Te Toa Takitini 27
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Te Toa Takitini
Registered at the GPO as a newspaper.
(Maori Version at PapersPast.)
Number 27, Hastings, October 1, 1923.
Published by Rev F A Bennett. Printed by Cliff Press, Queen Street, Hastings, HB.
[A Photo of James Moore Hickson who is conducting the Healing Mission]
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Te Toa Takitini
Registered at the GPO as a Newspaper.
The price of the paper is 6/6 a year.
Letters should be addressed to ‘Te Toa Takitini.’ Box 300, Hastings.
Te Toa Takitini, October 1, 1923.
WAIAPU MAORI SYNOD.
On Saturday, 15th September, 1923, the Hui of the Maori Church was held at Napier. Because the Bishop was unwell, Archdeacon Herbert Williams MA took his place as President of the Hui.
The Speech of Archdeacon Herbert Williams MA.
My friends, Ministers and Representatives of the people, greetings.
The Bishop’s illness means that I have to preside over and run this hui. He is very sad that he is unable to be here to take part in the discussions and the thinking of the hui. We send our greetings to him and pray that God will raise him up from his illness.
There are some things we have to consider. The first is the Church finances.
Ministers’ Stipends.
If we look at the accounts which will soon be laid before the Synod we see the following. The amount collected in all the Maori Parishes to provide for the minister in 1922 was £879/8/1, the interest on the Ministers’ Trust Funds was £372/18/3, a total of £1,252/6/4. But there isan outstanding debt of £998/2/10. If the Secretary of the Diocese is unable to find money then the ministers will go hungry. His money is needed to pay the debt and he will not be able to give it to the Maori parishes. So the parishes must make every effort to wipe out the debt hanging over them. Part of that debt has been paid recently. But the best thing is to completely balance your accounts so that there is no surplus and no debt.
Other Money.
The amounts collected for purposes other than ministers’ stipends are: For the Maori Church, £84/1/4; for the work of the Diocese, £33/5/5; for sharing the Gospel, £99/19/5. These are small amounts. But there is no stipend fund for the women working among you at Te Whakarewarewa, Ruatoki, Tokomaru, Manutuke, and Porangahau. The Diocese does many things for the Maori side while the amount received from Maori for those things is £33/4/5.
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Sharing the Gospel.
When one first looks at it, the collection of £99/19/5 for the sharing of the Gospel is good, but £70 of that money was collected by the children of Te Aute and Hukarere. The contribution from all the parishes was just £229/19/5. Some people mistakenly think that if the parish gives its money for those living in darkness then the parish will face difficulties through a lack of money. This is what Solomon says: ‘Some give freely, yet grow all the richer; others withhold what is due, and only suffer want.’ (Proverbs 11.24) Faith enlarges the heart to share the Gospel while at the same time inspiring the work of the parish.
Lack of Young People for the Ministry.
There is another problem arising from a lack of faith, the lack of men training for the ministry. Because the Minister’s stipend is so small some don’t want to commit themselves to that work. They see how much men earn by working with sheep and suchlike. A small faith means that people do not give money to support the work of the Church. It is for the hui to consider this matter.
Plans for Churches.
Another thing for the hui to discuss is the situation of churches. Most of those in Hawkes Bay have been given into the care of the Diocesan Trustees. But those of Gisborne , Ngati Porou and other parts of the Diocese remain outside this arrangement.
The Maori Bible.
There is another matter to bring before you which does not affect this Diocese only, the matter of the Maori Bible. You are aware that all the Maori Bibles have been sold. Many people are asking for a Bible for themselves but cannot find one. A man who loves the Maori People has said that he will give £1000 to pay for part of the cost of printing new Bibles. (The name of the man has not been published because he wishes to remain anonymous.) A Committee has been set up to make preparations for the printing of that new edition. The new Bible will be smaller than the old one. Parts where the translation is inaccurate will be corrected. There are few such places. The Committee has asked me to preside over those doing that work. By and by the London Committee will make known when they will begin to print that Bible.
