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TE TOA TAKITINI
Registered at the GPO as a Newspaper
Number 80
Hastings
April, 1928.
A GREETING FOR THE DAY OF RESURRECTION
To my children of the Maori People.
Greetings to you all. I am sending my greetings for the Day of Resurrection to all of you by way of your paper which comes to your marae and you homes.
I plan to be in Napier to celebrate the Day of Resurrection in our Diocesan Cathedral. Although I will be amongst my Pakeha friends leading the service and celebrating the Sacraments, my thoughts and my prayers will be with you, the Maori People. Together may we have joyful hearts at this time of Resurrection when we reflect on our physical Life in this world and our spiritual Life to come, and on the Life of ‘all those who sleep in him.’
Remember also that it is by dying to sin that we gain eternal life. The important teaching of the Resurrection is that we must first die before we attain eternal life. If we are to rise with Christ we must first seek the things of heaven where Christ lives.
It is the hope and the prayer of your father in God that all of us will attain this life called ‘the resurrection of the dead.’ But first we must die to sin and then receive this eternal life. In these days of Resurrection let us draw near to him who died and rose again for us at this time. Let us also support one another. And let us rejoice together like the Apostles of Christ when they saw that the Lord had risen from the dead, and who said: ‘WE HAVE SEEN THE LORD.’
Yours sincerely.
From your father,
Wm Walmsley, Waiapu.
Rangitukia,
East Coast.
March 9th, 1928.
Published by the Rev F A Bennett, and printed by Cliff Press, Queen Street, Hastings, H.B.
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Te Toa Takitini
Registered at the GPO as a Newspaper.
The Price of the Paper is 10/- a year.
Address letters to ‘Te Toa Takitini,’ Box 300, Hastings.
Te Toa Takitini, 1st April, 1928
ARCHDEACONRY OF TAURANGA
Meeting of the Standing Committee
On Monday, 12th March, this committee met at ‘Makahae,’ the meeting hous in the Te Kahika district of the Parish of Te Puke, Bay of Plenty.
The members present were:
Archdeacon Chatterton, Chairman.
Rev Manihera Tumatahi and Tiakiawa of Te Ngae Parish.
Rev E M Te Tikau and Wiremu Kingi of Ohinemutu Parish.
Rev W Te Waaka of Whakatane Parish.
Rev Ropere Tahuriorangi, Rev Wirmu Te Moana, and Hori Atarea of the Parish of Ruatoki,
Rev Rewi Wikiriwhi, Hemi Te Uara and Hoani Retimana of the Parish of Te Puke.
Temika Tutahi of the Parish of Tauranga.
Rev Pererika Peneti, District Inspector.
Many local people came to support the gathering. Hemana Pokiha also came and members greatly appreciated his warm welcome and kind words. They were also very grateful for the welcoming words of Ngatoko, the elder of the carved house, Makahae, and also those of the elders of the Church of who there were many.
The meeting opened with prayer. Explanations were received from the Rev Paora Temuera, and Paoro Rokino of Taupo, Paora Rangiaho of Ruatoki, Kereopa Hotene of Whakatane, and Raimona Heretaunga of Te Nga Parish, of the difficulties which prevented them from attending.
Motions Passed.
(1) Secretary. Rev E M Te Tikao was appointed Secretary for this meeting.
(2) Member for Tapuika. It was agreed that Hoani Retimana be the member for Tapuika on the Standing Committee.
(3) Member for Tauranga. It was agreed that Tomika Tutahi be the membr for Tauranga because that part of the Parish of Te Puke is separate.
(4) Tauranga Land. Moved: T Uara, Seconded: H Retimana. That the Bishop be asked to investigate whether part of the Tauranga
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rent money could be used to help pay the stipend of the Minister of Te Puke as this Parish now falls within Tauranga.
(5) A Maori Member for the NZMTB. It was arranged that Rev Peneti and Archdeacon Chatterton approach Archdeacon MacMurray, Director of the New Zealand Mission Trust Board to ask:
(1) To agree to having a Maori on that Board to provide the Maori Church with a voice within the Board.
(2) To give to Parishes, in which the land has been given to the Church, substantial help with the expenses of those Parishes
(6) Te Puke Parish Maori Soldiers’ Fund. Moved: Hoani Retimana, Seconded: H Te Uara. ‘That the £130 collected by the people of the Parish of Te Puke as a memorial to the soldiers be transferred to the Waiapu Diocesan Office and that that money be a Ministers’ Stipend Fund to be known as the Te Puke Maori Soldiers’ Memorial Trust. The interest from that money is to be used for the stipend of the Minister of the Parish of Te Puke.
