TE
TOA TAKITINI
Registered
at the GPO as a Newspaper
Number
99
Hastings
1st
November, 1929
TE AUTE COLLEGE
In 1847, Bishop
Selwyn sent Archdeacon Samuel Williams (just a Minister at that time) to work
in Otaki. In a short time he had set up eight schools in the Otaki area. One of
the large schools is still in use in Otaki.
Five years later,
in 1852, Governor George Grey on his
travels arrived in Otaki. He stayed with Mr Samuel Williams. At this
time George Grey urged Samuel Williams to go and work in Hawkes Bay. Mr
Williams replied that his work in Otaki was congenial to him and his hope was
that he would not be troubled because he wanted to continue his work in Otaki.
Some time after, Sir George Grey again asked Samuel Williams to go to Hawkes
Bay. Sir George Grey said to him, ‘I am concerned that Hawkes Bay is an area
that is being extensively settled by Pakeha and, if there isn’t a person there
like you, there could be troubles. If you go there I will give you 4000 acres
to help you with your school work. I will also tell the Maori that they should
also give 4000 acres.’ George Grey also told Samuel Williams that he would help
him by giving him money to buy sheep and build a house and get other things to
help his school work.
Published by Rev P Hakiwai and P H Tomoana, and printed by
Cliff Press, Queen Street, Hastings. HB.
[1906]
Te Toa Takitini
Registered at the GPO as
Newspaper.
The Price of the Paper is 10/- a
year.
Address letters to ‘Te Toa
Takitini,’ Box 300, Hastings
1st November, 1929.
At the beginning
of 1853 Bishop Selwyn and George Grey arranged to meet Mr Samuel at Waipukurau in
March. Mr Williams travelled by the Manawatu River; the Bishop and the Governor
travelled from the Wairarapa. Mr Williams arrived first in Waipukurau. The
other two arrived two weeks later. Mr Williams studied carefully the lie of the
land. He looked particularly at the Te Aute plains. George Grey said, ‘The land
lies before you. Take the part that you like.’ Mr Williams said that he was
still thinking about his work at Otaki. ‘But,’ Mr Williams said, ‘if the Bishop
and the Council of the Missionary Church agree that I may live here in Hawkes
Bay, I will do so.’ ‘You must understand,’ said George Grey, ‘that if you don’t
come and live here, I shan’t give a single acre.’
The quarrelling in
Hawkes Bay ended and people were living in peace. The Maori urged Mr Samuel to
settle there and said that they would give him land. They gave 4000 acres. Mr Samuel said to the Maori that it would be better
if they gave the land to the Government and for the Crown to place it under
Trustees. Te Hapuku, the leading chief of Hawkes Bay said, ‘This is a change. I
give you some land and you say that you are going to give it to someone else!’
However, Mr Samuel’s explanations convinced him, and Te Hapuku signed the deed
of conveyance.
Maori gave a total
of 7779 acres. When the Crown validated that gift on 14th November,
1885, as requested by Mr Samuel, who thought it good to do, 870 acres were
split off.
The strong urging
of the Maori and George Grey and the agreement of the Bishop resulted in Mr
Samuel agreeing to take on this new work. It was not without misgivings that he
left Otaki. During 1853 he worked in both places, Otaki and Hawkes Bay. At the
conclusion of 1854 he was residing permanently at Te Aute.
[1907]
(Photograph of
Te Aute College.)
[1908]
For six years
Samuel Williams, his wife and daughter (Miss Lydia), and Hineipaketia (?Miss Keith.),
lived in a raupo whare. At that time the land was [?uruatia - ?undeveloped]
– covered with bush, bracken and swamps.
From 1854 to 1859
Mr Samuel received the money that George Grey had promised. The Government gave
£2168. Bishop Selwyn also sent him £500. The Government also gave him a further
£500 to purchase sheep.. From this point some of the money was used to improve
the land, to build accommodation, an to purchase equipment. Two hundred and fifty
acres were improved, fenced and sown in grass. Oxen and a wagon were bought.
Everything was done to facilitate farming and support the school.
At this time 4000
acres of the Block were leased to Mr Pharazyn for £4/3/4 a year. A [?parenga]
to the acre. That is what the Government paid for undeveloped land. Pharazyn
kept the land for four years before relinquishing it as unprofitable.