The Healing Mission.
The coming Healing Mission is an important matter for you to discuss.
If any of you have other matters for discussion, do raise them at the hui.
May God guide our deliberations and our speaking so that the Church may grow and bring Him glory.
These are the Motions passed.
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The Motions.
(1) That the Annual Hui of the Maori Section of the Church be held in each of the Archdeaconries because by so doing these Hui will hear different voices and learn the thinking of the remnant of the Maori People concerning Church matters relating to the Maori People.
Moved by Bennett. Seconded by Canon Pahewa.
(2) Because 1923 is the centenary of the arrival of Mr Williams Four-eyes [Henry Williams], who was followed soon after by his younger brother, Mr Williams Brother [William Williams}, who spread the light of the Faith to the Maori People for fifty years:
(a) This Hui agrees to the provision of a separate memorial by the Maori People to these servants of God.
(b) That that symbol be not of stone or wood but be an organisation to promote the carrying of the light of the Gospel to parts of the world still living in darkness, that is, a Group to Spread the Good News (Maori Missionary Society).
(c) This hui agrees that £100 a year be given by the Maori of this Diocese for the spreading of the Gospel.
(The money from each parish would be £8 a year. If some parishes wish to establish a fund to provide this amount they would need to raise £150. This amount should be sent to the Diocesan Office in Napier, the interest from it each year to go to the spreading of the Gospel. The good thing about such a fund is that once it is raised it will provide interest of £8 for ever.)
Moved by Bennett. Seconded by Te Waaka.
(3) That a person be appointed to travel throughout the Diocese and sort out the finances of the Maori parishes.
Moved by Piri Munro. Seconded by Hemi Huata.
(4) That a Maori Committee of this Diocese be set up to investigate issues of concern to the Maori Section of the Church and to present those concerns to the Bishop.
Moved by Archdeacon Chatterton. Seconded by E Mohi Eruini.
(5) That Maori parents and young people give thought to the problem facing this Diocese because of a lack of young people going to the Theological College, and make an effort to find a remedy for this.
Moved by Archdeacon Chatterton. Seconded by Bennett.
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There was much serious discussion of this matter. The conclusion of this matter is to be agreed by the Committee set up under Motion 4.
(6) That the Maori Church whole-heartedly welcomes the organisation of the Healing Mission, with the hope that we will experience spiritual and physical blessing in the course of that Mission.
Moved by Bennett (in the absence in Auckland of Canon Arthur Williams). Seconded by Peni Hakiwai.
(7) The President has spoken of the arrangements for the printing of the new Bible because there are no Bibles remaining.
The Hui is very grateful to the President, Archdeacon Herbert Williams, for his explanations, and congratulates him on being made Chairman of the Printing Committee.
(8) That this Hui thanks the President for the good and clear way in which he expedited the business of the Hui and asks him to agree to the printing of his address and the motions passed to show what the Hui has done.
Moved by Mohi Eruini. Seconded by Te Waaka.
THE RINGATU HUI IN WAIAPU CRITICISED BY NGATI POROU.
To the Editor.
Please publish this article about the Ngatiporou Hui held at Waiomatatini on 26th August. The article is not sent in the name of Ngatiporou but in that of the sender. It is an article to be spread abroad by Te Toa Takitini. However because of the obstinacy of the few Ringatu in Ngatiporou I write some words of protest on behalf of the whole tribe. I have set down a comprehensive account to make it clear why the chiefs and elders of Ngatiporou are so distressed.
At the Ringatu Hui held at Wainui a Ngatiporou woman urged that a Ringatu Day be held in Waiapu on 1st January, 1921. The story goes that the real desire of that woman was to invite the Ringatu people to the unveiling of the memorial stone to her ancestor, Matiu, but some clever Ringatu recommended that a day be called to celebrate a man.
