Te Pipiwharauroa 30

Te Pipiwharauroa 30

Number 30

1900/08/01

(Maori Version at NZETC)

[1] Te Pipiwharauroa, He Kupu Whakamarama, Number 30, Gisborne, August 1900

TE PIPIWHARAUROA

As an outcome of the strong desire on the part of the Committee which runs Te Pipiwharauroa to improve the bird of the Maori people we have included pictures, the pictures of Lord Roberts and General Bridge, and in the next edition we will have those of Lord Kitchener and General Baden-Powell, the warriors of whom we hear from Africa. These pictures cost a lot. They are ordered from Melbourne.

If Maori people continue to strongly support our newspaper and our determination, then our messages will go out more powerfully, messages to instruct Maori.

We do not want to teach our people avarice or base thinking. Therefore we think that if someone does not pay for the paper we will stop sending it, but we will give notice by sending another two editions of the paper wrapped in red; after that no more will be sent.

A TUHOE HUI

To the Editor of Te Pipiwharauroa. 

Greetings, bird! May God bless you and strengthen you that you may have strength to carry around the news of the world. Our ears and hearts hear with pleasure the good things brought by Te Pipiwharauroa which it carries to the marae of Hine, bringing pleasure to small and great.

We send a few words for you to carry for my friends to see.

I was very happy to come to Rangitahi, Galatea. I arrived there at nine in the evening. I was overtaken by night at Ponaua. My horse gave the appearance of being distressed. As I was riding through the night there came upon me a dread of ghosts. As I was going around a corner in the road I saw an elderly person standing by the side of the road. As I was thinking that he was perhaps a ghost, he called out, ‘Hello there!’ and I knew that it was my own elder, Hamiora. Thereupon, friend, I no longer believed in this thing, a ghost.

On Sunday 8th April at 12 noon the feast was laid out. The food served at this feast was tawa berries, waxeyes, eels, pigeon eggs, pickled pigeon, fern root, and other Maori foods, along with plentiful Pakeha food. One thousand five hundred people attended the dedication of this house. Entertainments at this hui included haka, weapon drill, and other Maori activities. They raised the dust. How [?tepi] they went! One young man emerged from this hui as a star in the haka and other Maori entertainments, that was Paruru Tamaikoha.

The name of this house is Tuwhare, the name of an ancestor. Tangiharu begat Tuwhare, Tuwhare begat Kauae, from whom descends the woman whose house this is, Mereana Peraniko. The house is 36 feet long and 20 feet wide. The sides are of slabs. The roof is iron. Enough. 

W R Whatanui, 
Te Whaiti-nui-a-Toi.

[2] THE STATE OF THE MAORI (Continued)

With the coming of the Gospel (the thing which Maori say is the cause of their destruction) peace came to the whole of New Zealand; the heart of the Maori was satisfied. The practice of war was abandoned, and all turned to doing things for their well-being. All went well. We survived. But, alas, before long a terrible monster emerged to cast them down. In districts where Maori lived in fear of their enemies they lived close to one another. They did not wander to other places and they protected their women from heedless fellows who came to trouble them. Now when mischievous Pakeha saw that the way was clear they drew near to Maori villages to tempt their women. The Maori did not completely drive out such disgusting behaviour but rather welcomed this kind of Pakeha who were causing such wickedness to develop amongst them. Before long some Maori men were taking their girls onto whaling ships and elsewhere for disgusting Pakeha in order to get money for themselves or perhaps tobacco. Through this practice Maori were afflicted by all sorts of serious infectious diseases which spread amongst them.

In 1848 Mr Williams, the Brother, the first Bishop of Waiapu, told the Committee in England of the huge increase in this problem. He said, ‘Most of the Maori girls have been seduced by the Pakeha, so that there is scarcely a virgin amongst this generation of children in this area. If this practice continues it will not be long before these families are completely destroyed.’

Let us be clear about this, these evils were foreseen and the elders were diligent in urging Maori to purge their marae of all these things but they were not heeded. Amongst these things, drinking was increasing and many people were harmed by alcohol. Affliction of the body, of the spirit, loss of possessions, murder, theft, hatred, and much else resulted, and when it all happened Maori falsely said that it was the Faith that afflicted them. Alas, how ridiculous is the mistaken contention of this people. How strange!

The Maori still hold on to some foolish customs. One is that of all sleeping together in one room, whether men, women, living people or dead people. This cannot be right. Through this practice should one of them be suffering from fever, scabies, smallpox or whatever, all will catch it and only the strong will survive. 

Another bad custom is young people marrying close relatives. Men who raise animals know the rules about this and why is it forbidden to them only? The Pakeha way is to seek someone unrelated lest they raise feeble children.

I’ve said enough, sir. I shall finish here lest our bird’s throat be choked by over-eating.

Perhaps an expert will stand up and refute these mistaken words.

From your friend,
Hohepa Peka, 
Turanganui.

SOME THOUGHTS

Dunedin, 
10th June, 1900. 

To the Editor of Te Pipiwharauroa. 

Friend, greetings. 

I am sending these few words to the places to which your bird flies.