In October, 1854,
Mr Samuel opened his school. Twelve of the pupils were from Otaki. The sleeping
accommodation was raupo whare. In Mr Samuel’s report to the Schools Department
in 1855 he said, ‘There are ten pupils at the school this year. They cultivate
six acres of wheat and two acres of potatoes. I hope that this will reduce the
food bill.’ A year on in 1856 he reports, ‘There are fifteen pupils at the
school. Thirteen acres have been sown with English grass, and there are six
acres of wheat and four acres of potatoes. We might have completed more work
but, because of a lack of fences, much time is wasted searching for the oxen.
The ground has been prepared for the milking shed, the shearing shed, and the
yards.’ The report for the year 1857 says that the number of pupils has fallen
to thirteen, one hundred acres have been fenced, twenty acres have been sown
with grass, there are ten acres of wheat and three acres of potatoes, and there
are other improvements. Bishop Selwyn
has sent people to help erect the buildings. Four are sawyers to cut the timber.
This will result in the completion of the buildings begun last year. In the
report for 1858 Mr Samuel tells of the demolition of the raupo whare and of his
wish to have a separate teacher for the pupils. Charles Baker was appointed to
teach.
The number of
pupils fell to eight. The amount required to complete the timber buildings was
£750. The timber had just been stacked up. This year, a further fifteen acres
were brought in, seventeen acres were planted in wheat and three in potatoes,
and stumps were removed from four acres.
During these years
Mr Samuel was continually concerned that what was needed to improve the school
was money. At this time George Grey was transferred
[1909]
to be Governor of
Cape Colony, and a new person was Minister overseeing his work. Government help
to the school was increasingly diminished and some of its buildings were burned
down. At this time it was very difficult for the school to survive. Because of
the small contribution from the Government and the tiny profit from the produce
of the land, the school was closed. At this time there were only four pupils.
Let us not forget
that running the school was not Mr Samuel’s only occupation during these years.
He was missionary to the Maori, and Minister also to the few Pakeha at that
time. Mr Williams’ thought were especially focussed on improving the land to
provide a lot more produce to support the school.
From 1859 to 1865
the person helping Mr Samuel with the work was James Henry Coleman. When he
gave up this work, he said in his final report: ‘When I arrived Mr Williams’
house had been finished along with a small shearing shed. There were two huts
for the workers. There were yards, three of which had been fenced along with
the area that had been ploughed. The land was covered with bracken. Many
improvements were made while I was there. Five thousand five hundred acres were
fenced and the shearing shed was completed. Two thirds of the land was able to
carry livestock.’
In Mr Samuel’s
report to the Wellington Synod (part of Hawkes Bay lay in the Wellington
Diocese in those days) he said: ‘In sending my report, I am very sad that the
debt on the land has not yet been paid off. This was because of the small
returns for wool in the past year. Because there was an upturn in the price
received for livestock and we did not buy rams we were able to pay £219/7/8 of
the debt. The buildings and the improvements were paid for by the interest on
mortgage money.’
Mr Williams put
much effort into working to develop the land. In 1871 there was a new
Government. This Government declared firmly that they were not prepared to help
Mr Williams with his school. The Native Minister at that time was a close
friend of Mr Williams and he explained the situation to him.
At this point Mr
Williams began to erect the school buildings. The money he raised for the
mortgage came from [?rau-o-tangata - ?public subscription]. It was
opened in 1872 with James Reynolds as Headteacher.
The works begun at
Te Aute, the development of the land fell to him; he carefully nurtured the
school: one may say that these works took over Samuel Williams’ whole life.
Today’s Te Aute is based on the Te Aute of those days, on the firm principles
laid down in those days. Mr Samuel’s concern for his school was unwearied right
up to his death in 1907. The extent of his help to the school
[1910]
can never be known
– his own works, his ideas, his strong persistence in the face of many
difficulties, his careful decisions even when his close friends were critical
of him. He was stout-hearted. He saw the realisation of his hope, that the
Maori should have a school. This stands as a stone memorial to him.
Notes
1.
The
buildings erected in 1871 and additional buildings were damaged by fire were
demolished in 1918 – 1919.
2.
Headteachers
of Te Aute.
James
Reynolds 1872
James
Thornton 1878 – 1912
John
Alexander McNickle MA 1912 – 1919
Ernest
Going Loten 1920
3.
The
Erection of the New Buillding.
