Military was his calling
Stuart Newall, D.S.O. 1843-1919
Scottish-born Stuart Newall had a varied career, encompassing goldminer, militiaman, postmaster and career soldier, but the latter is what he is most remembered for.
Newall arrived in Dunedin in 1863 via Australia.
After a few unsuccessful months on the West Taieri diggings, he enlisted in the 3rd Regiment of Waikato Militia.
By December 18, 1863, he was in camp in Papakura.
His enlistment record states he was 20 years old and 5ft 10inches tall; later photos of him show he was lean and sported a bushy full beard.
He came to the Waikato in support of the colonial and British governments in the war against the Kingitanga, the war that resulted in the confiscation of wide tracts of the greater Waikato from its Maori owners. Newall featured in Thomas Gudgeon’s Defenders of New Zealand (subtitled ‘‘being a short biography of colonists who distinguished themselves in upholding Her Majesty’s supremacy’’) published in 1887.
According to a full biography written by JAB Crawford for the Dictionary of NZ Biography in more-politically conscious times, Newall performed convoy escort and garrison duties in southern Auckland and Waikato.
It seems Newall saw no active engagements at that time, but despite this Newall had found his calling.
He was promoted to colour sergeant in July 1864, staff sergeant in November 1865 and regimental orderly-room clerk. He transferred into the Armed Constabulary in 1868, and in that force he was engaged in conflicts in southern Taranaki, and then in April 1869 in the Urewera campaign against Te Kooti.
As with other militiamen, Newall was granted land in recognition of his service; this was in and near Cambridge where the 3rd Waikato militiamen were based.
He and his wife Georgina Roberts, the sister of his friend and fellow officer, John Roberts, made Cambridge their home. His house was used as the post office and for Mass for the Catholics on Sundays.
However his duties for the Armed Constabulary took him to other settlements.
One of their children was born at Pirongia (then named Alexandra), another daughter was born in New Plymouth.
In 1879 their one-year-old daughter Jessie Georgina was buried in Cambridge Cemetery at Hautapu, but there is no headstone to mark her grave.
Waikato Museum holds a sketch map drawn by Newall, dating to about 1873 – it appears to be based on an earlier map, perhaps a tracing that was then annotated by Newall over a few years. His field notebooks are held by the Alexander Turnbull Library – it has military information, personal notes and sketches of places – one sketch is of Newall’s ‘‘shooting whare’’ – which sounds grand, but it was a maemae in the Whangamarino swamp.
Newall continued to rise in the ranks, being promoted to major in 1885 and lieutenant colonel in 1891; in 1892 he took command of the Wellington, Wairarapa, Taranaki and Whanganui districts. In 1900 he commanded the Fifth Contingent in South Africa.
In January 1902 he was given the brevet rank of colonel but the following year he was retired.
He was called back as commander of the mounted special constables during the general strike in late 1913, and during World War I he was commandant of King George V Hospital in Rotorua.
In 1918 Newall retired after more than 40 years of service in the New Zealand armed forces. He lived in Waihi with one of his daughters until his death in 1919. Stuart Newall was buried in Karori Cemetery with his wife Georgina who had died in 1908.
Crawford’s biography includes some insights into Newall’s personality: ‘‘ ... a capable military commander and a meticulous and extremely conscientious administrator. He held Maori in high regard, once remarking that if he had been born a Maori he would have been a ‘turbulent rebel’ and that the Maori could teach the Pakeha a great deal about ‘fortitude and forbearance’.
Newall was a modest, intelligent man with a friendly, charming personality . . . A close friend, Gilbert Mair, stated that his ‘radiant personality was a blessing’ to his friends’’.