While I was travelling in the Ngati Porou area I heard about a collection being made to raise a stone memorial to Eruera Kawhia. Eruera is certainly an appropriate person to be remembered by us as well as by generations to come. Concerning the type of memorial I have this to say. Is a stone the only possible memorial to a man? Is this the memorial that is being erected? Is there not perhaps a different kind of memorial? Friend, what was important about Eruera Kawhia amongst the people who knew him was not his superb preaching but that he brought together the family groups of the East Coast. A stone memorial cannot be carried about in the heart because it stands in the one place.

Think of the stone memorials that have been erected. At Wharekahika we have that to Te Houkamau; at Wai-o-matatini that of Nehi Rapata; at Kaiti that of Hirini Te Kani-a-Takirau. If a person comes to these towns then he will learn only that Te Houkamau-ki-Waho [3] was a man who formerly lived and is now dead, and the same of Rapata Wahawaha and Hirini Te Kani-a-Takirau.

There is another kind of memorial to be mentioned. McLean has died but he is not forgotten by us. Every year we still hear the name of McLean spoken – ‘The McLean Endowment’ to support a child at Te Aute. This is a memorial that we still have and which we will go on having, and it is renewed each year. What I have to say to you is that this would be an appropriate memorial to Eruera. By such he would be known to the four corners of these two islands. The money collected could be put in the bank and the interest of perhaps £20 a year could be used to send an intelligent child to Te Aute. Let us set up a fund with the name, ‘The Eruera Kawhia Scholarship’ to be competed for by the children of this land. I know many people who would contribute if this was the proposal for a memorial to Eruera.

I hope the Colony will take up these words. If they agree with what I am proposing, then a committee should be set up to forward the matter. That’s that. 

Tutere Wi Repa.

[It would be difficult to do what Tutere is proposing insofar as the people are intent on this kind of memorial having given a large sum for it – around £500. However it is very right that we Maori should think about what is an appropriate memorial to relatives, and what they would have liked were they alive, and what would serve a purpose also. Tutere poses a question for us: ‘Is a stone the only possible memorial to a man?’ - Editor}

THE MURDER OF THE KING OF ITALY

On 30th July, King Umberto of Italy was assassinated by an Italian name Bresci. All the nations were surprised at this shocking assassination. The king was shot in a town in the north of Italy as he was entering his carriage after seeing a display. His people were shouting his praises when Bresci drew near and pulled out a revolver. There were three explosions and three bullets entered the body of the king, one bullet struck his heart. On being hit the King cried out, ‘Oh, no!’ but, although he was quickly taken to his house, as he was being carried through the door he died. Queen Marguerita thought that her husband had been wounded but when she was told by the doctor that he was dead she cried and said, ‘This is the most dreadfully wicked act of this century. Umberto was a good man, a man of faith, who loved his people. He did not hate a single person.’

Bresci was in danger of being torn apart by the crowd of people before he was seized by policemen. That man said that the reason he killed King Umberto was that he had a grievance against this people and the king. A different person had been chosen to kill the king but because that man was ill he was chosen as a substitute. There are four kings and queens remaining as targets, the Emperor of Germany being one. The kingdom of Austria had warned the King of Italy, but that king did not wish to be guarded by soldiers. He thought that no-one bore him ill-will. The king’s son and his wife were on a yacht sailing in the Great Sea [Mediterranean] and a ship was dispatched to find them. That man will be King of Italy in place of his father.

This people, the Italians, have suffered the worst assassinations. In 1894, the French President, Carnot, was assassinated and also in the same year the Italian Prime Minister, Francesco Crispi, was attacked but survived. In 1898 the beautiful Queen of Austria was stabbed in Switzerland. Italy is the base for the Church of Rome. In the past century attempts have been made on the lives of 57 kings and queens; only nine were killed.

All Italy grieves greatly for their king, plucked by a wicked hand. The whole country is in mourning. As also are the great powers of the world.

Queen Victoria and her son are very distressed at the death of their friend. King Umberto was very friendly towards England. When the Boer General, Cronje, was taken by General Roberts the first telegrams of congratulations were from that King and the King of Japan. Our telegram of commiseration has been sent to the widow of the King of Italy. The cable from Rome said:

‘While the King is lying on his catafalque there is still a smile on his face.’

[4]  

