooti had gone away with very bitter feelings against the settlers on the Flats, particularly Messrs Goldsmith and Wyllie, and that he had come back determined to slay them. On the night of the Massacre, a Maori saw Te Kooti on Mr Wyllie's verandah at his home at Torua. She told them all to clear out and they crossed the river to Patutahi. The 100 acres granted to Jimmy Wilson on account of the loss of his parents was, later, sold by him to Mr Smith.

Back Row: Major W. A. Richardson, Capt. Handley, Dr. J. M. Gibbes, Col. Gudgeon, Lieut.-Col. Herrick, Capt. Harvey, Spiller, Lieut. Milner (18th Royal Irish).

Front Row: Lieut. J. W. Witty, Lieut. Ferguson, Capt. Northcroft, Major Scannell, Capt. M. N. Bower, Capt. A. D. Corfield. Major Ed. Withers.

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