Now Matiu participated in the King business in Waikato, he joined the Hauhau, and when the Hauhau collapsed he joined up with Te Kooti and became a Ringatu. He lived in that area and when he became old he returned home. Matiu explained that he had no desire to grow the Ringatu religion in Ngatiporou, his concern was with his own children and grandchildren.
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That elder has died but his grandchildren called for a Ringatu Day in Waiapu.
The purpose of the Ngatiporou Hui was to question the nature of the Ringatu Hui and to prevent that Hui being held in Waiapu. The woman who called for the day attended the Hui. The first person to speak was Paratene Ngata. He thanked the Hui for coming together to allow him to express his very great sorrow. When he heard that there had been a call for a Ringatu hui in Waiapu he became very sad. The chiefs and the elders of Ngatiporou had gathered in the afterlife; he was one of the remnant. Ngatiporou had lived in darkness, then in the light of the Gospel a different day dawned. Ngatiporou took up the Faith, were born again, and the Bishop was called the Bishop of Waiapu. In the days when the Faith was growing vigorously farming increased. All the lands of Ngatiporou were sown with wheat. They had their own ships to carry the wheat to Auckland. The remaining wheat was turned into flour. At that time the King Movement began in Waikato. A Ngatiporou man, Hoera Tamatatai, attended the hui in Waikato in 1862. When he returned he brought with him two flags, ‘Rauru’ and ‘Tamehana.’ He hoisted those flags at Waiomatatini. Rapata Te Kauru was made king. This was the beginning of the Hauhau religion in Waiapu. In 1865 a Hauhau party arrived in Waiapu; the leaders were from Taranaki. The first battle was at Mangaone where the Ngatiporou chiefs were defeated. This was when things flared up in Waiapu. Ngatiporou was divided with one group holding to the Hauhau, the Paimarire, and one group staying loyal to the Queen, their religion being that of the Missionary Church. There were many battles and much blood was shed. At the battle at Hungahunga-toroa the Hauhau were defeated and the fighting in Ngatiporou was at an end. The Hauhau prisoners were taken to Te Hatepe where they swore to Te Mokena Kohere to abandon the Hauhau and to be loyal to the Queen so that there would be one Church and one Queen.
The two flags were hoisted and the ends tied together and the Bible was opened. The Hauhau were made to walk under the flags and to kiss the Bible. Thirty of the Hauhau were taken as prisoners to Napier. For Ngatiporou’s wrongdoings the Government thought that Waiapu should be plundered in retribution. Biggs was the Pakeha who specified the area to be confiscated, but the Ngatiporou chiefs who had remained loyal, Te Mokena Kohere and Rapata Wahawaha, asked the Government to have pity on Ngatiporou. The threat of confiscation was withdrawn and Ngatiporou retained their lands. In 1867 a Government official named Taitene came with a bag of money to pay the Maori who had fought on the side of the Queen. Mokena Kohere knew that the money was ‘teeth to bite the land’ and said to the Pakeha, ‘Go away, both of you, and take your money with you. I was not fighting with you Pakeha.