(7) Thanks to the Te Puke Parish. This meeting thanks to people of the Parish of Te Puke for their generosity in providing a Minister’s Stipend Fund to commemorate the soldiers of the Parish. Because this is the first instance of setting up of such a Fund in the Maori areas of the Archdeaconry of Tauranga, we are very grateful and hope that other Parishes in the Archdeaconry will follow this example.
(8) The Debts. That each Parish of this Archdeaconry calls a meeting to look at the indebtedness of each Parish.
(9) Site for a Minister’s House. Moved: Rev Rewi Wikiriwhi, Seconded: H Retimana. That the Parish of Te Puke gives consideration to a piece of land as a site for their Minister’s house.
(10) Maori Bishopric Moved: Wiremu Kingi, Seconded: Rev W A Te Waaka.
(a) That this meeting thanks the Bishop of Waiapu for his commitment to establishing a separate Maori Bishopric.
(b) This Standing Committee hopes that the Maori People will get their requested Bishopric, and that the Bishop who takes that position will be Maori.
(c) If this is not achieved, then this committee agrees with the motion of the Waiapu Synod asking for two bishops, a Pakeha and a Maori.
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(11) Stipend for the Maori Bishop. The Trustees of the Henry and William
Williams Trust (H W Williams Memorial Trust) have said that they will give
one thousand pounds each year for five years to provide a stipend for the Bishop. This committee agreed:
(a) That it should be left to the Maori People to find the stipend for the Maori Bishop.
(b) That since Sir Apirana Ngata had committed Ngati Porou to making a contribution of £250 to the annual salary of the Maori Bishop, this committee agrees that the Archdeaconry of Tauranga should also give £250 a year to this cause.
(12) Church Committees. That the Church committees of each Parish should meet
in April as April is the first month of the Church financial year.
(13) Missions. That the Parishes of this Archdeaconry give thought to the missions
we hope to run during the free months of this year.
(14) Greetings to Eruera Karaka. That this meeting sends greetings to our elder, Eruera Karaka, who is seriously ill, with our prayers that God will pour out his blessings on him, giving healing to his body and light to his spirit, and that he may lengthen his days as a guide to his hapu on the paths of righteousness, faith and goodness.
(15) Thanks to the local people. That this meeting thanks the people of the village of Te Kahika for hosting this gathering and expresses the hope that God will bless the remnant of these districts.
The Chairman stood to thank the Rev Bennett for his great work of helping and
explaining, and for guiding the business of the hui.
It was thought that this session of the Standing Committee had been very fruitful,
that the discussions and speeches had been deep, and the motions were well
presented.
The work of the meeting concluded with prayer.
E M Te Tikao
Secretary
Ohinemutu, Rotorua.
15th March, 1928.
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STANDING COMMITTEE – HAWKES BAY ARCHDEACONRY
At 2 o’clock on Wednesday, 21st March, the third meeting of the Standing Committee
of this Archdeaconry was held in the Diocesan Office, Napier. Those attending were:
Rev P Peneti (Chairman) and P H Tomoana of Te Waipatu Parish.
Rev Peni Hakiwai, Bob Tutaki and Peter Tiopira of Moteo Parish.
Rev Wharetini Rangi and Henare Hutana of Waipawa Parish.
Rev Hemi Huata and Rewi Tamihana of Mohaka and Te Wairoa Parish.
Rev Wipere Mataira of Nuhaka Parishj.
The following presented their apologies for being unable to attend: Archdeacon Brocklehurst and Matene Whaanga
The meeting was opened with prayer.
The minutes of the previous meeting were presented and confirmed.
THE AGENDA
(1) The Parish Accounts.
Waipawa - The difficulties of this parish have been sorted out and the remaining money in hand for this year is £18.4s.6d.
Waipatu - There was £53. 12s. 9d of debt to be paid off. P H Tomoana had brought £6. 15s. 8d leaving a remainder of £46, 17s, 1d. This is the situation this week.
Moteo - The remaining debt is £95. 6s. 9d. This parish hopes that its debts will be settled in the near future.
Mohaka - £113, 19s. 4d is owed. £31 is forthcoming. The remaining debt will be £82.
