Maori Rifle Pits Near Whakatane

A few rifle pits used by the Hauhau hostiles in the 'sixties' when they attacked a palisaded village of the Ngati-Pukeko tribe near Te Poroporo, Whakatane district, are still extant by the side of the road to Ruatoki. These were excavated at the base of the hill slope, the line of fire being across the flat. Each consists of a small shelter pit just large enough to contain one man, with a short entrance trench at right angles to the shelter pit. See Fig. 120, p. 413.