THE OLD FRONTIER TE AWAMUTU THE STORY OF THE WAIPA VALLEY The Missionary The War in Waikato Early Colonization The Pioneer Farmer The Soldier Life on the Maori Border and Later-Day Settlement By JAMES COWAN, F.R.G.S. Published by The Waipa Post Printing and Publishing Company, Limited Te Awamutu, New Zealand 1922 PREFACE This sketch of the history of the Waipa district centreing in Te Awamutu has been written especially with a view to interesting the younger generation of colonists, and the now large population on both sides of the old Maori border, in the uncommonly dramatic 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 generation has arisen which has but a vague idea of the local history and of the old heroic life on the Waipa plains. The book is designed to convey accurate pictures of this pioneer life and the 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 first time, and therefore should be of special value to students of 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. narrative left by the celebrated Major Von Tempsky, of the Forest Rangers. For the rest, it has been a peculiar pleasure to the writer, as one bred on the old Aukati border, to recall scenes in a phase of life which has passed away for ever. J. C. Wellington, N.Z., September, 1922. CONTENTS Page CHAPTER I.—TOPOGRAPHICAL AND LEGENDARY 7 The beautiful Waipa country. The garden lands of Te Awamutu and Rangiaowhia. Hills of the Maori border. The cone of Kakepuku. Ancient fortresses. Maori tribes of the Waipa basin. CHAPTER II.—THE MISSIONARY ERA 11 In cannibal days. Rev. B. Y. Ashwell the first missionary in Te Awamutu. A feast on human flesh in Otawhao pa. End of the inter-tribal wars. Rev. John Morgan comes to Te Awamutu. His useful mission work. How Mr Morgan sowed the good seed. CHAPTER III.—PLOUGH AND FLOUR-MILL 14