Wairoa - The debt is £133, 2s, 8d. Rewi Tamihana brought a gift of £7. 10s. 5d. The remaining indebtedness is £125. 12s, 3d.
Rewi pointed out that most of the people in the district are Ratana, and there is no minister living in this parish, so this account distresses him.
Nuhaka - This parish owes £155, 4s. 6d. The Rev Wipere Mataira brought with him £36 which reduces the debt to £199. 4s. 6d. Wipere pointed out that some of their money was forthcoming and that their accounts would soon be in order.
(2) The Maori Bishopric
Moved: P H Tomoana. Seconded: Rev W Rangi’.
‘That this meeting agrees with the motion passed by the delegates at the Synod in Wellington on
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6th August, 1926, that a Maori be appointed as Bishop for the Maori People under the authority of the Archbishop.
If this cannot be achieved, this meeting asks our delegates to the meeting in Wellington on 18th April to put forward the motion passed by the Waiapu Synod asking for two Bishops, one Pakeha and one Maori,
(3) Stipend for the Maori Bishop.
Moved: P H Tomoana. Seconded: Bob Tutaki.
(a) Should it happen that the Maori People obtain the Maori Bishop they are asking for, this Committee agrees that it should be left to the Maori People to provide the Maori Bishop’s stipend.
(b) Since Sir Apirana Ngata has said that it can be left to Ngati Porou to pay £250 a year towards the Bishop’s stipend, and the Standing Committee of the Archdeaconry of Tauranga has agreed a motion that they too will provide £250, this meeting agrees that the six parishes of the Archdeaconry of Hawkes Bay will also contribute a total of £250.
(4) Trust Board of the Maori Church Lands.
This Committee supports Motion 5 of the Standing Committee of the Archdeaconry of Tauranga that there be a member of the Maori Church on the Board of the New Zealand Mission Trust because all the business of that Board benefits the Maori Church.
(5) Arranging the Church Committees.
Since the Church Financial Year runs from 1st April, this meeting moves that the Church Committee in every village meets during April to promote programmes which will revitalise the work of the Church, and that they appoint a Standing Committee from their number.
(6) The Minister’s Stipend Funds.
The Parishes are instructed to investigate their Minister’s Stipend Funds and to frequently pay in small contributions to ensure that there is interest to supplement the Minister’s stipend.
(7) Help for Ailing Parishes.
That this meeting considers holding an activity this year to help Parishes which seem to be having difficulties. It was explained that the idea behind this motion was to hold a large gathering with entertainments, sales tables, and sports, with the profits being distributed amongst the Parishes of this Archdeaconry.
(8) Te Aute College.
This meeting congratulates the Headteacher and his staff on the number of
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Te Aute pupils who passed Matriculation this year. There was great praise for the running of Te Aute and the achievements of the pupils.
(9) Payment for pupils attending Te Aute.
This Committee supports the proposal from Ngati Kahungunu that the fees be reduced for the descendants of the people who gave the land for this college.
(10) The Mohaka Hotel. Rewi Tamihana and Hemi Huata told how this hotel now stands isolated in the Maori area because the new road bypasses this place. We are asking that it be abandoned or that it be moved to another place.
(11) Waipawa Minister’s House. Henare Hutana said that the £20 raised by the sports’ day had been contributed for the house. The house is now being built. We ask that the Office arranges for the furniture.
(12) The Hall at Te Wairoa. Hemi Huata and Rewi Tamihana explained about the starting of this hall and how Piri Munro had taken the money for the minister’s house and used it for the hall.
The Chairman explained how he had seen Manaro in Rotorua and he had pointed out that the legal situation of the land was assured and that the deeds showed that the land was for a hall belonging to the Church. The value of that piece was now much greater. The hall is rented by a man who shows films. The Maori Trustee now runs the hall. The Trustees are George Ormond, Turi Carroll and Piri Munro. It would seem that the Church is getting a good return for the money. It is thought that the money taken by the Church as a deposit was £350 and this is being increased by interest received.
(13) Loans from the Office. The Chairman explained that there is a source of money at the Diocesan Office. If a Parish wishes to borrow money it is possible to borrow £100 a year. The interest is 3%. The amount is to be repaid within fifteen years. The money is not available for anything other than the work of the Church, and the offer is conditional on the seriousness of the project.
(14) Tangoio Church. The Tangoio Church has been completed. It has been built in brick and the building is in memory of the Tangoio soldiers. Notices about the opening day will appear soon.