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My battle was a Maori battle.’ After the fighting at Waiapu, Ngatiporou went to Gisborne and took part in the fighting at Waerenga-a-hika. Because of murmuring amongst Ngatiporou, Rapata Wahahaha called a meeting at Mataahu. This was Rapata’s ‘staff.’ The flag given by the Queen was raised there and at the base of the flagpole were laid the swords given by the Queen to Te Mokena Kohere and Rapata Wahawaha. Here Ngatiporou reaffirmed their loyalty. There the saying was used that Horouta’s cargo was divided between fern root and kumara. In 1875 the ‘staff’ of Te Houkamau was set up at Te Wharekahika, and for a third time Ngatiporou affirmed that they were one tribe, bound together in the Faith and in loyalty. Because of the Land Court and alcohol Ngatiporou suffered and the Faith also declined. In 1881 the Faith revived. Rapata Wahawaha called a Hui at Waiomatatini and Ngatiporou again returned to the Church and to loyalty. Subsequently a hui was held at Te Araroa to unite Ngatiporou. The chiefs of Ngatiporou, Te Houkamau, Mohi Turei and others, placed Te Irimani as minister at Te Kaha to draw those people from Ringatu back to the Church. Because of this project, the chiefs and elders of Ngatiporou said that they were not long for this life and that I must not keep silent. Their voices urged me to speak. At two hui I was nominated to care for the tribe. I agreed to that request that Ngatiporou listen to my words and that it was up to me to say ‘yea’ or ‘nay.’ When Hone Paerata and Ruka Aratapu came bringing a ‘Parchment’ for Ngatiporou to sign, I was consulted first. Hone Paerata and Ruka Aratapu knew that I would not agree and went away. The tribe followed me. When Matiu came to Waiapu, a Ringatu Day was proposed for Waiapu. I asked that elder not to summon the Ringatu to Waiapu. His answer was that the Day had nothing to do with him. That put an end to the Ringatu hui. At this time a Ringatu Day has been called in Waiapu. This is why I called us together. I am asking those who have called for a Ringatu hui within Waiapu to cancel that hui, lest it cause troubles amongst Ngatiporou.
Many people supported Paratene and with one voice called for that hui to be cancelled as this was a matter that reflected on the name of all Ngatiporou. The woman who had called the hui said that she would not respond to Paratene’s request but would consult with others. Ngatiporou is awaiting the outcome regarding this hui. The disputes are dying down but the predominant view is that the hui should not be held.
R[eweti] T K[ohere]
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MORTGAGE MONEY FOR MAORI FARMERS.
A T Ngata, MA, MP.
In this edition of Te Toa Takitini there is an account of how the Maori Members of Parliament have asked the Government to give additional money to fund for the Maori People run by the Maori Trustee, so that there is a larger fund from which the Maori Trustee can grant mortgages to Maori farmers. Approval for this is in the ‘Washing-up Law’ passed by Parliament this year. Parliament has decreed that the Government has power to allocate part of the money in the account called the Native Land Settlement Account to the Maori Trustee so that he can grant mortgages on the security of Maori lands. The Government is to determine from time to time how much money is to be taken from this account and placed in the hands of the Maori Trustee.
The second request made by the Maori Members was that the Government should formulat a regulation appointing a person to inspect Maori farms with a mortgage from the Maori Trustee, to comment of the working of the farms, to ensure that the money is being rightly used, and to advise the Maori farmers during the time of the mortgage. A meeting was held in the office of the Minister of Maori Affairs on 3rd September with Te Raumoa [H R H Balneavis] representing the Minister, Ngata representing the Maori Members, and Henry King representing the Maori Trustee. They produced a proposal which will be considered by the Minister in the coming months.
It will be good if the Maori Trustee can group together his mortgages, so that if the Maori farms he is helping are close together in a district it will make the travelling and the management easier for the Inspector he appoints for those farms. It is right that the farms being inspected should pay part of the cost of the inspection. This is the pattern for the lands under the Tai-rawhiti Commission, for the lands in the Whangara area, and other parts of the East Coast.
OTHER ITEMS.
Prime Minister Massey.
On the night of Tuesday, 20th August, Mr Masses, the Prime Minister, left Wellington to go to England by way of America to attend a meeting of all the Plrime Ministers of the nations under English rule. He will be six or even eight months away from New Zealand.
Mr Wilford.
The Leader of the Opposition. On 7th September Mr Wilford and his wife left
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Wellington for Sydney and Japan to travel around those lands. Mr Wilford is taking a break as he has been unwell.
The Price of Wool.
The news from overseas is that the price of wool appears to be climbing. For several months there has been no market for wool in England because of the watersiders’ dispute there. This is one of the world’s valued products but there is a decreasing amount of wool because the number of sheep is decreasing throughout the world. But the number of people is increasing. The hope is that the price received for this product will remain high. This is an important source of income for the people of New Zealand.
