John Roberton 1839

edmondsallan - hello - Life in the Bay of Islands was not all love & kisses & hardwork . Sometimes, some disastrous things happened to Families . I thought we should look at this story , just so we can get a more comprehensive mental picture of what it was like in those days .
In September 1839 "John Robertson " a former whaling ship captain , purchased " Motuarohia " from the Ngapuhi chiefs - ' Wareahi- Moko -&- Rewa and built a small house between the Lagoon and the hills west of the region ." John Roberton " drowned at " Paroa Bay - Bay of Islands the following year 1840 . He was born on the 24th Dec 1806 , Roxburgh, Scotland . His wife " Elizabeth " struggled on with her son Gordon & daughter Askenaandwas also pregnant . To assist her to run the property and to try and develope it further she decided to employ outside help.
They were - " Thomas Bull & Isabella Brind < ( the grand daughter of "Rewa " ) Isabella's parents were " William Darby Brind( a whaling captain & Moewaka < ( Rewa's daughter . ) " Thomas Bull " was very strong and brutal . this was shown up when a young son of the Ngapuhi chief - "Ruhe " - " Maketu Wharetotara " aged ( 16 ) 1841 was employed by " Elizabeth Robertson " He came under ' John Bull " management , who beat him , kicked him , many times while under his work direction .( he was a proper ==B`B B B #~ D !!! )
Now comes the ugly piece !!! One night after a beating - " Maketu " decided to kill "John Bull " . The following night when his manager was sound asleep , he attacked him and chopped him to pieces with an axe. " Mrs Roberton heard the noise , rushed in , tried to stop him and got murdered also along with her daughters by " Maketu " and his axe . " Maketu " Ramsacked the house and set fire to it . When it was burning fiercely, a little boy ran out of the house that was on fire ,. This was "Gordon " Elizabeth's son . He ran for his life up " Pa Hill ' but Maketu caught him , cut his throat and threw him off the cliff
" Utu " can be very poweerful and still is today.
He was eventually given up by his father, to the arresting authorities , to keep the peace. " Maketu " was executed in March 1842.--- I wonder what any one else would have done . Probably the same thing - except for killing the others . However we all know and have seen ,when the bad blood gets on top of some one . they can cause tremendous harm . Till we meet again - Regards - edmondsallan