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(15) Increasing the Funds. (a) That a Committee be set up to promote ways of building up the Ministers’ Stipend Funds in the Hawkes Bay Archdeaconry. (b) The members of that Committee are: Henare Hutana, Rev P Hakiwai, Bob Tutaki, Pita Tiopira, P H Tomoana, Hori Tupaea, Rev P Peneti.
(16) Te Aute Board. Two Members. That a request be made to the Management Board of Te Aute College, asking if it may be possible to have two Maori members on that Board.
WAIPAINA HATARA M.A.
Our paper gives sincere congratulations to this young Maori who has gained a high degree in the country’s universities. Apirana Ngata was the only young Maori to be awarded the M.A. degree. Now at last Waipaina has achieved this degree.
This young man started in the Maori schools at Waipiro Bay and went on to Te Aute College. After graduating from Te Aute he went to the University at Christchurch. He passed his B.A. and after his final examinations he has learned that he has gained his M.A. In conversations with the Editor we have learned that he has now entered a lawyers’ office in Wellington and is continuing his studies to get an LL.B.
We congratulate Ngati Porou who are guiding the Maori People to the peaks of knowledge, to the ranks of the learned people of the world.
The Editor greets Hatara, the father of this young man. Hatara is highly esteemed within the ranks of the Tai-rawhiti chiefs. He was educated for several years at Te Aute.
Hatara has devoted himself to helping young Maori who are seeking the deep learning of the contemporary world.
Hatara is also one of the pillars of the Church, from his childhood to the present day.
Greetings, my friend, and also our child. This honour is not yours alone but is a beautiful cloak to be spread over all Maori people. God be merciful to our young man, protect his body and his soul lest he succumb to the temptations of the enemy.
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WHANGARA CHURCH.
On Friday, 3oth March, at 11 o’clock in the morning, the Bishop will open the new Church with a service of Consecration. Further information will be forthcoming.
TE AUTE COLLEGE - HEADMASTER’S REPORT.
This is a copy of part of the Report presented to the Te Aute Board by Mr E Loten, the Headmaster of Te Aute College.
Matriculation. This is the first year since Te Aute began that so many pupils entered for this examination. A total of 15 pupils sat the exam; 11 passed. (The names were printed in the March edition of the paper.)
Public Service and Intermediate. The following pupils passed:
John Bennett John Green
Pohokura Turei Rerekohu Bristowe
Intermediate. The following passed:
Norman Prebble
Rawiri Durie
Alfred Peakman
Senior MacLean. John Bennett, a Te Aute pupil, was awarded this.
Buller Scholarship. Ruhi Pene, a Te Aute Pupil, was awarded this for 1928-1929.
E G Loten
Headmaster.
Positions of honour at Te Aute. This is a list of those who attained positions of responsibility at the College.
Head Prefect: Joe Keretene
2nd “ Rerekohu Bristowe
3rd “ John Greening
Senior Monitor Edwin Paku
Monitors John Bennett
Nopera Te Kawa
Pohokura Turei
E G Loten
Headmaster
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THE PARISHES
The Roll of Honour
The Office of the Diocese of Waiapu congratulates these Parishes for paying all that was owed for their Minister’s stipend and other expenses of the parish. The Parishes named below have been entered on a Roll of Honour. The Pakeha refer to them as ‘self-supporting’ insofar as these parishes had met all their financial liabilities and had no debts at the end of the year ended 31st March, 1928.
The Roll of Honour
Hikurangi
Moteo
Waipatu
Waipawa
Ohinemutu
We must also add to these those who have raised their money but it did not arrive because the Pakeha trustee was on holiday.
Whangara
The remaining debt of Te Ngae Parish of £15 13s 7d will shortly be paid off.
Turanga is missing from the Roll of Honour because of legal procedures. Their accounts are in the hands of the Maori Trustee in Wellington. By and by they will be released.
The Editor of your paper is very grateful to all the Parishes for their efforts to respond to the request of the Bishop and the managers of our Church that we, the Maori Church, should set about lightening the burden being carried by our Office. From the time the Church was established amongst the Maori People, we have at last reached a point where most of the Maori Parishes are debt-free, and this indebtedness has been wiped out by the efforts of the Maori of those Parishes. At last we have clear signs that the Maori Church has matured and has the strength to paddle its own canoe, and even to launch the canoe known as ‘The Bishopric of Aotearoa.’
