BIGGS, REGINALD NEWTON, who died 1868, came to New Zealand in the late fifties and settled in Rangitikei, living for some years with Major Trafford at Koreromaiwaho and afterwards at Mangiroa. He was an energetic farmer and a fine shot and horseman. In the early sixties he moved to Poverty Bay.

As a lieutenant in the Hawke's Bay volunteers (22 Apr 1865) Biggs joined the reinforcements at Turanganui and commanded the left wing in the attack on Pakairomiromi (3 Aug 1865), when 25 Hauhau of Ngati-Porou were killed. He took a leading part in the capture of Hungahungatoroa (Oct), where the surrender of 500 disaffected Ngati-Porou ended the movement amongst that tribe. For these services Biggs received the thanks of the Government and promotion to a captaincy (11 Oct). He served under Fraser throughout the East Coast campaign and at Omaru-Hakeke commanded the left wing enfilading the Hauhau retreat and storming the position (25 Dec 1865). In Nov he was appointed a justice of the peace and local magistrate.

Te Kooti was suspected of disaffection at the siege of Waerenga-a-Hika and Biggs, who was appointed magistrate at Turanganui (7 Feb 1867) recommended his deportation to the Chathams. He strongly opposed repatriating the prisoners until the confiscations in Poverty Bay were settled. When Te Kooti landed at Whareongaonga (1868) after his escape from the Chathams, Biggs took energetic measures against him, sending for help to Wairoa and Napier and mobilising the mounted rifles under Westrupp (q.v.). Te Kooti refused to surrender his arms and Biggs (who was promoted major on 1 Aug) marched with 80 men to intercept his retreat to the Urewera. He left his force at Paparatu to bring up supplies from Gisborne, and they were attacked in his absence and badly defeated. Suspecting that Te Kooti would take vengeance for his banishment, Biggs made careful dispositions to watch his movements. His own camp was situated 20 miles from Gisborne, at the crossing of the Hangaroa. Confident that he knew Te Kooti's plans, he rejected the warnings of his scouts and allowed an old track to remain unwatched and delayed calling in the settlers. While he was sitting in his home after midnight on 10 Nov writing orders for an assembly the following day the house was surrounded by Hauhau, and Biggs and his wife and child, besides many other settlers, were shot and bayonetted.

Cowan, Wars (p); Gudgeon (p); J. G. Wilson; Gascoigne (p); Whitmore.

Reference: Volume 1, page 51

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