Livestock Prices.
The Pakeha folk have many sheep and lambs at this time of the year. It seems also that the price of cows is going up. This is also good news. This year there has been much rain and the ground has been very wet. The result is that there has been plenty of grass for the livestock.
The Price of Butter and Cheese.
The news from abroad is that the prices being paid for butter and cheese are good. At last the price received for New Zealand butter has been the same as that for Danish butter over the past month. It will be good if this continues to be the case. The experts say that there is no difference between Danish and New Zealand butter. The distance of these islands from England accounts for the different price of its butter.
The Law Regulating Butter Production.
This law has been passed by Parliament but it will not be implemented unless and until it has been approved by a majority vote of the dairy farmers. The Government is working on the terms of that vote now which will propose regulations for dairy farmers.
MAORI STORIES OF FORMER TIMES.
Previous editions of this paper have indicated that the Maori Members and the Minister of Maori Affairs are working on proposals about this matter. One of the important matters included in the ‘Washing-up Bill’ passed by Parliament is a clause setting up a Board [Maori Purposes Fund Board] to implement means of collecting the old Maori stories of this country and of the many other islands of Hawaiki. That clause gives the Minister of Maori Affairs power to ask the Maori Land Board and the Maori Trustee to take from the interest or the profit they receive some money to further the work of the Board.
The members of that Board appointed under the regulations set down in the Act are:
The Minister of Maori Affairs as Chairman.
The Under-Secretary of the Maori Affairs Department as Deputy Chairman. (Chief Judge Jones holds this position at present.)
The Under-Secretary of the Department of Internal Affairs. (This office is held by James Hislop, the Head of the Wellington Museum
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where Te Peehi [Elsdon Best] works on gathering together the Maori stories.)
The four Maori Members of Parliament.
Four experts appointed by the Minister of Maori Affairs. They are Te Peehi, Archdeacon Herbert Williams, Te Rangihiroa, and H D Skinner (a Professor from the University of Otago.)
The first meeting of this Board was held in the office of the Minister of Maori Affairs on Thursday, 30th August. On the instructions of the Minister, Te Raumoa (H R H Balneavis) is Secretary to the Board. It was arranged that the following amounts be brought together by the Board so that it can fulfil its remit:: From the Maori Land Board, £500. from the Maori Trustee, £250, from the Native Civil List, £250, from the Government of Rarotonga, £100, and from the Government of Samoa, £250, making a total of £1350.
We are very happy that there is now a body in place to deal with this important matter relating to the Maori People.
THE BILL FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF THE BUTTER AND CHEESE BUSINESS.
A T Ngata, MA, MP.
This is one of the matters that has been widely debated by the Pakeha last year and ever since the war. One group says that a law should be made to restrict the ways of sending butter and cheese to overseas markets, to manage the sale of those foods, and to control the ships that carry them from New Zealand to the ends of the world. Their proposal is that the Government should produce a bill giving all the power to a Board; the members of the Board to be appointed by the Government and the dairy farmers. Another group profoundly disagrees; they do not agree to the Government having any say in their arrangements. They say rather that it should be left to each company to export, sell or retain their product, to set the price, and to arrange shipping for their butter and cheese. The group supporting the bill say that they are the majority, another lot of people say that the dairy farmers are on their side, while the Committees that run the companies support the bill no matter what.
Parliament has set up a Committee to look into the pros and cons. The Committee has five weeks to make a decision on the matter. The Maori Member on the Committee is Apirana Ngata. He also supports the people who say that the control of this industry should be consolidated under a single body. The problem for New Zealand butter is the competition from countries close to England; the peoples there can easily feed the markets and are very close. If the price is low then they can hold on to their butter,
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while New Zealand is a long way away and it cannot sort out problems with its butter once it has arrived in England. It may happen that all the butter ships sail at the same time and arrive in England together; they will say that it is harvest time for butter, and there will be so much of it that the price will plunge. However if the butter is husbanded then the price will remain firm. That is one argument. Another is that one alone has no power but if all are united they can make deals with the shipping companies. If they are united they are able to bring pressure on the companies to reduce the cost of transporting the butter overseas.