My leaders in each Parish, thank you for y0ur efforts in response to the call for a float to save us lest we be drowned by the wicked waves of debt dashing against us. Your float has arrived. It has come to land. Our skin is warmed as we bask in the sun. Thank you, all of you.
As for those parishes missing from the Roll of Honour this year, do your best to remedy this so that together we can reach that place of honour in the coming year.
Let us seek to apply the fine description of the Pakeha to ourselves –‘Self-supporting.’
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AN UNVEILING AT RUATOKI.
The welcoming call of the remnant of Ruatoki sounded out on the day of the unveiling of the memorial stone to Te Pouwhare.
On 2nd and 3rd March the visitors began to arrive. On the Saturday most of the tribes were assembled on the marae: Ngati Porou, Ngati Kahungunu, Te Whanau-a-Apanui. Te Arawa. Ngai-te-Rangi, Tuwharetoa, the many hapu of Mataatua, and the noble party from Waikato led by Te Puea.
People were full of praise for the presence of the beloved widow of the nation, Lady Carroll. Also present were Lady Ngata and Sir Apirana Ngata. The presence of the three of them enhanced the status of the gathering.
All the arrangements of the hui were excellent. It was a hui of greeting, a hui of love, an expression of affection amongst the hapu. There were no major subjects for debate except for love and the unveiling of the stone. There was business discussed but it had little impact on those concerns.
On the Sunday almost a thousand people, Pakeha and Maori, arrived on the marae. We saw the strength of Tuhoe in welcoming their visitors with words and food.
At 7 in the morning there was Holy Communion with 46 taking Communion. The Unveiling Service began at 11 a.m. Te Pouwhare was a Ringatu so it was given to Eru Tumutara, President of the Ringatu Church, and his party to conduct the beginning of the service. Afterwards the Ministers of the Church took over. They were Rev Peneti, the Superintendent, and Revs Ropere, Waaka, Manihera, and Wi Te Moana.
Sir Apirana Ngata was chosen to unveil the memorial. He read out the inscription on the stone:
‘In loving remembrance
Of Te Pouwhare Te Roau
Who died on 10th December, 1924,
Aged 63.
A chief of Tuhoe and Mataatua.
A stout-hearted man, who was a sturdy upholder of principles
In the days of conflict.
Erected by his hapu with the assistance of the Government.’
The unveiling was very well done, with speeches by Eru, Peneti and Sir Apirana. There was no rivalry and no trouble.
Congratulations to all Tuhoe. Thank you for the fine hui and all the arrangements.
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AN IMPORTANT OCCUPATION FOR YOUNG MAORI.
R[eweti] T K[ohere]
I have published my article about ‘The Most Important Job in the World.’ In it I said that schoolteachers were the most important people; their job was the noblest, because their job was to teach the mind and to cultivate the heart. Without a teacher the people are ignorant [? a pora..]. This is why laws have been passed requiring all children to go to school, and uneducated people are not permitted to enter New Zealand.
There is a Japanese custom which says that, although he be poor, a teacher may stand in the presence of his king, whereas a trader, although he has much money, is not able to see the king because he is not a real person. For the Japanese the intellect is the measure of a man and not his deep pocket.
In recent years the Government has demonstrated its belief in the importance of teachers by increasing their salaries. The size of the salary will attract learned people and soon only college-educated people will be able to be teachers. In past years many teachers in Maori schools were not educated people and were not trained for that work; perhaps because of desperation at the lack of teachers they agreed to do it. It was difficult for a person without a certificate to get as position in a Board school but that was not the case in Maori schools.
Our young educated people are not seeking to become teachers; rather they want to be lawyers, doctors, dentists, or ministers. But the custom is that people with B.A. or M.A. degrees become teachers. These degrees are wasted on doctors, lawyers and ministers. Except perhaps in the case of the Maori bishop; the bishop is perhaps the exception. Why should we not appoint a Maori B.A., M.A. as Pr5incipal of Te Aute?
Many Maori girls are entering the teaching profession. It is a very good job for them – a noble job, and something they can do in their own villages. Their problem is, because they have not been to a college like Te Aute, they will not be appointed as headteachers, and because they do not have certificates, their salaries will not increase. So they serve just as teaching-assistants so that eventually they get bored and weary and get married.