1922 The Jubilee Wing. The Archbishop of New
Zealand, Dr Julius, laid the Foundation Stone.
1923 The Memorial Wing. The Governor, Biscount
Jellicoe, laid the Foundation Stone.
1926 The Main Building. The Governor, Sir Charles
Fergusson, Baronett, laid the Foundation Stone.
4.
In
1900 a church, in memory of him was built for the school. The younger brother
of Mr Samuel, Mr Leonard, consecrated it. The money for completing the church
was given by friends of Mr Samuel.
Lands Given to
Te Aute
1.
The
Crown gave 4244 acres on 7th July, 1857. ‘To support a school to be
built in the Ahuriri area which will educate the offspring of my two peoples in
New Zealand – Pakeha and Maori.’
2.
The
Crown gave 1745 acres on June 10th, 1857. ‘To support a school to be
built at Te Aute in the Ahuriri area to educate the offspring of Maori only of
New Zealand.’
3.
The
Crown gave 1408 acres on 10th June, 1857. ‘To support a school to be
built at Te Aute in the Ahuriri area to educate the offspring of Maori.
4.
The
Crown gave 382 acres on 28th November, 1866. ‘‘To support a school
to be built at Te Aute in the Ahuriri area to educate the offspring of the two peoples - Maori and Pakeha.’
5.
Eight
hundred and seventy acres were returned to the Crown The Deed of 14th
November, 1866, says: ‘Because it has become clear that when the Crown gave
this land for a school, the Maori Title on it had not been extinguished,
therefor this land is to be returned to Crown ownership. If it is possible, a
different lot of land may be given in exchange for this.’ The total acreage
belonging to Te Aute is 6909.
[1911]
LETTERS
RECEIVED
To
the Editors.
My
friends, kia ora. The reason why I am writing to you now is that, while I was
in Napier taking my daughter to Hukarere School in the middle of October, I met
the Bishop of Aotearoa. On the Thursday he arrived from Waikato and on the
Saturday he was going again to the Tauranga area. Now, Editors, the point I
would make is this; he has very little time at home. The work involves
continual travel. He has to leave his home; he has to leave his wife. Is it not
possible to arrange for him to have a longer time at home before going off on
his travels? My view is that he ought to have a month at home to get his breath
before going on his long journeys. Maori Church, take pity on our Bishop. So
much for that matter.
There
is another matter. I have studied the Maori heart. As we Maori have taken upon
ourselves the running of our sports – tennis, hockey, football, and others, why
have we not taken upon ourselves the running of this sport – Canoe Racing?
Waikato and Whanganui make this a sporting occasion but regattas are mainly done by Pakeha. I
think that these contests should take place between Maori so that they receive
the benefit. Kia ora, Tribes.
From your friend,
Henare Keremeneta
Pipiriki 27/10/29
To the Editors of
Te Toa Takitini.
I salute all the
Christian Ministers and the Bishop.Bennett. Today I have seen your valued
paper, Te Toa Takitini, and its heart-searching. It is as if outside matters
were not congenial to it. I have also seen the quotations of Peni Hakiwai in
which he appears to be seeking the God of the Ringatu. Why was my contribution
not published by the Editors of this paper? I confess that the [?kopa whara
– wild ?ko, ?kopara - bellbird] lives in the tree and is weary
for from 15 to 20 years yet it is still alive.
There are three
prayers to which God in his power will respond with salvation. His salvation is
not mixed with the manure of yeast or medicine. Therefore, I say to my friend
Peni Hakiwai, you should seek out the meaning of these prayers: Honour the
King, fear God, and the Messiah is the Lord of Salvation. Therefore, it is not
right for us to seek other people’s gods.
I can speak on the basis of the teaching of our Church, which are based
on the teachings of scripture and which I say are right. These teachings come
from [?Ioo – sic] and all of them from Christ too. And anyone who lives
[1912]
to honour them is
right with our Missionary Church. Therefore, my friends, if you are seeking the
gods who preside over these churches, summon a hui, and invite me too.
