Handley’s Woolshed Incident
In November 1868 troops from the cavalry, led by Bryce, encountered a group of 'Hauhau', who proved to be unarmed children – boys 10 or 12 years old – out chasing pigs and geese near William Handley's woolshed on the Nukumaru flats. The troop charged the boys, killing two and wounding others.
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The lies spun by activists and the media about a massacre at Handley’s Woolshed are just like the lies about a "massacre" at Rangiaowhia!!!
Calling it "notorious" is a gross exaggeration.
There was a strong force of Titikowaru's rebels at Nukumaru - you know about him, reviving cannibalism for one thing!
YOU CAN IMAGINE THE SITUATION.
Bryce with a detachment of cavalry was sent to deal with the reported presence of rebels at Handley's farm. You can imagine how keyed up the troopers were as they heard what they thought was the sound of the rebels there. They drew their cutlasses, or whatever they were using, and charged in, unaware that the noise was adventurous boys chasing pigs or geese. In a matter of a few seconds, two of the boys had been killed and others wounded before anybody realized that they were not rebel warriors.
Yes VERY UNFORTUNATE but accidental, sometimes called "collateral damage". Blame Titikowaru and his rebels not the troopers.
Bryce incidentally devised the tactics for the taking of Parihaka and succeeded in doing so without a shot being fired..
A hard man it is said but basically a good one.
Bruce Moon
30/5/21
While Lieutenant Bryce was in charge of the Kai Iwi cavalry he had no part in the unfortunate killing, it appears Sergeant Maxwell is charged with this and the town of Maxwell was named after him.
“Waatea News”, 17 February 2022.
“A locality near Whanganui which was the site of an unprovoked attack on tamariki Māori during the Land Wars has been returned to its original name. Accepting the recommendation of the New Zealand Geographic Board Ngā Pou Taunaha o Aotearoa, Land Information Minister Damien O’Connor said the change from Maxwell to Pākaraka addresses a long-standing Treaty grievance. ...
“Pākehā settlers renamed it in the 1870s to honour George Maxwell, the leader of a government militia which in 1868 attacked a group of unarmed Māori children with sabres and killed two boys.”
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Students of history do not need to be reminded that articles and statements by “Waatea News” do not always give an accurate account of events in New Zealand’s history.
Half the truth, it has been said is often worse than a direct lie. Here we have a glaring example.
In reporting the change of the name of the locality Maxwell to “Pakaraka”, accepted by Minister Damien O’Connor, Waatea News states (17/2/22) that it “was the site of an unprovoked attack on tamariki Māori during the Land Wars” when “a government militia ... in 1868 attacked a group of unarmed Māori children with sabres and killed two boys.”
Here, somewhat more fully, is the true story. (My thanks to D Jacobs and G Parker for some details.)
The event referred to occurred during the bitter rebellion by Titokowaru who, in reviving the practice of cannibalism is reputed to have said “I have begun to eat the flesh of the white man ... My throat is continually open for the eating of human flesh by day and night.”
A strong force of rebels, who were both skilful and ruthless, was known to be present at Nukumaru and a report was received that some of them were raiding the farm of a settler, Handley, in the neighbourhood. A cavalry patrol led by Maxwell was despatched to deal with them. Approaching the scene, the cavalry heard a commotion. It takes little imagination to sense the heightened awareness and rush of adrenalin amongst the troopers as they drew their sabres and prepared to attack.
In they went and in a few brief moments two of their quarry had been slain and several wounded before it was realized that the their quarry were youths who were attempting to kill a pig with a knife in Handley’s barn and it was the squeals of the pig which had alerted the troopers.
The youths were hardly innocent unarmed children. They had posted two lookouts on the roof of the barn, having already burnt down Handley’s house. They were looters in a time of war and as such met their fate.
So who should be blamed for that? Titokowaru? The boys’ parents for less than adequate supervision of their “tamariki”? How close to the truth is the Waatea News statement that it was “an unprovoked attack on tamariki Māori”? How balanced is the Waatea News statement that “a government militia ... in 1868 attacked a group of unarmed Māori children with sabres and killed two boys.” Shorn of any account of their context, are these statements, these half-truths, not worse that outright lies?
So, now: officialdom yields again.
The history-twisters get their way again.
The district loses an historic name.
And a “treaty grievance”, Minister O’Connor? Next they’ll be claiming that an untoward change in the weather is a “treaty grievance”!
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Let all New Zealanders who care in any way for their country, and would honour their heritage, be aware that in this there is an example of the distortion of our history which confronts us time and again today and whose consequences it is not hard to conjecture.
Source Credit: https://breakingviewsnz.blogspot.com/2022/03/bruce-moon-and-history-twisters-win.html