I don’t want to criticise Hukarere which does what it sees as appropriate, but Hukarere is not preparing teachers for our schools. It is still Pakeha who are teaching in our schools. Were Te Aute to set an example, Hukarere may follow it and at length produce teachers for our many schools. I support what Apirana Ngata urged at the big hui at Tikitiki, when he advocated widening the work done at Hukarere. This would be a rich contribution to our evolution.
As for the young men…. Te Aute is a college: Te Aute is the only Maori school for which this appellation is appropriate, but
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how many of the Te Aute old pupils are headteachers? In the whole Ngati Porou area because he was taught how to teach at the Board schools.
This is something that afflicts the Maori People, that there is no pathway for our young men into teaching because they are unwilling to teach in the Maori schools. This is something for us in our Maori Association, if there is a Maori Association, to discuss. I raised this matter at the Tikitiki Hui and it was agreed that a motion be forwarded to the Government. Did it get there or did it just die a death?
One important fruit of the Maori schools would be seeing Maori appointed as teachers in their own schools, but we do not as yet see this fruit. The pathway is still a distant prospect for our young men and women because there are no colleges for them.
It is right that I say briefly something personal about Te Aute to end my article. Te Aute is failing to provide for all the children who could benefit from it. Eventually, perhaps, only children capable of passing the proficiency exam will be accepted. For one thing, living at Te Aute is difficult because it costs so much and the expenses are high, particularly for the children of the poor. The way will perhaps be opened up when the Pakeha open colleges, high schools, in every place. This will enable the children of poor families to acquire the learning taught at Te Aute and not at Hukarere. And in this way, children will be able to stay in their own communities and help their parents. As I said in Number 73: The parents are the real teachers of the child and his community is his real college.
WILLIAM TEMPLE WILLIAMS [1856 – 1928]
On 1st April, W T Williams entered upon the long rest. He was a child of Archdeacon Samuel Williams, the man who established Te Aute College. Wiri, who has died, was greatly loved. He was humble, loving and gentle. He was always close to Maori with an affection which continued right up to his death. His wife [Annie Matilda Puckey] was a [grand-daughter] of the Puckeys, some of the first preachers of the Gospel to the Maori, and she was fluent speaker of the language.
Only one of the children of of Mr Samuel is still living, Hinepaketia [Lydia], Mr Samuel’s blind daughter.
Farewell, Wiri. Go to your ancestors. Go to your resting-place. Go to the Lord to receive the blessings of his faithful servants.
Your Maori People grieve for you.
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TYPHOID FEVER [Piwa Taipo]
T Wi-Repa MB, ChB.
This word ‘fever’ is the name give by the experts to diseases which cause high bodily temperature. The word taipo with which it is linked is actually an English word, ‘typhoid,’ It is not the word used by some of our tribes for a ghost [kehua].
Maori have suffered with this fever for the past fifty years. I am not sure whether the disease existed here before the arrival of the Pakeha. During the first year of St John’s School in Auckland, around 1850, the pupils contracted the fever. One of the sons of Williams the Brother [William Williams], first Bishop of Waiapu, caught it and died.
In 1919, 477 caught the fever; in 1920, 389; in 1921, 451; in 1922, 539; in 1923, 276. I believe that among the 2132 who caught the disease from 1919 t0 1923, 2000 were Maori.
This is a notifiable disease, that is, the law requires that cases are reported to the Department of Health. It is also infectious. It is also a preventable disease and can be stopped so that people do not catch it.
This is a disease of lands with temperate climates such as New Zealand, America, England, South Africa and India. Whatever part of the world it occurs in there is one common aspect. There is little understanding of the principles of Health. If there is a serious outbreak of the disease one also finds ignorance of the laws of Health. Where there is understanding of hygiene, that is, where a village is kept clean, the disease disappears. A bacillus is the cause of this disease. This is one of the best-known germs. Its name is ‘bacillus typhosus.’ What causes this bacillus to multiply is the bad state of the drains in a village, or the lack of drains. Secondly, the bacillus gets into the drinking water of the village or town. But it is mainly filth which causes it to multiply. Together with this one finds people living in cramped conditions and without fresh air being allowed into living rooms and bedrooms. On occasions one finds the bacillus clinging to the hands of those caring for the sick. If those hands are not washed with disinfectant they may touch the mouth, the bacillus is then swallowed and those people fall ill. It may also happen that the bacillus falls on food. If it is eaten the person gets the disease. Flies are creatures that spread this bacillus which causes the disease. If a person who has the beginnings of the disease defecates outside, a fly may land on his faeces; the seeds of this illness then cling to that fly; the fly then flies off and lands on people’s food; the seeds are left on the food; if a person eats it he gets the disease. Be aware of this: Personal waste is the breeding ground of the germ that causes this illness.