COMPARISONS

When God made the world, he made one thing each day, except for the third and the sixth day. On the third day the construction of the earth was completed, but then he made the trees to beautify the earth; and on the sixth day the beasts were made, after which he arranged human beings to be chiefs over the beasts (Genesis 1.9-13, 24-31). This was the beginning of likening trees to human beings, and there are many passages in the Bible which support this comparison. When Jacob was blessing his children he likened Joseph to a fruitful branch (Genesis 49.22). Jotham’s was the first parable told in the Bible, and that parable also was about trees (Judges 9.7-15). The parable of Jehoash is similar to it (2 Kings 14.9). David likened a righteous person to a tree by the side of a river (Psalm 1.3), as did Jeremiah (Jeremiah 17.8), and also to trees planted in the forecourt of the house of Jehovah (Psalm 92.12-14), which according to Isaiah were planted by Jehovah (Isaiah 61.3). The important thing planted by Jehovah was the branch of the vine brought by him out of Egypt and planted in the land of Canaan (Psalm 80.8-16). That was the vine over which he lamented because it did not bear fruit (Isaiah 5.1-7, Jeremiah 2.21). Although it was fruitless God blessed it for he wanted it to grow again (Isaiah 37.31). If a person seeks what is good he will be like a tree which grows strongly (Numbers 24.6, Job 29.19, Psalm 37.35, 52.8), and the dryness of the tree is like the troubles that afflict people (Job 19.10, Hosea 9.16, Malachi 4.1). In Nebuchadnezzar’s dream he saw a tree that was about to be cut down, a sign to him that he too would fall (Daniel 4.10-15,20-22). John the Baptist gave a similar message to those who would not repent; he said that they would be felled like a fruitless tree (Luke 3.9). According to Christ it is by the fruit a person bears that they will be known to be good or bad (Matthew 7.16-20). Similar to this is his parable of the fruitless fig tree (Luke 13.6-9); so it was said by the Church Fathers that the fig cursed by Christ represented the Jews (Mark 9.20-21).Christ likened the Church, the gathering of people who believe in him, to a Vine (John 15.1-6); Paul did the same except that he chose the olive as his tree (Romans 11.16-18)). Other Apostles took up Christ’s teaching in relationship to bearing or not bearing fruit (James 3.12; Jude 12).

So we see that it is enlightening to compare the parts of a tree to those of a person. The roots are what enable the tree to stand – faith is what enables a person to stand. The roots hold on to the earth – faith in the love of God (Luke 8.13, Ephesians 3.17). The root is what makes a man - if the root is right then the tree will be called good; this saying applies also to a good man. Jotham likened a foolish man to brambles which don’t have good roots (see Psalm 37.37, Deuteronomy 33.5, Ecclesiastes 11.3). The branches of a tree spread out on all sides as if they were seeking what they wanted and it is the same with a person’s thoughts (Psalm 119.112, 141.4, Ezekiel 17.7). Those who know tell us that it is not good to let the branches grow long on each side, similarly it is not good to allow our desires to wander in all directions; they need to be pruned (John 15.2). If one sees a tree in the distance it is not always easy to see what the base is like because of the many leaves; in the same way it is not possible to know what a man is like simply because he talks a lot. Talking a lot gives no indication of the quality of his deeds, just as many leaves do not allow us to see how much fruit a tree has (Matthew 21.19, 23.3, Proverbs 10.19, Psalm 140.11). Fruits, actions, are the real indication of the goodness inside a person (Matthew 7.16, 13.23, Galatians 5.22-23). God looks after with care those trees that he has planted in his garden (Luke 13.8, John 15.2, 1 Corinthians 3.6).

There is one way in which a person is different from trees. A man does not bless his trees which bear fruit and isn’t angry with those that don’t. But people know that they are commanded to bear fruit and are warned against failing to bear fruit (Luke 7.8, John 15.16, Romans 7.4, Matthew 3.19, John 15.2). Another thing, a person plants a tree in order that he may be sustained by the fruit of that tree but if we do not bear fruit, what is that to God? But God loves those who bear fruit. A man does not reward a tree for bearing fruit but, in our case, we will receive a great reward for our works (Romans 6.22). All in all, we can take from this important idea that we are to cling always to Christ (John 15.4, Romans 7.4), and to hold on to the Holy Spirit (Romans 8.5, Galatians 5.22-23).

[5]  

A TRAGEDY – CHILDREN PERISH

The heart grieved and suffered on the arrival of a telegram from Opotiki telling of the calamity involving the children from the Whanau-a-Apanui at Maraenui when they were crossing from Motu in a canoe on Sunday, 5th of this month. Eighteen died in this disaster – sixteen children and two adults, a man and a woman. There were no survivors. The family were returning to the school at Omaio when the tragedy occurred. It is thought that the canoe was struck by a wave and completely overturned. No-one was aware they had died. When the children did not arrive at Omaio, people went to search and found the bodies of three of the children on the shore. The bodies of some have not been found. The woman’s clothes were found piled on the shore and it is thought she went into the water to try to save the children. The parents of the children who died are: Arapeta – a son and a daughter; Te Waewae – a son and a daughter; Henare Akuhata – a son and a daughter; Wiremu Hope – two sons; Te Puke Kou – two sons; Ropi Hamiora – two sons; Arapeta te Rua – a daughter; Akuhata Reweti – a daughter; Nita Marion – a daughter; Pani Ratimira (the man who was paddling the canoe and who also died) – a son.

You died, beloved children, in the pursuit of the wisdom of the Pakeha. We must wait for the future to make good your deaths, your sad, pitiful deaths. You leave with your parents, your grandparents, your people, pain, sadness and grieving. Farewell, farewell, farewell, at the evil and shocking hands of disaster.