When Parliament passes this bill a management board will be set up. The Government will name two members, the dairy farmers, nine, and the companies that sell the butter and cheese, one. The Board will have power to levy so much a pound on the butter or cheese it sends overseas to pay its expenses.
We’ve seen how small the world is; shipping and telegraph have reduced it in size, and therefore it is right that there should be one body to run the important business involved in dairying. In the coming year the profit s from milk and from meat and from wool will increase. The income from dairy farming is sixteen million pounds.
THE REPORT OF THE MEAT BOARD.
We have heard of the ‘Meat Pool’ arranged by Parliament last year which set up a Board to manage the meat – mutton, lamb and beef – which is frozen and sent to be sold in markets overseas. With the slump in the price received for the animals the Government decided to put the management of these important New Zealand products in the hands of a single body elected by the farmers who raise the livestock.
Parliament has received the first Report from that Board, and it is appropriate that we take from it, as being of value to our paper, parts of that Report.
On 11th March, 1922, set taxes on all the meat sent abroad; one penny for a sheep pr lamb carcase and a halfpenny for a quarter of beef. The money received by the Board from these taxes up to 30th June of this year was £42,542. In 1921-22 the number of mutton carcases sent abroad was 2,952,276, the number of lambs, 4,714,018, and quarters of beef, 308,363.Of this money, £18,167 was spent on the expenses of the Board, the pay of the Board members and their travelling expenses,
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the pay of the Board’s employees abroad, the rent of the office, and various other Board expenses.
What profit or benefits have come to those who raise livestock, to justify the money collected by the Board?
(1) One annoyance has been the great increase in the marking, the branding of the meat, and also the great increase in the paperwork that each person has to complete to go along with the product about the sheep or the lambs. When it arrives at the wharf in London where it is stored, people have to set about separating the many brands and looking through the many documents, and tossing about the carcases, some of which will have gone bad. When they get to the markets it is the same. This was considered by the Board members who made a law stating that no fewer than 300 sheep or lamb carcases in one lot being sent abroad by ship should bear the same brand. This meant that the piles of meat would spend less time on the wharf overseas, the ship would be quickly unloaded, and it would be easier to deal with the paperwork and marketing matters. The result was that the cost of these procedures was reduced.
(2) Another issue was that there was no uniformity of practice amongst the Freezing Works when it came to classifying the meat being killed. Every Company was different. Consequently, if a Company decided to sell the meat from a district it would send its own man to look at it. So the Board ruled that there should be only one sign for each grade of meat so that, perhaps, the first grade should be here in Napier, the same in Gisborne, or Auckland or Wellington. If 100,000 lamb carcases were sold to a Company abroad there was no need for them to inspect them because the law has applied the same classification to the whole of New Zealand. The same apples to butter; if it has the Government mark on it is called first-class, and when it reaches that side of the world there is no need for inspection. So these costs have been added to reduce the price of the butter or meat.
A leading Australian has spoken about this. He travelled the world and when he returned home he spoke to the Government there. ‘Look at New Zealand for there they have regulations and means of classifying meat according to quality, weight, and other specifications. Their approach is better than that of any other nation in the world sending meat to the world’s markets.’
(3) The Board has a man overseeing the loading of the meat here in New Zealand and another overseeing it when it lands on the wharves abroad. As a result the people on the wharves and on the ships take care that the meat is not mishandled and arrives in good condition at the markets.
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(4) Through the efforts of the Board to regulate the Shipping Companies the freight of the ships has gone down, thus saving £570,000.
(5) The Board’s efforts have also resulted in a lowering of the charges in London for storing the meat in cool-storage while it is being handled on the wharves.
