_A STORY OF A BUSHRANGER._
We are indeed very seldom troubled in the North Kaipara district with
thieves or burglars. No one ever thinks of bolting a door, nor do
people hesitate to vacate their habitations for two or three days,
leaving them entirely tenantless and unguarded. There are no wolves
among us; we are all lambs (I was going to say sheep, but I won't).
This was the state of things, until a sort of amateur bushranger
started business in the district, about eighteen months ago, and
upset all our feelings of security. He was not a gumdigger, however,
but a labourer employed by a gentleman sheep farming in Matakohe. As
correspondent for the _Auckland Weekly News_, I sent the Editor the
following account concerning his little enterprise:--
"A NORTH KAIPARA BUSHRANGER.
"An individual has for some time past been wandering about the
different settlements here, whose doings do not at all meet with the
approval of the inhabitants. He has contracted an unpleasant habit
of visiting houses at the witching hour of midnight, and extracting
from the larders whatever comestibles he finds to his taste. His
penchant for sweetmeats of all kinds is remarkable. He would risk
his liberty for a bottle of lollies, while the sight of a jam tart
would draw him through a plate-glass window. This gentleman rejoices
in many names, Sullivan being the one he at present patronises. Last
week he visited Paparoa and Maungaturoto, and regaled himself at
several establishments. On Saturday he called at Mr. D.'s. store,
Maungaturoto, the owner being engaged elsewhere. Sullivan, unwilling
to disturb him, broke open the door, and captured a bottle of prime
bulls'-eyes and some other articles. He next made a short stay at the
Doctor's, but what he secured there I have not heard. Some time last
week he honoured Mr. B. of Paparoa with a visit, took all the loose
cash he could find, a jar full of sweet jelly, and a batch of bread,
leaving a stale loaf in its place. Finding that creeping through
windows, hiding in holes, and sleeping in the tea-tree scrub had had
a very deteriorating effect on his clothes, he applied to Mr. H.'s
store, Pahi, during the proprietor's absence, and selecting a suit to
his satisfaction, left without a word. Last Sunday he was reported to
have reached Matakohe, and probably his presence will be felt by some
of the settlers before long. Naturally, his movements have excited,
and still excite, a good deal of notice and criticism, and a few
weeks back some settlers, taking an unfavourable view of his peculiar
free-and-easy mode of existence, applied to a local constable to come
and put a stop to his little game. In due course this functionary
arrived, and a sigh of relief went through the several settlements--an
arm of the law was with us, and confidence was restored.
"The energy displayed by this officer was indeed most reassuring.
No sooner did he hear of a settler's house having been entered the
previous night, than he was off at once to the place. No sooner did
the news reach him of another depredation being committed elsewhere,
than away he went again, and at last succeeded in capturing--not the
man--but some mementoes of his travels. The story goes, that he very
nearly captured the man himself, and would have done so, if the man,
who is very powerfully built, had not unfortunately captured him
instead. It was in this way. Having sighted his proposed captive, our
energetic and plucky local official immediately gave chase, and was
evidently gaining ground, when the pursued suddenly crouched down in
some tea-tree scrub. 'Now I have him,' thought the exulting rural
representative of the law, and in another instant he was on the back,
and his hand was on the collar, of the larder-breaking Sullivan,
while in a voice of thunder he shouted, 'I arrest you in the name
of the law.' Had the midnight prowler any sense of decency and the
fitness of things, now was the time to show it by resigning himself
quietly to his fate and the majesty of the law. But no! the bump of
reverence must indeed be wanting in the cranium of this sweet-toothed
bushranger, for instead of thus comporting himself, he actually (so
runs the tale) passed his hand over the constable's shoulder, grasped
his coat collar, and raising himself from is stooping posture, marched
off with the highly indignant officer kicking and struggling on his
back. On arriving at a creek, he shot the representative of the law
over his shoulder into the water like a sack of coals, and retired
into the bush to suck lollipops. After this episode our rural
official returned to his home (eighteen miles away) to consider what
was best to be done, leaving word, however, at Paparoa that should
the knight of the jam tarts and bulls'-eyes be seen anywhere, he was
to be detained until our rural official could come over to arrest
him. Mr. Sullivan has made his presence felt several times since, but
there always seems to be a difficulty about inducing him to remain in
any one place sufficiently long to call in the services of our rural
officer. Another rural officer from the Wairoa has now come forward,
and is at present at Maungaturoto, while Sullivan is here. By the
time the rural officer arrives here, the wily Sullivan will probably
be at Pahi. If he could only be induced to partake of some carefully
doctored jam tart, I think the rural officer would be more evenly
handicapped. As it is, unless our volatile visitor gets a sunstroke,
or accidentally chokes himself with a bull's eye, I fear a good many
more larders will be emptied and a good many more jam tarts reported
missing before he is safely placed under lock and key in Mount Eden
Jail."
This lollipop-sucking bushranger for several weeks completely baffled
all efforts to arrest him, and pursued with impunity his meteoric
course, leaving behind him a well-defined train composed of jam tins,
lolly bottles, pie dishes, infuriated settlers, and rural policemen.
He was finally captured near Helensville, about sixty miles from here,
and in due course brought before the magistrates at Pahi, who committed
him for trial. I rode over to be present at the hearing of the case,
and in returning after dark, my horse shied, the saddle, too loosely
girthed, slipped round, and I was thrown, the result being concussion
of the brain. An acquaintance, a Paparoa settler, got me home somehow
or other, and for three days my mind was wandering, during which time
my poor wife had to attend to me entirely unaided, as on the very day
of my accident she had dismissed our servant girl for dishonesty. The
principal storekeeper in Matakohe kindly came at once, offered his
services, and telegraphed for the doctor, who unfortunately was engaged
attending a serious case at a distance. When he did arrive he said my
wife had done everything he could have done, and that I was going on
all right. It was months, however, before I could get about again,
and neither my wife nor myself are likely to easily forget the North
Kaipara bushranger, now safely installed in Mount Eden Jail, and about
half way through the term of three years' imprisonment with hard labour
to which he was sentenced.