‘A voice was heard at the River at Motu, weeping and wailing and loud lamentation. It was Materoa weeping for her grandchildren. She refused to be comforted because they are no more.’  [cf Matthew 2.18]

THE WAR IN TRANSVAAL

The war of the English against the Boers creeps on. The Boers are scattered and the English are pursuing them. At different times one is ahead, the other behind, and so it goes on. The Boers hide in the bosom of their mountains and cannot be reached. But the mind of little man Roberts is at work and he is steadily drawing in his ropes to bind the Boer generals. The Boers are powerless now because their back has been broken and the will to fight is shaken. They have no hope of help from outside because the great powers have seen the justice of the English conflict. Boer spokesmen have visited the great powers seeking a negotiated peace but not a mouth uttered a whisper. Some of the Boers are very frustrated and it is only villainous folk who remain stubborn. They are stubborn lest it be said that they died because of weakness.

The English and Boer generals are apart, but when they meet the two sides still quarrel; one side suffers and the other side suffers, one side takes prisoners and the other side takes prisoners. While one small company of New Zealanders was travelling through open country near Johannesburg they were cut off by the Boers and there was a skirmish. Seventeen New Zealanders were taken prisoner and Lieutenant Lynlie was badly wounded.

Four hundred and forty-one New Zealanders have been withdrawn from the main force to join the police for several months. Perhaps it was because of exhaustion and that they could not join in the fighting that they have become policemen and labourers. The pay is better – 10/- a day. A soldier gets 5/-. Our Prime Minister has protested. However the work of policemen is as much needed as that of soldiers.

When General Hunter shut in the Boer General Prinsloo at Fouriesberg [?Puaripaaka], many Boers were taken prisoner and 100 English were liberated by General Hunter. On 10th of this month 4242 Boers had been captured by this general. His name is on the ascendancy these days.

When that demon Baden-Powell emerged from Mafeking he went to Pretoria to fight Boers and declined to take leave. When he led his army into Rustenburg he was surrounded by Boers and he was under siege for about three weeks before he was brought out by General Hamilton’s force. Being freed he went in pursuit of the enemy. Sir Powell, do you enjoy getting into the eel traps?

Many New Zealand soldiers have returned home because of illness. Many from other countries have had to give up fighting for the same reason. Fever has slaughtered more than bullets.

[6] 

[Portrait of Lord Roberts]

‘Sir, Roberts, may your name be widely known

so that your fame may be increased ….’

FIELD-MARSHAL LORD ROBERTS

We are delighted that we are able print a picture of General Lord Roberts for the supporters of Te Pipiwharauroa to see, so that they might look at the most famous man in the world today – a man who holds in the palm of his hand the victory or the defeat of England. It is a good thing to preserve this edition of Te Pipiwharauroa, indeed every edition, made into a book, to look back on in days to come. Because we have spoken a great deal about Lord Roberts in previous editions of Te Pipiwharauroa we shall not write at length now. Indeed the important thing is what we formerly printed about him.

Julian Duppa,a reporter for a large English newspaper, wrote in praise of Lord Roberts: ‘He is never heard to swear, and there are few people like Lord Roberts who ensure that their faith directs all the actions of their lives. He does not parade his goodness, nor does he compel people to think as he does, but from the beginning of this war until the present he has attended church every Sunday. He does not compel his officers to go to worship but he does not neglect to go. His is a sharp example which penetrates to the heart of his army when they see his steadfast faith. When he took the Lord’s Supper at [?Tarai-poteini – unknown Te Aka, ?-fontein] with his whole army looking on, it was not to demonstrate his faith. The crowd saw and knew that he partook with singleness of heart.’ One of Roberts’s army chaplains wrote to England, saying: ‘We are under the direction of the best general in the world. You cannot know the strength of the love that all Roberts’s soldiers have for him. He is loved not for his capabilities, nor for his fine appearance and voice; no, rather because the milk of love flows from within his heart. Everyone can see that. No matter the wickedness or the scoffing of the soldiers there, when they see what a good man Roberts is, his gentleness, humility, compassion, they cannot but be drawn to him. Roberts praised his army saying, ‘it is the best army in the world’; there is no insubordination and not much drunkenness. How many thousands of all the soldiers at present in Africa don’t take to drink? ‘There is not a general like Lord Roberts for being wanted, listened to, trusted and loved.’ His bearing is truly that of a chief! With us some chiefs debase themselves by drinking and doing wrong in order to attract young men and to be praised by people. Evil people may be praised with the lips but are despised in the heart.

A LAMENT

Everyone has heard of the brave death of Lord Roberts’s only son at the Battle at the Tugela River when General Buller was moving to relieve Ladysmith. Lieutenant the Hon. Frederick Roberts died while recovering the cannons. The news of his son’s death reached Lord Roberts on the day the Government sent for him to go to Africa to be commander-in-chief for the war. His tears fell on the way and he had to leave his wife and daughters in a sad house. Lady Roberts said [7] that her husband changed at the death of their son, and the elder acted swiftly. So, Sir, you have avenged the death of your son [? Uta atu hoki!]

‘Lord Roberts is coming!’ – all heard the cry.

The former warrior was coming to take up the weapon.

His land called him to serve the Crown of England

On the exact day his son fell.

Joy and grief came together when he saw this.

When soldiers heard of his commission

There was praise and singing for this elder.

He was lamenting his only son.

This old warrior stands with pain in his bosom.

His dwelling is desolate and in sadness

But his sorrow he has suppressed inside him.

He holds the hopes of his nation.

He goes in front of our army exhorting them.