Wahiao G Hemukini
Ngongotaha,
6/11/29
N.B. Friend, Hemukini,
Te Toa Takitini publishes substantial [?whaikiko] contributions from
people, whoever they may be. Your letter you ask about has not been published
because it has not yet arrived. Perhaps it will eventually arrive. The letter
we publish now was discovered in the office of the Bishop. If you look at Te Toa
you will see how to go about posting your letters. Peni Hakiwai is invaluable
when it comes to articles about Almighty God and everything about him. Which
Bible do your quotations come from? It would appear that you may have been
dazzled. This kind of activity is not published by Te Toa. Let us just say that
that our brains are wearied by the doings of Ratana, and now are you attacking
us? Friend, give up. You don’t know the complexities of this work. – The
Editors.
To Te Toa.
Greetings to you
who takes up and explains the doings and the customs of the new world of these
days. We are in this together. It is the hope I have in my heart that the
explanations given by our beloved friends in this country and carried by Te Toa
will be seen by the eyes and the mind. I support the preparations undertaken by
those who send in articles.
I think that the
first person was Sir Maui Pomare. He was the one who opened the door of the
house from which emerged Sir Apirana Ngata. You have become King o the country
in the House of Caesar. Next to emerge was Bishop Bennett of Aotearoa. As a
result, our Maoritanga is now settled on the throne of God. This situation is
the outcome of all that is being done in these days. It is, as the Preacher has
it: ‘Cast thy bread upon the waters; for thou shalt find it after many days.’
[Ecclesiastes 11.1] What is the meaning of this saying?
Thank you, Panapa,
for you explanation of the hui to be held at Te Waimate. It may perhaps be said
that Bishop Bennett is the fulfilment of those past one hundred years. May the
Heavenly One bless and keep him.
Te Puea,
greetings. We can only express our gratitude for the house you have built at
Tuakau. It is as your forebear,
Tawhiao, said: ‘You won’t have to look beyond my grandchild to see my
salvation.’ And so it is that we see that you have built a second house as a
shelter for people and for other purposes. May the blessings of the Almighty
and the Spirit of Life rest upon you and your brother. Greetings.
Be strong, be
brave, you chiefs of Ngapuhi. Be strenuous as you fight for your Omapere Lake.
This the time.
[1913]
What we have lost,
the Treaty of Waitangi, has been overthrown. It is a sign of what will happen
in the coming days. My beloved friend, Tau Henare, my best wishes to you and
your people.
Kia ora to the
Chairman of the meeting held at Pakowhai, the Bishop of Aotearoa. I am
overjoyed, and very happy to hear of your hard work to bring together the
Church and the faith of the Maori People. Best wishes to you all. Be strong.
Rangihuna
Manaia, 11/11/29
To the Editors.
My friends,
greetings to the two of you who publish the articles in our paper. The
greetings done, I am sending you some corrections for our Paper, They relate to
things said by the Bishop of the Ringatu Church [Eru Tumutara].
Eru Tumatara said
that the Ringatu Church’s adherence to the Sabbath was wrong. That was printed
in the August edition of the Paper, Number 96, page 1044. That Sabbath is no
longer under a curse. Jesus Christ is Lord also of that Sabbath.
I asked Eru if
this quotation was right. He replied that he had not said that the Sabbath was
cursed. Rather it was like this; the curse of the law ended with Abraham, the
law of circumcision, when the blessing passed from Abraham to the Gentiles.
(Galatians 3.13) As for his saying that the Ringatu Church is failing in its
observance of the Sabbath: it is rather that some Ringatu are using it as a day
for playing billiards and football and drinking beer.
Concerning the
Sabbath. Everything was made by Jesus Christ and
without him was not anything made that was made. (John 1.3. Colossians 3.16) Because Jesus created all
things in heaven and on earth. Colossians 1.16 makes it clear that he decreed
the work of the six days of the week at the Creation.(1 Corinthians 8.6) Christ
said, ‘I am in my Father and He is in me.’ [John 14.10]
The Sabbath Law
was written twice by God on the Tablets of Stone. (Exodus 20.8-11; 31.18;
Deuteronomy 19.1-5). Christ also said,
‘I have not come to abolish my Father’s works but to fulfil them.’ [Matthew
5.17] When Jesus lived on the earth he
observed the Sabbath on the seventh day, as it was ordained at the beginning.
(Luke 4.16) That is enough explanation.
Greetings to the Languages, the Authorities, the Gatherings of people living on
the marae of our ancestors. This is a
correction of statements that strayed from the right path.
Wiremu
Matamua Whakamoe
Tuai, Wairoa, HB.