(6) The Freezing Works in New Zealand have also reduced their charges for killing and freezing the meat.
There are other benefits of the Board’s management such as the lowering of insurance costs, publishing weekly the prices of frozen meat abroad and in New Zealand, and arranging the export of meat abroad so that the markets are not flooded at one time and have too little at another, but that they follow the requirements of the thousands of Pakeha living abroad.
It is clear that the status of the Board is very high, as is that of the New Zealand meat sent to England last year when 53 out of every 100 sheep or lambs sent to England by the nations of the world came from New Zealand, and New Zealand is a very small country.
THE VOICE OF AN ELDER.
To the Editor.
Greetings to you who feed your pet, Te Toa Takitini. It is right indeed to say that he is Namea. Namea crossed from Raukakai to stand up and fly to the marae of the tribes with panting heart. Why? Perhaps he didn’t have a cloak to return in, [he nau raparapa], a dogs’ hair cloak, this was the [pu], the ornamented clothing of your ancestor. My son, this is the first fruits of the Kawariki [?a swamp plant], something left by the early birds this year. Farewell. Get up, gird yourself, and fly to see your elder,
Rangiteaorere Te Awekotuku.
[Greetings, Koro. Your ‘dogs’ hair cloak’ has arrived, and your child will stand honourably on your marae each month.]
HELP FOR JAPAN.
The Waiapu Diocesan Synod passed a motion ‘that all the parishes remember the sufferings being experienced by the peoples of Japan, and that each parish sets a day when the offerings are set aside as a gift to help the work of the Church amongst the Japanese people. That Sunday should be in this month of October.’ All of us know that the suffering is caused by earthquakes and volcanic eruption.
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THE HEALING MISSION.
Mr Hickson.
Mr Hickson was born in Australia. When he was 14 he became aware that he had been given the gift of healing the sick. He was 26 years in London developing his healing work. During these 26 years he continued to practise healing. At the end of the war Mr Hickson saw how bad everything was and that disturbed him. Then he went to a small island of two thousand acres called Iona off the west coast of Scotland. He went there out of a desire to be away from the world and to have time to fast and pray. There he had a vision of Christ commanding him to go to the whole world to teach Christian people to think again about carrying on the work of healing which he had committed to his Church. When he returned to London he told his committee about his desire to undertake what he had been charged to do in his vision. The members of his committee said to him, ‘It is no good you going. You are not a minister. You are not widely known in the world. And we do not have the money to enable you to carry on your Mission to all parts of the world.’ Mr Hickson did not listen to them He sold his house and furniture and went to America. His ship docked in Boston. No-one there knew of him. He went to a church there to pray. There he saw the name of Archdeacon Gregg, an English clergyman. When they met the Archdeacon took him to the Bishop. The Bishop asked him to preach in the cathedral. After that he was asked to speak to the assembly of American Bishops. There were many Bishops at that meeting. Thjey were amazed at the clarity of Mr Hickson’s message and at his authority. From that time he conducted Missions. He led eighty Missions in America. When the gathering of Bishops [the Lambeth Conference] was held in England the American Bishops moved that Mr Hickson’s work receive their blessing. This was supported by this large meeting of Bishops. Mr Hickson was able to go about his work with their urging and their blessing.
The saying which constrained him was this word of Christ: ‘He called together his disciples and gave to them the power and authority to cast out all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.’ (Luke 9.1-2) These are the countries Mr Hickon has visited and where he has conducted Healing Missions: England, Canada, America, Ceylon, India, China, Japan, the Phillipines, Singapore, the Holy Land (Palestine), Egypt, Italy, France, Southern Africa, and Australia. When he has finished the Mission in New Zealand he will have encircled the earth.
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In America the total number of people on whom he laid hands was two hundred thousand. Some of those sick experienced instant healing. For some it was a gradual process. Some came on their crutches and when Mr Hickson laid his hands on them they threw away their sticks having been healed. In India, China, and Africa there were no buildings large enough to hold the thousands who came to the Missions and the meetings took place in parks and sports stadiums. In Travancore, India, at one service there were twenty thousand people. At many meetings the number attending was from 10,000 to 12,000.