And he raised up England by these battles.

We look with joy upon this elder.

Sadness and tears are poured out for his only son.

Ah! Where in the deeds of man, in the whole world

Is anything like this – chieftainship and love?

When the son fell in the battle, the father stood in his place.

Important ones, insignificant ones, labourers, poor ones, chiefs, be at one

In lamenting from your hearts for this elder,

And for the glorious death of his only son.

Let this word go forth. We are not overcome with grief.

We are as those who stood in rows in time past.

Lads! England has arisen, weapon in hand!

The result is that this battle has been completed.

We were very anxious at the beginning of the war

That we should win the day and defeat the enemy.

We greet the victory of our elder

In the land in which his only son lay down for his long sleep.

By Te Irirangi

SNIPPETS OF INFORMATION

On 13th of this month Apirana Ngata MA LLB went from here to Wellington. He has been commissioned to visit all parts of the Waikato and an account of his travels will be printed in Te Pipiwharauroa. Then Apirana will head for the West Coast, to Wanganui and right to Taranaki.

Because Reweti Kohere cannot be freed from his work, Apirana is going as a spokesman for the laity to the Diocesan Synod which will be held at Napier in September. If any Maori have any matters relating to the Maori Church to lay before the Synod, then do convey them to Apirana Ngata, Te Aute College, Napier.

When the Supreme Court sat here in Gisborne there were five cases. This is very few, and perhaps a sign that all is going well in this area. But of those five cases, in four Maori were the people being prosecuted! Three were convicted, one was discharged. This is a very sad thing for a thoughtful person to consider: from the small population of Maori there were four, while from the large population of Pakeha there was only one. Maori! Maori! This shows that from his heart come trouble, shame, and a bad name. Offences of the Maori include stealing horses, stealing oats, forging cheques, while those of the Pakeha are assaults on people. When a person is doing wrong the thought that is uppermost in his mind is what he will gain by it and he is blind to the wrong. But if he gets four pounds for the forged cheque he will also get a year in prison along with the shame and a bad name. The evil is much greater than the good.

FINAL NEWS OF THE WARS

On 4th of this month the advance on Peking began. Altogether the great powers mustered 16,000 soldiers. There were two battles with the Chinese. For two hours they fought at Peitsang and more than 600 of the soldiers of the powers died, including 60 English. The enemy were defeated, and the bravery of the Japanese was seen here. There was a four hour battle at Yangtaung. English and Americans made their names in this battle. The enemy was defeated. Two hundred English and two hundred and fifty Americans were killed or wounded.

In Pretoria a Boer plan to kidnap Roberts was frustrated. Their plan was to start a fire at one end of the town to draw the soldiers there, then they would have carried off Roberts, but their wish was discovered. These Boers are being severely punished because the English had previously made a peace agreement with them and they had also sworn to live peaceably.

[8] 

GENERAL BRIDGE

Since there have been many mentions of the name of General Bridge in Te Pipiwharauroa, we shall not say much about this famous man of our time. General Bridge is Irish and aged 48. During the continuing fighting against the Boers he was made a general and it is said that he is the leading cavalry officer in all the Queen’s armies throughout the world. He is the arrow Roberts lets fly from his presence to cut up the enemy. It was this man who was first to introduce New Zealand’s sons to battle. He taught them and now their fame as fighters has gone out into all places.

THE MORMON CHURCH

We have received a letter from Himiona Te Kani of Uawa, ‘a leader of the Mormon Church and their spokesman’, criticizing the words spoken by the Bishop of Waiapu at the Church hui at Wharekahika. This is what [the Bishop] said: ‘Afterwards came the Mormon, misusing the words of Scripture as a support for the erroneous teachings of his prophet.’ Himiona demands that the Bishop points out the errors of the Mormon Church, and if the errors are exposed to him he and others will leave the Church. We are not able to print in full Himiona’s letter because some of his words are very contemptuous. He said that if the Bishop cannot show the errors of the Mormons the ‘your words are wasted and you should keep your tongue in your mouth.’ To our mind these are very violent words and we know that people’s anger will not easily be assuaged at the use of such language to elders. This is the Mormons’ way of speaking, that of ‘the latter-day saints’! Brother Himiona, do you not know that this elder and his elders spoke of your barbed words these days? Be careful to hold on to the magnanimity of the aged. You are a man who quotes Scripture; take a look at Acts 23.5.

We do not wish to drag the Bishop into such disputations but rather we will try to fulfil Himiona Te Kani’s request. The Mormon Church is wrong in many ways. There are serious errors, errors which make that Church unfit to be called a Christian Church. While some of the teachings of the Mormons are undoubtedly right, the foundation is rotten.

The books containing the Mormon doctrine say:

1. In the beginning God was a man, and God had a wife, and the two of them were the parents of other gods. This teaching equates God to man, and this is a main reason why the Mormon Church is not able to call itself a Christian Church.

2. One of those books says that Adam was a god and that Christ was in the beginning a man like us. (See ‘Doctrines and Covenants’ by Joseph Smith; and ‘The Millennial Star’.)

3. It is said in one of the basic Mormon books, ‘The Seer’, that had all the stories of the Christ been written it would be discovered that Mary, Martha, and Mary Magdalene were his wives. A real blasphemy!

