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DICTIONARY OF AUSTRALASIAN BIOGRAPHY.
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had a population of four hundred souls. Several skirmishes took place between them and the "bluejackets" of H.M.S. Hazard, in one of which Lieutenant Philpotts (son of the late Bishop of Exeter) was taken prisoner. They took his pistols, danced round him, and then, returning him one of the pistols, let him go, bidding him to take more care of himself. Three months later Philpotts led the forlorn hope in the fatal attack on Ohaeawae Pa, and was killed. On March 10th a combined attack was made on the settlement, and after a sharp conflict the Maoris gained the day. But they showed great forbearance in the hour of victory. They not only allowed the inhabitants to withdraw to the Hazard in safety, but to carry with them all they could of their movables, and even helped them to do so. They of course appropriated all that was left, and sacked the town, burning all the houses, leaving only the two churches and parsonages standing. Thus was inaugurated a struggle between the Pakeha and Maoris, which, after uncertain intervals of peace, broke out from time to time, till it eventuated in the Maori war, which exceeded in duration the ten years' Trojan war, and cost the empire many millions sterling, besides a large expenditure of "British blood and treasure." On the whole, however, it must be admitted that, although war, in any shape, is a chapter of horrors, the British forces never met a more brave or chivalrous foe than the Maori. Hoani Heke was essentially a fighting chief. His success at the Bay of Islands whetted his appetite for further conquest, and he planned an expedition against the town of Auckland, which must have proved disastrous to the colonists but for the interference of the great Ngapuhi chief, Te Tirarau, an account of which will be found under the latter name. In the north Tamati Waka was marshalling his forces to keep Heke in check. In the engagements between them, the latter was wounded in the thigh, and his colleague, Kawiti, on one occasion, escaped only by feigning death. Hoani Heke never altogether recovered from the effects of his wound, but long before his death permanent peace had been established with the Ngapuhi tribe, the fighting being after wards further south. Heke was amongst the Maoris pardoned by proclamation, but held aloof from the Hintes for a considerable time. In July 1849 he wrote a letter to the Queen, dwelling on the necessity of adhering to the mutual relations established between George III. and Hongi, and deprecating the pouring out of innocent Maori blood by the quarrelsome foreigners. He died of consumption on August 6th, 1850, at the age of forty-two, a professing Christian.

Helmich, A., sometime Postmaster-General of Western Australia, was clerk to the Auditor-General of that colony from 1843 to 1847, when he was appointed Postmaster-General and General Superintendent of Telegraphs. He retired on a pension in July 1887.

Hemmant, William, formerly a colonist in Queensland, where he sat in the Legislative Assembly, was Colonial Treasurer in the Macalister Government from Jan. 1874 to June 1876. He now resides in London, where he is one of the directors of the Australian Joint Stock Bank. For several months in 1884 he was acting Agent-General for Queensland during the interval between the retirement of Mr. Archer and the arrival of his successor, Mr. (now Sir) James Garrick in June of that year. He was one of the Commissioners for Queensland at the Colonial and Indian Exhibition in 1886.

Henderson, Rev. Anketell Matthew, was born at Anketell Grove, Monaghan, Ireland, in 1820. He was a Wesleyan minister in Ireland from 1841 to 1852, when "he embraced Congregationalism, and was Congregational minister in Cork from 1852 to 1856 and in London from the latter year till 1865. He went to Melbourne in 1865, having been appointed President of the Congregational College, and in 1866 became pastor of the Collins Street Church, in succession to the Rev. A. Morrison. Stimulated by his exertions, a new church was built, which cost £23,000, and was opened in 1868. He died on June 23rd, 1876, at Toronto, in Canada, whither he had gone for rest and change of scene.

Hensman, His Honour Alfred Peach, B.A., Puisne Judge, Western Australia, is the second son of John Hensman, solicitor, Northampton. He was educated at London University, and became B.A. in

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