Bezar, Edwin (Sergeant-Major), was born in England 1838, was married in 1866 to Mary A., daughter of Sergt. T. Kearns, 65th Regiment; he joined the 1st Wiltshires, 1855; was transferred in March, 1856, to the 57th Regiment (Die-Hards); saw active service at the Crimea, Malta, Aden, etc.; landed in N.Z., 1861; participated in the Maori Wars. On 25th May, 1863, he captured Hori Teira, the first prisoner sentenced to death, but released four years later. Was present at the first attack on Katikara, June 4th, and capture of Kaitake, March 25th, 1864. Commanded the advance guard from New Plymouth to relieve Captain Lloyds party, Kakaramea, 1865 (an account of which appears in Cowan's N.Z. Wars, pp. 492, 493). Was at Atapapa 1866, etc. Sergeant-Major, Whanganui District, 1868; organised first School Cadets; invented system of target musketry; organised first Maori Rifle Corps (volunteers); transferred to Wairarapa, 1880; Dunedin, 1891; resigned, 1892, and took up his residence in Wellington.
- Early Wellington by Louis E. Ward http://www.nzetc.org/tm/scholarly/tei-WarEarl-t1-body-d20.html