4. Everyone knows that Joseph Smith taught concerning marriage, that one man might have several wives. The teaching of Christ is: ‘In the beginning God made the two, man and woman. So a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife and they become one flesh. (Mark 10.6-8)’ According to him there can be just two, a man and a woman. Paul’s teaching is the same: ‘Each man should have his own wife, and each woman her own husband (1 Corinthians 7.2).’ If a man has twelve wives, which of the twelve will be able to claim him as ‘her own’.

These, brother Himiona, are some of the errors of your church; there are others but we shan’t deal with them all here for lack of space. Perhaps you have only just learned about these teachings of your church, but you must certainly have heard of the practice of polygamy. You may like to ask your Pakeha whether they are able to deny what we have written. We believe that the Bishop was right to warn the Church against this man, Joseph Smith. 

The Editor of Te Pipiwharauroa.

[9] 

THE DECEASED

The Queen’s Second Son.

On 31st July the Duke of Edinburgh, the fourth child and second son of Queen Victoria, died in Germany. That personage came to New Zealand in 1869. While he was in Sydney in 1868 an Irishman took a shot at him at a picnic but he was not wounded. The Duke was made Captain of a battleship. He was chosen to be King of Greece but did not assent. Subsequently he became Prince of one of the provinces of Germany. At present the Queen is in the house of mourning and all her countries mourn for her.

Maori Chiefs

We have also learned of the death of Paora Ropiha at Waipawa. He was a great chief of Ngati Kahungunu and an upholder of the faith.

We were sad at heart on hearing that Tuta Tamati had died at Maketu. His body was taken by his son-in-law, Apirana T Ngata, for burial at Waiapu. Tuta was a good and gentle man. He was wise. He knew the English language and the ways of the Pakeha.

One of the great totara trees of Waiapu has fallen, Hapuku-Niha te Tawhiwhi. He was a grandson of Rangi-mate-moana and a nephew of Tama-nui-te-ra. He was a good man who promoted great works for Ngati Porou and also promoted the faith. He was ill for 28 years which is why his voice was not known to other parts of the island; however his voice was known to his people, a voice of authority. He was finally brought down by a new disease. He was a gifted orator knowing the genealogies and the ancient recitations. How are the people to ensure that we have chiefly children in the future?

Ka ngaro he tetekura, ka whakaete mai he tetekura.

‘When one chief dies there is another ready to take his place.’ [cf He Konae Aronui p.33]

‘As a fern frond dies, another forces its way through.’ [cf Nga Pepeha 1766]

Our friends are gone,

Taken to the darkness;

We are left weeping.

Pity us.

THE WAR IN CHINA

News from Peking and the other towns in inland China is very confused because there is no telegraph and no trains to carry information. Some news is emerging from the hinterland but it is not known whether it is true or not; some stories are just fabrications. In the last edition of our paper we printed news from Peking saying that the Europeans there had been murdered and that the atrocities were horrible, but since then we have had news telling that most of the Europeans are safe and that the English Embassy is functioning and that people from other European nations are sheltering there. On 31st July, Admiral Bruce, the man immediately below Admiral Seymour, the commander of the English naval fleet in China, sent a message from Sir Claude MacDonald the English Ambassador, saying that they were all well. These were his words: ‘The Chinese soldiers were attacking our building, shooting at us with rifles and guns, from 20th June until 16th July. From 16th until today there have been no assaults but the two sides remain watchful. The barricades of the enemy are close to our building. The women and children in the building are well. 62 of us have been killed or wounded, including Captain [? Ta-rauta ? Trout]. Some are in the hospital with Captain [? Haratei ? Halliday]. We are all well except for David Warren who has died.’

The residence of Sir Claude MacDonald and those of the representatives of the other great powers are built to withstand fighting, like a fort.

The number of Europeans in China is 12,000; 6000 are English. These thousands came to China to make money, that is, through trade, or to work with the Chinese Government, or to carry on the work for their own governments. But there is another large group who are there because of love, who have gone to preach the Gospel of love and peace. They are the real friends of the Chinese people but this is not recognised. Their desire is not for money or goods but to win body and soul. A Chinese Christian visited New Zealand. He was a fluent English speaker. He said that China had the wisdom of the world long before today’s great nations. They were wearing silk clothes when the ancestors of the English were going around naked. [10] But China’s problem, the problem which stunted the growth of its thought and works and customs and which caused it to be left behind was not having the Gospel as salt and leaven. Had the faith entered China its progress would not have been curtailed and it would be like those other powers, perhaps greater. Napoleon Bonaparte said: ‘When China stirs, the whole world stirs.’ It is the case that because this people is widespread throughout the world, governments are afraid and are passing laws to exclude Chinese.