[1914]
THE BISHOP FOR
WAIAPU
On 9th February, 1930, Archdeacon Herbert Williams
will be consecrated as Bishop of Waiapu in the Diocesan Cathedral of St John,
Napier.
THE GOVERNOR’S
FAREWELL MESSAGE IN NAPIER.
‘My final words to
you,’ said the Governor, ‘are these: Think about the things that make for peace
in our lives in the days that lie before you. Whatever troubles you face, be
concerned to make the best of them. There is one way which will bring you blessings
– be diligent in your work, do what is right, with faith, and fulfil it well.
Your cannot do this in your own strength. You can get help and find strength
too, and the way to find strength is to hold fast to your faith. The source of
continuing help is God. This is the substance of my farewell message to you.’
THE END OF THE
WORLD
The Mohammedans
have issued a prophecy which says that the world will end in 1932. The source
of the prophecy was the seedbed of this faith at Medina. The Mohammedan world
is greatly bewildered by this. It is said that it is because there is so much
sin that Allah (Jehovah) is angry and is hastening the ending of the world.
THE CURSE OF THE
PHARAOHS
Ten people have
now fallen ill because they have disturbed the graves of the Pharaohs. The wonder is how swiftly these people died.
Yesterday’s victim was the Hon. Richard Bethell, one of Howard Carter’s
secretaries. He managed the group that was exhuming the bones and bringing our
the grave goods from the tombs of the Pharaohs. He appeared very well that
evening. After playing cards he went to bed. While he was lying flat out asleep
it was discovered he had died. As a result of this, some people were convinced
that it is true that there is a curse on people who disturb the bones of the
Pharaohs.
The first person
who began this disturbance was Lord Carnarvon. Six weeks after he entered the
tomb, he laid down and died.
‘MAURI MAHI’ [?ENCOURAGING WORK]
Rumour has it
that, before Parliament ended its session, it passed the Bill put forward by
the Minister of Maori Affairs. The Bill gives him £25,000 to bolster Maori
agriculture.
[1915]
THE NAME
‘AOTEAROA’
Editors, please
don’t get tired of me. I shan’t get bored. But I must answer the words of
Tuhitaare and Wi Repa. And they did not consult together in the first place.
They found themselves approving of one another in the Paper – Te Toa. They were
heard by all the tribes of Aotearoa, and so I have a case.
Tuhi, don’t get
tired of your subject. In the eyes of the tribes you are committed [?tanu - ?buried] to the
meaning of the name, Aotearoa. So I must seek to answer you. Your canoes and
Matatua came after Kupe. You say that my question is: Who was the ancestor who
gave this name before the arrival of the canoes, that is, performed the
‘christening’ which gave a name to these islands? That was my question. You
said that was not the case. Later you say that it was Iraweka who said to his
children, ‘If you go to Aotearoa.’ You are again giving a name.
Tuhi, you are
talking the language of ‘hide and seek.’ What you are saying is fictitious. You
have given an answer as regards this name saying that Maui came after Wahieroa,
Whaitiri, Hapakiariki and Tupuaterangi. Tuhi, this is wrong. These people came
after the Flood. Maui and this name were before it. Your story is not history.
But, wait a bit. If Maui gave the name, why was it not used by the elders of
the time he did this deed, the hauling up of this land? He also worked at those
islands. Why did he bring about this and give it that name? Enough of that.
As for Toto giving
the name to Turi’s canoe: Don’t be misled abut this; it is the people of that
canoe who would mislead you. If you don’t listen to them you will realise that
my account is correct. That’s that.
As for what
Tuhitaare said: Why should I climb on board another canoe to glean information
for myself? My friend, Tuhi, perhaps there is only one man who has only one
canoe and that is you. I would say that you don’t know your genealogy if you
trace your descent to one canoe. Tuhi, I was on all the canoes – Tainui, Te
Arawa, Matatua, Tokomaru, Kurahaupo, Takitimu and Aotearoa. You take for
yourself the name of Aotea but I also had a place there. Secondly, my ancestors are buried here, and
my parents. I was brought up by them here. I was told the stories by them here.
My tribe’s name is Ngati Maruharanui. I am firmly linked to Aotea. I belong to
Turangimua, to Taaneroa, to Kewa. I know my genealogies which show my descent
from the canoes. Therefore, don’t begrudge us that. Let us together seek to set
down the correct version of this matter. That’s that.
