Scene from battle of Waireka

Image from James Cowan's New Zealand Wars: 'The Battle of Waireka: defence of Jury's farmhouse by the Taranaki Volunteers and militia'. Kaipopo pā can be seen on the hill above.

Shortly after 3 p.m. on 28 March 1860 the militia force was seen by Māori at Kaipopo. Around 200 men armed mostly with double-barrelled shotguns and some rifles left the pā. They began firing on the militia and Volunteers from the cover of bush and flax in the gully between the two arms of the Waireka Stream. Some of the Europeans retreated to the safety of the farmhouse of settler John Jury. Another party led by future Premier Harry Atkinson moved to an ancient pā site overlooking one branch of the stream. A third group led by Captain Brown occupied land between the two branches. Throughout the afternoon both sides fired at each other from cover. Ammunition began to run low for both Māori and militia.