The Christians

The missionaries are the people suffering most – men, women and children – as they live alone, widely scattered, far from the sea where they cannot be reached with relief or other help. They had begun to be indiscriminately killed along with those Chinese whom they had turned to the faith. We have had information that orders have gone out to destroy all Christians in China, Europeans and Chinese. If the emerging news is correct then more than 30,000 Chinese Christians have been murdered. A saying of the early believers when they were suffering was: ‘The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church.’ ‘They were attacked with stones, sawn in two, tested, killed by the sword … a people who were destitute, persecuted, tormented – of whom the world was not worthy.’ [Hebrews 11.37-8]

The Invasion by the Great Powers

The main concern of the great powers is for some of their ambassadors in Peking who are besieged and perhaps killed. They want to go to those towns to save those who are alive and to avenge the deaths of those killed. Tientsin is where they are gathering and from there they set out. Many soldiers have been gathered together and the thinking of the great powers is that they should combine and be one army. These are days of preparation. The Japanese are fighting as they make their way with an army which could number 25,000. Russians are coming down from the north. They have fought against China many times and thousands of Chinese have died.

When the Emperor of Germany farewelled his troops leaving for China these were his words: ‘Your work is to avenge the deaths of the representatives of the great powers, of all the Europeans who have been murdered. When you meet, remember that you are there to destroy the enemy. Don’t take prisoners. Do not hold back but let your taking up of your weapon be effective, so that China will not pick a quarrel with Germany for the next one thousand years. Pave the way for the faith. Farewell, my friends.’ These are powerful words.

Very many English soldiers have landed in China now, most of those soldiers are coloured people from India, a people very accustomed to taking up arms and providing soldiers. Tomorrow will see the Chinese being fiercely attacked by Maori. The Prime Minister of New Zealand was the first Premier to offer soldiers to the Queen. At this moment battalions of soldiers from Australia are on the sea travelling [to China].

Li Hang Chang, a leading Chinese intellectual warned the great powers against going to Peking, lest news of the coming of the army led to the killing of the Europeans there. The Chinese Government also said that it would conduct the Europeans to Tientsin, but perhaps the thousands of troops will not wait. They will not delay because every day the Europeans’ supplies of food and powder diminish and perhaps this is a Chinese ruse. There is also a concern lest the Europeans be murdered by the Boxers on the way. What will be the outcome of these troubles?

Count Waldersee the commander of all Germany’s troops, has been appointed commander of all the soldiers of the allies in China. This was the result of careful discussions amongst all the great powers.

SOME MURDEROUS ABORIGINES

A cable from Sydney tells of the murder by some Aborigines of some Europeans, men, women and children, at a small inland town [Breelong, NSW 26th July 1900] – a terrible murder. The Aborigines accused of those murders are Jimmy and Joe Governor, Jacky Anawutu, Jacky Porter, and Jimmy Governor’s wife, a European woman.

Those Aborigines went to Mawbey’s house. When they got there that man was not at home, only his wife and children and a female teacher. When they knocked on the door of the house it was opened by [?Paahi ?Boss], a fifteen year-old boy. With one blow from the axe from one of the Aborigines he was killed. [11] The Aborigines called out, ‘Let’s go in and kill them all.’ One of the boys hid under the bed, one climbed out the window to look for his father. By the time the father arrived the murderers had fled – but their massacred victims were heaped up.[?Hirita] Mawbey and Miss Kerz [Helen Josephine Kerz], the teacher, escaped by the window and they ran holding each other’s hands. All those left in the house died. Then Jacky Anawutu chased the two of them. Miss Kerz was struck down first with the axe (when found she was lying in her nightdress); Hirita struggled to run but she fell into a ditch and was struck down by Jacky there. Others killed were the wife of Mawbey, one of his daughters, Grace, and his nephew/niece, [?Erehi – ?Ellis] Clarke. Grace got out the window but was killed once she had got out. Two small children were not killed.

It is not known what great reason [?pakari - ?caused] the Aborigines to kill people. They worked as fencers for Mawbey. There was very little money and they were not paid, but Mawbey always gave those Aborigines food. Only Jimmy Governor and Jacky Anawatu were not captured; they had escaped into a very large and treacherous bush, which made capturing them difficult. The two of them had horses, guns and axes. Those of them who were captured said that they had not done the murders. Jimmy Governor’s wife was a very wicked woman. That woman was caught as a result of Mawbey’s wife, after she had been attacked, saying that she heard a woman’s voice outside the house. At the trial that woman laughed all the time.

Afterwards news came that an elderly man by the name of McKay [Alexander McKay] had been murdered. His wife was also struck but not killed. Afterwards came news that a woman [Elizabeth O’Brien of Poggy, near Merriwa, Upper Hunter District] and her eighteen month-old little son had been murdered; the mother was shot with a gun and the child cut with an axe. The killing of these was atrocious. McKay’s children were spared when they gave horses to those Aborigines. There may have been other people killed. Many people are searching for these Aborigines. Dogs have been set to smell out their tracks. £200 reward has been offered for the capture, dead or alive, of each of those people. This is a very wicked killing.

