Armed Constabulary and Road Builders
Don Stafford records for us in his book "The Founding Years”
that the first police requirement for the town involved Armed Constabulary
from 1870 located mostly at Kaiteriria (Green Lake) building roads and
occasionally doing Police work. At this
time they supported the Arawa troops led by Gilbert Mair.
There was also what was called ‘a station’ at Ohinemutu where
Constables Nicholas Marsh and James Kelly operated from a hut in
1873. The next known policeman was Constable Henshaw, he did not stay long in the area as he married in 1874 and a Sub-Inspector Forster
was left in charge when Mair went to Maketu.
In the 1880’s there was a paid contingent of Native Police
which included Constables Hare Takerei (1879-1888), Hiwinui Haupapa, Mikaere Te Kati,
Hingawaka (1889-1984), Arama Karaka (1894-1899) and George Pratt (1899-1907)
During this early period of Rotorua’s settlement a constable
was stationed here to mostly handle what was listed in the ‘Armed Constabulary Force’ Charge book as ‘drunk and disorderly’.
By 1905 a gaol was situated behind the courthouse, this was
still in use in 1965.
The gaol was also used for the Queen Victoria bust which arrived in 1883, as reported around the country : "An event causing considerable amusement and consternation occurred on Saturday. A Statue of Her Majesty Queen Victoria, lately presented to the Arawas, was being placed in position in Tamatekapu[a], when a cart arrived with an escort of police who took possession of the statue and carried it off to the lockup. No reason given for the proceedings" Wanganui Herald, 24 April 1883, pg. 2
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Rotorua Photo News 5 May 1967, pg.83
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With thanks to Jinty Rorke’s 1993
Policing two peoples: a history of police in the Bay of Plenty, 1867-1992
for the following list of officers :
1898-1905 Constable William Bern ; 1904-1906 Sergeant William J. Phair ; 1905-1906 Constable Francis J. Blake ; 1906-1909 Sergeant John Watt ; 1906-1909 Constable Luke Spellman ; 1907-1909 Constable James A. Annison ; 1907-1924 Constable William (Bill) Neill ; 1908-1911 Constable Peter Giles ; 1909-1910 Constable Sydney H. Bishop ; 1909-1911 Sergeant Lawrence Carroll ; 1909-1915 Constable Albert Clark ; 1909 Constable William G. Wright ; 1911-1915 Sergeant Edward Eales ; 1913-1916 Constable Patrick J. O'Hara ; 1915-1918 Sergeant Denis J. Cummings ; 1915-1929 Constable Thomas Johnson ; 1916-1927 Constable Donald A. C. McLean ; 1918-1921 Snr. Sergeant Michael McKeefy.
There are many more men (and Women) who have served our community since then and you can read about them in Jinty Rorke's interesting book.
Our second Police Station as written about in another blog post this month
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| Photo courtesy of Kete Rotorua, photographer Faeryl Rotherham, 2012 |
This post written by Alison.
