Page:The New Zealand wars; a history of the Maori campaigns and the pioneering period (IA newzealandwarshi01cowa).pdf/11

Rh "Early History of New Zealand," and also to the hearty assistance of the late Colonel T. W. Porter, C.B. The Hon. Sir Maui Pomare, M.P., gave much kind help in the native side of the narrative. With the guidance of Captain Gilbert Mair, N.Z.C., of Tauranga, many old fighting-trails were followed up and battle-grounds explored in the Rotorua, Bay of Plenty, and Urewera districts. In the Taranaki country Mr. William Wallace, of Meremere, and the late Colonel W. B. Messenger, of New Plymouth, gave similar assistance. Captain G. A. Preece, N.Z.C., contributed a very full and excellent diary account of the last military expeditions in the Urewera country, 1870–72; and the late Mr. S. Percy Smith, F.R.G.S., ex-Surveyor-General, lent his private journal from 1854 to 1869 and numerous Taranaki field-sketches and maps.

The following colonial soldiers, some of whom have since passed away, also assisted with narratives, diaries, plans, and other documents:—

Colonel J. M. Roberts, N.Z.C.; Colonel Stuart Newall, C.B.; Lieut.-Colonel A. Morrow; Lieut.-Colonel H. Parker; Major William G. Mair; Major D. H. Lusk; Major J. T. Large; Captain H. Northcroft, N.Z.C.; Captain C. Maling, N.Z.C.; Captain F. Mace, N.Z.C.; Captain J. R. Rushton; Captain Joseph Scott; Captain J. Stichbury; and numerous others.

The use of many historic pictures not hitherto published was given by Mr. Justice Chapman and Mr. H. Fildes, Wellington; Mr. H. E. Partridge, Auckland; Dr. P. Marshall, Mr. H. D. Bates, and Mr. T. W. Downes, Wanganui; Mrs. B. A. Crispe, Mauku; Mr. W. H. Skinner, New Plymouth; and others.

The late Alexander Turnbull, of Wellington, who bequeathed his library to the nation, was keenly interested in the compilation of this History, and in his kindly way placed all the material in his collection at my disposal, and searched out documents which threw additional light on events in New Zealand's "breaking-in" period.

I desire also to record the names of my principal Maori authorities, most of them veterans of the wars from 1845 onwards, who at various times gave information:—