This disease does not occur only in our land. It occurs in every part of the world where there is human pollution, in a man’s dwelling-place, his drinking water, his milk, his house and his village. It is not a goblin or a ghost that brings this illness upon people. Perhaps we should rather say that the great ‘Ghost’ is ‘Filth.’
In 1903, 3347 people died in England and Wales, and in 1900, 35,379 people died in America of this illness. In wars before the recent Great War, more soldiers died of this illness than those who were killed by bullets. When the Americans fought the Spanish, of 107,973 American soldiers 20,78 soldiers died of the sickness. In the Boer Wars, 7991 English soldiers died of this disease while 7582 were killed by bullets. The reason why there were so many victims of these wars was that the people, including the doctors, were ignorant of the means of combatting the illness.
In the war between Russia and Japan we found that the doctors on each side knew how to prevent the disease. In General Oku’s Japanese army only 133 got the fever.
When we come to the recent World War, we find that there have been great advances in the understanding of the illness on the part of the doctors on all sides. Among the many millions who participated in the fighting there were very few deaths from fever. This disease was once widespread throughout the world. It was prevalent in the time of human ignorance. With the spread of understanding the disease has become almost toothless,
In some countries the disease occurs mostly during the summer and in others during autumn. On the Tai-Rawhiti it is most severe in winter.
From the age of fifteen to thirty, one is most likely to contract fever. There may be reasons why it occurs during these years. Young children from one year of age up to fifteen are also susceptible, but not dangerously. Adults from 40 to 60 can also catch it. Be aware that this disease mostly affects the young, from fifteen to thirty years of age.
The Place Where the Disease Settles.
The place where the disease manifests itself most severely is in the small gut. When the intestines are not diseased, if they are cut, one can see things like small limpets growing. They are darker in colour than the rest of the intestines. They are soft to the touch, but they are thick in some places in the intestines. They begin at one end of the small intestine and occur right up to where it joins the large intestine. The experts call those things, ‘Peyer’s Patches;’ Peyer being the first man to point them out to the experts. Such patches are called ‘lymphoid tissues’ similar to the ‘tonsils.’
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The ‘Peyer’s Patches’ are where the bacillus of typhoid fever flourishes. They settle here and are bunched together. Secondly, they decay. Thirdly, the pus descends upon living flesh and there is bleeding. Fourthly, that place erupts. This is why the stomach of a person with typhoid fever swells up. The intestines of the sick person are affected, they become weak and have no strength to do their work, namely, to expel the foul wind and excrement. The wind stays inside and the stomach is dis tended. For a time the Peyer’s Patch is severely scoured. The sick person has diarrhoea. The not skin, the headache, the burning lips all point to the clustering of the sickness in the gut. This is the foundation of doctors‘ treatment of this disease, typhoid fever; knowing that the illness is in the intestines and that there is much scouring there. If the diseased intestines are not allowed to settle, they will rupture and the person will die. Doctors are not playing when they deny the patient solid foods such as meat, kumara, potatoes, puha and bread. They are not deliberately mistreating. When a doctor comes upon someone with typhoid fever his thoughts are: ‘There is scouring in the intestines. He must be given no solid food. If he is given solid food the intestines will rupture and he will die.’
He must not be given a strong purgative lest the intestine is damaged and ruptures. Be aware of how wrong is the Maori practice of giving a person with fever the ultimate strong purgative, flax water. Our practice must be not to give castor oil, Epsom salts, and other purgatives. So, what is the basis for our giving people with typhoid fever flax water? People who have caught typhoid fever are ill, yet their family will give them flax water and solid food behind my back.
Not all the intestines are scoured, and it is possible to determine which are scoured and which are not. But it is known that the serious disease results in scouring and rupturing and death. Therefore a care package must be careful lest the patient has the feared outcome. Sometimes the sick person will not suffer from being fed food. But, be aware of this. If the intestine is ruptured by food it may be on our conscience. If the intestine is ruptured solely by the severity of the illness then our conscience can be clear. It was the seriousness of the illness that caused the death.
{To be continued.)
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