Kaitake Pa

Kaitake Pa dig reveals war site 09 March 2006
By HAYDEN O'NEILLPart of a sophisticated 1860s Maori trench built during the second Taranaki land war has been uncovered near Oakura.
Archaeologist Ivan Bruce discovered the trench, built for a surprise attack on British troops, while excavating a British blockhouse near Kaitake Pa.
"It is a stunning find, freakish," Mr Bruce said.
"We were expecting to find post holes, but we found a really technical piece of military design."
Designed to surprise British troops, the trench proved ineffective as Maori were outflanked by the British forces, Mr Bruce said.
The trench extends under the adjacent road, but will not be excavated in order to preserve the site.
Artefacts recovered from the site included musket balls, bullets, half a whisky bottle and the remains of a horse.
The battle for Kaitake Pa was crucial in the land war for the British troops, as the pa provided a safe passage north and south for Taranaki Maori.
Hans-Dieter Vader, who is working for Geometria, a Taranaki heritage management company, is using modern electronic surveying equipment on the site to create a computerised three-dimensional image of the trench.
"It is a good example of historical records not being totally accurate and not telling the whole story, " he said.
The trench would be carefully back-filled and would be returned to farm land within a few days to preserve this piece of history, Mr Bruce said.