[1916]
Tuhi, I laughed
when you said that Akiaki, a Ngatiruanui chief, knows everything. I know the
things Ngatiruanui knows. As for what Akiaki says, he is not speaking of Aotea.
My friend, this man is mistaken. Matangirei was Turi’s house; it stood at
Patea. What person would build a house and not have food inside it? This
statement is foolish. The same is true of the saying that that Ruauri entered
Turi’s house to tell his story. Afterwards he sent someone to fetch water for
him, giving him his calabash called Tapotuoterangi. When he returned he came in
the door. Ue saw him and asked who the water was for. The man said that it was
for Ruauri, whereupon Ue struck out and broke the calabash.
This is why Ue was
angry. The man who had been sent belonged to Ue’s party. Therefore, Ue was
aware that Ruauri despised him and so he broke the calabash. This led Ruauru to
go outside in the night and to do what he did. He dealt treacherously with Ue
and his people. I finish here. You will have to wait for the end of the story.
As he went out
Ruauri rumpled up the floor mats on Turi’s house, as if gathering up what he
had said. He took away his stories leaving here those of Aotea.
Tuhi, the name of
this canoe was bestowed far across the sea. Its name was extended by the
ancestors who crossed to this place. Arriving here they were guided to Kawhia.
The name of that place is still Aotearoa.
The men of Waikato
– Tonganui and Terangarua Ngairo – have spoken to me. Where have you found
back-up for your account of this name? These are my important sources. A
proverb about Taane is the source of this name:
‘He ngakau aotea, e iri nei ki te
tangata ngakau pai.’
?
A white cloud is over the
heart of the person with a good heart.
This name was
given to the area at Kawhia where the canoe was buried. I have much additional
information but I must stop here. Kia ora to Tuhitaare and the Editors.
Kapua
Rangataua Keepa
Purangi, 27/10/29
[1917]
THIS NAME
‘AOTEAROA.’
My heart wonders
at the wise people of the country who publish in the papers their learning
about the name ‘Aotearoa,’ the canoe of Turi, the ancestor of the people of the
West in Taranaki. For a long time many people have been reading these articles.
The people whose canoe bore the name Aotearoa treasure the accounts handed down
by their ancestors; they do not differ.
The house of my
ancestors, Aotearoa, stands at Weriweri. It was first erected in 1859. The
second was erected in 1884, the third in 1898, and the fourth in 1926.
Therefore, there was no quarrelling over the name by the wise people of the
country during people’s lifetimes.
In recent years I
personally visited Rangiatea Island – ‘Raeatea’ – in Tahiti. The elders I met
there all spoke of Turi and his canoe, Aotearoa. I was taken to see where Turi
lived and heard many stories about him. There were many stories about the ‘Taha-roa
of Raeatea,’ the long harbour of Rangiatea, the Sea of Marama, Tapu-Tapu-Atea,
Opoa, Te Vai-a-Tufi-Langi, that is, The Water of Tuhirangi, and much besides. The stories I heard in
Rangiatea were no different from those I heard about Aotearoa from my ancestors
of Ngatiruanui and Ngarauru.
These kinds of
stories are told widely but what we should be seeking is the answer to the
question: WHERE IS HAWAIKI TO BE FOUND IN THIS WORLD? Pakeha scholars have been
looking for it but have not founds it. Our learned people also have looked for
it but we have had no word from them that they have found Hawaiki, the place
from which we Maori came.
Therefore,
greetings to you wise men and to the Editors
Oriwa
T Haddon
Patea, 20/10/29
THIS NAME –
AOTEAROA
This is what I have to say to my wise friends
about Aotearoa. I have in mind Wi Repa, Ihaiah Hutana, Tuhitaare Heemi and
Kapua Rangataua Keepa. It would be good if you could get together to talk about
this name, Aotearoa. When you reached a satisfactory agreement amongst
yourselves, one of you could come by himself and report to us when we are
gathered together. To me it seems that there is right on both sides of the
case.
[1918]
I have seen the
notice about the Hui to be held at Waimate on 12th January. That
would be a good occasion for the explanation if the experts could attend that
Hui.
My friend, Editor,
can you please rush to publish this so that it appears in December?
Ngakuru
Pene Haare
Awanui North
NB Some confusing things in your letter have
been edited. – Editors.
A TRIBUTE TO THE
MAORI OF NEW ZEALAND.
