THE OLD FRONTIER THE STORY OF THE WAIPA VALLEY The Early Colonization The Soldier The War in Wai kato The Pioneer Farm er Life on the and Later -D ay Settlement BY ME A G JA S COW N , FR . .S . u lished T he Wai a os rin in and P b by p P t P t g Publishing Com pany, Limited T e Aw am utu, N ew Zeal and 1922 PR E FA CE This sketch of the history of the Waipa district centreing in n Te Awamutu has been written especially with a view to interesti g the younger generation of colonists , and the now large population m ic on both sides of the old Maori bo rder , in the unco monly dramat story of the beautiful country in which their homes are set . The original settlers to whom many of the events here described were matters of personal knowledge are fast passing away, and a gene ration has arisen which has but a vague idea of the local history is and of the old heroic life on the Waipa plains . The book designed to convey accurate pictures of this pioneer life and th e successive eras of the missionary and the soldier, and to invest with a new interest for many the familiar home landscapes . Much of the information given herein is published for the f first time , and therefore should be of special value to students o New Zealand history. For the story of missionary enterprise the writer has drawn on a MS . journal written by the Rev . John Morgan , the first civiliser of the Waipa country ; for the military history use has been made of an exceedingly readable MS . narrati ve Tem sk left by the celebrated Major Von p y, of the Forest Rangers. For the rest , it has been a peculiar pleasure to the writer, as one n bred on the old A kati border, to recall scenes in a phase of life which has passed away for ever . Wellington , N Z , September, 1 922 . CO N T E N T S CHAPTE R I r — TO POGRAPH ICAL AND LEGENDARY nt Th r e A Th e b eautiful Waipa cou ry . e ga d n l ands of Te wamutu wh i il l o h ori rd r Th n o and R angiao a. H s f t e Ma bo e . e co e f Kak e uk u nci en or r es ses. aori r ibes of the ai a p . A t f t M t W p basin. - A A CH APTE R II . TH E MI S SI ON R Y E R . e B . s wel l r mi s iona Te I n cannibal days. R v. Y A h the fi st s ry in A eas on h man fles i n h ao a E n th e Awamu tu . f t u h Otaw p . d of - al wars e J oh n or an omes to Te A wam tu . int er tr ib . R v. M g c u i use ul mission wor H ow M r or an owe e oo . H s f k . M g s d th g d seed CHAPTE R III -PLOUGH AND F LOUR -MILL Mr Mor gan intr oduces Engl ish method s of ag r iculture Maor i tr ibes r o s r e T h e comin e h e become indu st i u fa m r s. g of th w eat. Lar g i ons e A wamutu R an i aowhia Kih i hi an ra u cul t vati at T , g , ki , d O kaa . “ ’ i a h r flo r - il l s s r o an r Gr ind ng the wh e t. T e fi st u m . M M r g s na na i l a e f th e wa er - mil l in a l n s t ve. C tt r o t m ny Maori sett eme t . E in h an r n n xpor t g w eat d flou to Au ckl a d. Ra g iaowh ia fl our s ent ’ t n l S ir r e r i o E g and . Geor ge G y s p act cal sympath y wi th th e — TH E CHAPTE R IV . GOL D E N AGE BEF OR E TH E WAR n a 'i o i ’ Te Awamutu a d R angi owh a in 1 852. M r Heyw od C r ispe s de - - scri i on. A land of cor n fiel ds n rui ro s h ach pt a d f t g ve . T e pe roves of R an iaowh i a. i si to the lar e ao r i il l a e ol d g g V t g M v g , ’ Kin Pota a H st ter i g t u . och et s v ew in 1 859 . T — CHAP E R V. J OH N GOR S T AT TE AWAMUTU ‘ a an m i s n r Mr Go rst as Magi str t e d Co m s io e . Th e educational insti ' i a Aw new e s sh d tut on t Te amutu . A spap r e tabl i ed. R ewi s rai ” on th e ih oih M oke ok e. M r r l P oi m Go st eaves Wailrato. Te r - i l a a o e Awamu tu e vi s t ed. The st c n e voyag . — - H TE R . TH E K T 6 4 C AP VI WAI A O WAR , 1 8 3 6 Br s nd l o ial i t Figh ting on th e Waikato. iti h a Co n troops nvade h e t ar i h Waipa country . Pa erangi and Wai . T e Forest R ang er s. ’ r r t i e war i h l - t Von Tempsky s na a ve of th . B s op S e wyn at h e on Fr t . TE R - TH T R - -AO IA CHAP VII . E CAP U E OF RANGI WH ’ or summer mor nin invasion. S k r ish in Von Tempsky s st y . A g i m g h l l a e ie o ri wh ar o n through t e vi g . S ge f a Mao e. Col nel Nixo h t D r amati eath o an ol d war r ior . er i l i l n s o . c d f H o c tt e gar r iso annihilated. - TH A A CHAPTE R VIII . E E NG GE MENT T HAIR INI n il l . i el d r il l er e l Sh ar p acti on at Hai r i i H F A t y sh l s the Maori l ines. ea f t o A gr eat bayonet ch ar ge. D ef t o he Ma ri s. Wor k of th e R an s oo in an iaowh il la e Forest ger . L t g R g ia v g . Comedy at th e i o Tem sk an l Ca th ol c Ch ur ch . V n p y d an Imper ial Co onel . Th e r e rn o Te Awa u tu . cur ious s ec a l e Th as l tu t m A p t c . ose r cal y ” Rangers h ave got al l th e l oot ! - CHAPTE R I X . TH E I NVAS I ON OF KIHIKI H I ’ B ri i r - Bowi Maniapoto s h eadq uarter s. t sh fo ce occupies Ki hikihi n i m ’ il la e. B urnin of th e cou c l h ouse Von T e k ni v g g . ps y s ght a m i ui l ess mar . r s i e on. r ch l e s s i r s e o xpedi ti A f t H k m h ng . R d ubt ’ i h i . e wa buil t at Kih ki T A mutu th e ar my s h eadquart ers. The fi rst expedi tion to Or akau . CO NTE NTS - B TT E OF OR AKAU CHAPTE R X . THE A L ' i r- n l Most memorabl e battl e i n New Zeal and 8 h istor y B r gadi e Ge era ' ’ Von T em sk s narra ive. ni ma ed de Car ey s expediti on. p y t A t e Wor of th e or es R an er s. er oi sm scr iption of th e si eg . k F t g H - r r r dom . Th e l as d a . b ea fo ee of th e Maori gar r ison. t y A k f ao nar r a ives. Th e r e l to Th e sol dier s in pur suit. M ri t p y ’ I n den of th e sie e. G ener al C ameron s m essage. ci ts g CH APTE R XI — CAMP L I F E AT TE AWAMUT U “ t s D escri ion of cam l i e.