The Aborigines of Australia are one of the oldest people in the world, and the Maori are said to be the finest of all the native people, but some Maori debase themselves by killing people. Many people would not commit murder if they would but open their hearts to be a dwelling-place for the Spirit of God. As Christ said: ‘From within men’s hearts come evil thoughts, adultery, fornication, murder.’ [Matthew 15.19] If the Holy Spirit of God dwells in our hearts then evil thoughts, adultery, fornication, and murder are done away with; instead there will be abundance of the blessed fruits of the Spirit, namely, ‘ love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness’ – a heart at rest, a heart under control.(Galatians 5.22,23). ‘My child, give me your heart.' (Proverbs 23.26)

MY TRAVELS

Gisborne to Nelson

The Pakeha says that a person gains great wisdom from travelling the earth; by doing so he meets various kinds of people, sees new things, and sees different and wonderful things. I don’t know how much wisdom I’ve got from travelling around, but I know this, that I’ve had much pleasure and been well looked after. I tell you about the things I’ve see, not to boast, but to give an account to those who have not seen those places and to inform ourselves, the Maori people, about each hapu, because we Maori are one family of younger and older brothers and sisters.

Last October I sailed from Gisborne to Napier on a very beautiful boat, the Zealandia. On board I came upon Archdeacon Langley of Sydney and his wife who were going to the wedding of the daughter of Irene Donnelly. They and I were glad to meet again in this world; I met them in 1897 in Sydney. The Archdeacon spoke of his great admiration for New Zealand and said that he wanted to come and live here as a missionary to the Maori. He remains one of the leading ministers from overseas. I left them at Napier and went on to Wellington, and I was fortunate to see the departure of the first contingent of soldiers for Transvaal. I shan’t make any comment on this great day; all has been said.

[12]

From Wellington I crossed Cook Strait to Picton (Waitohi). Leaving behind the open sea the boat sailed between the hills. After going many miles we reached Waitohi. The boat takes a different channel from Waitohi to Cook Strait then. It is a shorter time to the open sea. It goes between the islands and the numerous bays of the mainland.

A Monster Fish

When we approached French Pass, a narrow channel of the sea between D’Urville Island and the mainland, a frightening fish attached itself to our boat – perhaps it was a monster. It was completely white and 17 feet long. It is said that this fish may have lived for 15 years in this place. It does not venture elsewhere but it waits for the ships to be its playmates. While the Takapuna was sailing fast that fish still went in front with its tail repeatedly hitting the prow of the ship. Afterwards it went alongside as if it were racing the ship. At other times it dashed in and rammed the side of the ship. When this happened the people shouted but the fish didn’t go away. The time came when perhaps he thought he should go back, whereupon he went to greet the Clarinda which was sailing quite close behind the Takapuna. It is said that the fish likes the Wainui best. It is a real pet of the Pakeha and the Governor has made an order that no-one should kill it. It has been named Pelorus Jack.

Nelson

The passage of the ship through French Pass was remarkable. The Pass is extremely narrow; two small ships could not pass through it together. It is said that French Pass has perhaps the strongest currents in that area. If the tide is wrong then it is like rapids and a ship cannot get through. When we emerged from French Pass we headed straight to Nelson. Nelson is a very beautiful town with good Pakeha who are caring towards the Maori. In this town are some Pakeha with a special love for Maori. Their concern and their love for Maori is greater than that experienced at any time by Maori of Pakeha, even those Pakeha who are teachers of Maori. This is the town which embraced the boys from Te Aute when they arrived there to play football and some of them wept when they left. This is the town in which Fred Bennett was raised and taught, so that when he grew up he was ordained into the Maori Church. Here also Riwai Hiwinui was brought up in the same way as Fred Bennett. And this is the nest in which was hatched, in which was born, in which was nurtured, and in which was heard for the first time the sweet cry of the people’s bird, Te Pipiwharauroa..

‘Listen to the song of Te Pipiwharauroa…! Whiti-whiti-ora, Oh my heart….!’

 Tipi-Whenua

(To be concluded)

A NOTICE

To people wishing to have the Book of Common Prayer and Hymn Book. I have many copies of these books now. The price: Large, paperback – 2/6. Large hardback – 4/. Small paperback – 1/-. Small hardback – 2/6. Small superior hardback – 3/6. Hymn Book – 1/-. I will pay the postage to send the book to you,. H W Williams, Te Rau, Gisborne

The Hymn Books have all been purchased. We will notify you when some more arrive.

RULES OF TE PIPIWHARAUROA

1. Te Pipiwharauroa is published monthly.

2. The cost of the paper is 5/- a year, payable by Postal Note or stamps.

3. When the shillings sent in by someone are used up then his paper will be wrapped in red; after two such postings of the paper it will cease to be sent.

4. It is acceptable to contribute articles from anywhere in the land, but it is for the Editor to decide whether to print them or not. Write clearly.

5. Address your letter like this: TO TE PIPIWHARAUROA, TE RAU, GISBORNE.

SUPPLEJACK SEEDS FOR OUR BIRD

10/- Eru Moeke, A T Ngata; 7/- Hone Matiaha; 5/- R M Hapa, Wiremu Potae, Hone Paerata, T W Hakuere, C G Spencer, Hana Maraea, Tuta Ngarimu, Mrs Ngata, Wi Pokiha, H Rapihana, C Ferris, A H Turnbull, Anaru Ngamu, Henarata M Kohere, Mrs Keefer, Mrs Hooper, H Hei

2/6 Raniera Matingare, Aporo te Moana; 2/- Wi Matangi; 1/- Nepia H Tititaha

H W Williams, Te Rau Press, Gisborne