When Mr Pallott of
Napier was in South Africa he had many invitations from the Blacks and the
Indians to talk to them about the situation of the Maori here in New Zealand.
He told them what he knew but had to do it through an interpreter. Those people
listened intently to his words and were amazed.
His final speech
was at a church service where the following motion was passed. ‘Mr Pallot,
please carry our sincere greetings to the Maori of New Zealand. They are very
fortunate to live in the good conditions you have spoken of amongst the white
people. We ourselves certainly don’t have similar relationships with white
people.’
Although the
Blacks of South Africa are a people in their own right they are despised. But
the missionaries do their utmost to care for them. They instruct them in
matters of th body and the spirit. It is said that the Government spends the
same amount of money on the animals in the zoos as it does on providing schools
for black people.
We hear that the
laws applied in Africa are made by the
Boers. Had they been made by the English, would the Blacks have been
regarded as human beings perhaps?
THE DINNER FOR THE
VCs.
On 9th
November, the Prince of Wales hosted a banquet for the Warriors of the British
Empire who had been fortunate to have been awarded the honoured decoration, the
Victoria Cross. It is thought that 315 of those people attended that banquet.
The menu was Empire soup, fillet of sole, Victoria Southdown Mutton, Surrey
chicken salad, cream of Flanders, and ice decorated with poppy-coloured
Victoria Crosses. And there was a great variety of drinks.
The British Legion
says that there are 500 people still living who have been awarded the medal.
They could not all attend because some had difficulties. Some had no wings with
which to fly. And it is said that in parts of the world some of them earn a living
by selling matches. Those who are aware of this are trying to help.
The VC is the
supreme honour awarded by the English to brave people who stand out in
fighting. Many of the actions of brave men are not seen. That’s how it is.
Others are seen and are fortunate to be awarded that medal.
In 1856 Queen
Victoria instituted this medal. From that time to the present 1157 people have
received the award. The metal from which the medal is made is not very
beautiful or valuable. It is the kind of metal called ‘bronze’ by the Pakeha.
However, this is the honour that a person sees himself as fortunate to have
above all others.
In the recent
Great War, among the hundreds of men from New Zealand, nine were fortunate
enough to win this honour. In the Boer War onde New Zealander was awarded it –
Lieut. Hardham.
The guerilla
warfare of Maori was skilled. Only one Pakeha was awarded this medal in those
days, Captain Heaphy. On 11th February, 1864, Maori encountered
Pakeha at Mangapiko River. One of the Pakeha soldiers fell; he was wounded a
little beyond the main body of the Maori. Captain Heaphy ran to save his
friend. Despite volleys fired by the Maori the Pakeha got through. Eventually
he got the man to a place of calm. Heaphy had three wounds. He was full of
holes from the bullets. For what he did, Heaphy was given this medal in 1867.
He was promoted to Major, a rank he held until his death in 1881. He was 63
years old.
THE VISIT OF THE
MAORI BISHOP TO ENGLAND
We, the Maori
Ministers of the Diocese of Waikato, strongly support our Bishop’s going to
England. We do so not out of spirit of
pride or superiority, nor because the journey may undermine the faith of the
Maori People. If this journey were to undermine our faith it must be a very
slim faith indeed. People, send the Bishop
[1919]
to be our eyes.
The journey is not a journey to pry, but a journey to to learn the depths of
the learning of the Pakeha and other peoples as well. When he goes there he
will learn the ways of others. By doing so he will fill up his flax basket so
that he can disperse what he has gathered to the tribes when he returns. And, indeed,
what is wrong with the leading nations of the world seeing that we have our own
Bishop. It is not a cause for boasting but so that they can see this small
branch of the tree of the Gospel and care for us, comfort us, look kindly on
us, bless us and pray for us. We are very much the grandchildren. Therefore.
the Maori clergy of the Diocese of Waikato are agreed that our Bishop should
go. Were it a long journey taking a year or more, then we might have second
thoughts. The fact is he’ll be back before many months and we will not be
anxiously looking for him.
Hori Raiti (Archdeacon)
Karira Karaka (Canon)
Hemi Pou (Minister)
Kahi Harawira (Minister)
N.B. Because our guides spiritual and temporal
have been vociferous in expressing their thoughts on the journey of the Bishop
to England, the Maori Section of the Diocese of Waiapu has decided to leave it
to the Bishop and Sir Apirana to make the decision. – The Editors.
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