Other Mission Items.
‘Pray for one another.’
These are the dates for the Mission in each place:
Auckland, October 1-5 Nelson, 12-16
Hamilton, 10-11 Greymouth, 19-23
Gisborne, 17-18 Christchurch, 26-29
Palmerston, 24-25 Dunedin, December 23-26
Napier, October 29–November 2 The final missions are at Timaru and
Wellington, 5-9 Rotorua before Christmas.
Mocking. There are some New Zealand newspapers that deride and mock the work of Mr Hickson. We should not pay attention to those jeers. The world always battles against the work of God. If the work of God is growing strongly, then Satan’s troubling efforts will also increase. Therefore let us be careful not to be carried away by the wiles of the enemy. When Christ healed the man possessed by the devil, the blind and the dumb, the important people of that time said, ‘It is only by Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons, that this fellow casts out demons.’ (Matthew 12.24) ‘The pupil is not greater that his teacher.’ (Luke 6.40)
Special Trains. Because so many sick wish to attend the Mission in Palmerston, a special train has been arranged to bring the sick from the districts of Taranaki, Patea, Whanganui, Taihape, and Rangitikei. The Palmerston Committee has arranged for the sick to stay in the homes of Church people. One of the fruits of these missions has been the show of compassion towards the sick amongst us.
Gisborne. Those Maori from the East Coast thinking of travelling to the Mission in Gisborne should let their minister know soon and the minister will inform Archdeacon Herbert Williams.
Napier. The sick of Hawkes Bay from Te Wairoa to Tahoraiti should send your requests to your ministers before 10th October, to be sent on by the ministers to Canon Williams, the Secretary for this Diocese.
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Tickets. Remember that you need a ticket to be able to attend the Healing Mission events. Canon Arthur Williams has tickets for the Napier Mission. But those who are sick should apply to their own ministers who will send the applications on to Canon Williams. There are three kinds of ticket: White for those who are seriously ill and for children, Red for less serious illnesses, and Blue for those who come for prayer.
Thanksgiving. There is no charge for the tickets and no collection during services, but there will be a donation box at the door of the Cathedral. Those who wish to give some money as a thank-offering should place it in the box. Those gifts of money will go to help the organisers of the Healing Missions in London, England.
Do not be late. The service begins at 10 in the morning. However those who are unwell should arrive at 9 or soon after so that those who are helping can arrange seating for each person. Mr Hickson can minister to five hundred people a day.
Information. If anyone who is ill is asking for a ticket they should give their name, their age, their Post Office, their church, and an indication of their illness. When the ticket is received it should be signed by the minister to show that the sick person knows the teachings of the Faith. Those tickets should be brought by the sick person to the church so that they can get to see Mr Hickson.
CHURCH CALENDAR.
October 7 Nineteenth Sunday after Trinity. Green
Ezekiel 14, Philippians 1
Ezekiel 18, Luke 8.1-26
14 Twentieth Sunday after Trinity. Green
Ezekiel 34, Colossians 3.1-18
Ezekiel 37, Luke 11.29-end
21 Twenty-first Sunday after Trinity. Green
Daniel 3, 2 Thessalonians 1
Daniel 4, Luke 15.11-end
28 St Simon and St Jude, Apostles Red
Twenty-second Sunday after Trinity.
Isaiah 28.9-17, 1 Timothy 5
Jeremiah 3.12-19, Luke 19.28-end
November 1 All Saints’ Day White
4 Twenty-third Sunday after Trinity Green
Hosea 14, Titus 1
Joel 2.21-end, Luke 22.54-end
11 Twenty-fourth Sunday after Trinity Green
Amos 3, Hebrews 4.14 & 5
Amos 5, 2 John
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