Te Pipiwharauroa 55

Te Pipiwharauroa 55

No. 55

1902/09/01

(Maori Version at NZETC.)

[1] Te Pipiwharauroa, He Kupu Whakamarama, Number 55, Gisborne, September, 1902.

CONFIRMATION

(See Number 48, February 1902.)

The first thing a person has to affirm when he is baptised and which he has to affirm anew before he is confirmed is that he will ‘renounce the devil and all his works, the pomps and vanity of this wicked world, and all the sinful lusts of the flesh.’ [Book of Common Prayer.]

1. To renounce the devil and all his works. Let us not think mistakenly that Satan is of no account. No, he is likened by Peter to a lion wishing to swallow us up (1 Peter 5.8). He is the chief of the wicked angels (Revelation 12.7). He and those angels fell because they stubbornly rejected the pronouncements of God (2 Peter 2.4, Jude 6).He it was who deceived Adam and Eve (Genesis 3); but there came the prophetic word from God that he would be brought down by Christ (Genesis 3.15). Christ came to bring to nothing the works of Satan (1 John 3.8).; however it is right that we should renounce all his works, that is, that we should fight against him with all our strength. The things which will enable us to fight powerfully are the weapons of God which Paul speaks of in Ephesians 6.10-13.

2. To renounce the pomps and vanity of this wicked world. In the beginning the whole world was good, but Satan corrupted it. In the time of Christ and shortly after, the wickedness of the world was clear to Christians, since the man of Christ was content to be martyred and to be freed from the wickedness of the world.But now the world is different: the world no longer fights against the Christian’s body to put him to death. But we must be careful not to be taken in by the pleasant things of the world, lest we make something in the world our master (1 Corinthians 6.12). Satan tempted Christ in this way (Matthew 4.8-9). Let us continually fight against the desires for possessions, power and suchlike; these are things that pass away. And let us remember that Christ continues to pray as he prayed for his disciples, ‘I do not ask that you will take them from the world but that you will protect them from doing wrong. (John 17.15).’

3. To renounce all the sinful lusts of the flesh. It is not the flesh that is to be rejected but its ‘many sinful lusts’. Through the fall of Adam sin has afflicted us (Romans 5.12). However Christ has made us holy and righteous (Romans 5.17); our bodies have been made temples of the Holy Spirit in which we may give glory to God (1 Corinthians 6.20). If we carefully consider this we shall not pursue ‘all the sinful lusts of the flesh’ (Romans 6.12-14).

You agreed at your baptism to renounce these three things and you renewed that vow when you were confirmed, but you are not yet free from those things. There was a prayer for you at your baptism that you may ‘continue Christ’s faithful soldier and servant unto your life’s end.’ [BCP] You will not have strength to fight that battle if your prayer to the Father is not strong: ‘Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.’

SOME PROVERBS FROM CHINA

The woman who seeks to be observed by men is a crafty woman; beware of her glances.

The woman who is spoken ill of by her children is an enemy to the whole people.

Listen to the worlds of an elderly woman: she has been taught by many years of sadness.

Like sheep without a shepherd are women gathered together to gossip.

[2] NEW ZEALAND TO ENGLAND

Cape Town to Madeira

Hooray! There is a Peace Treaty to end the War.

This will be a short letter before we arrive tomorrow morning at Madeira where I will post if. My letter which I posted at Cape Town should be on its way. While we were in Cape Town we saw many different things. This town was full of soldiers and at night soldiers were posted as sentries. The soldiers were afraid to go about the streets at night. I visited the home of Cecil Rhodes at Wynberg [?Muizenberg], eight miles from Cape Town. He was one of the leading people in Africa. It is a beautiful house. Its gardens are forested and the site has wild animals. I saw three lions there. As for his house, it is not a very large house. At Wynberg I came across a New Zealand soldier who took me about this town which was full of policemen who are protecting the town and its activities against the Boers night and day. In the evening I returned to the town. In Cape Town they have an arrangement: all passengers on ships travelling to other places have to have a ticket before they can go. This is a cautionary practice because of the war. We were there for three days. On Wednesday 4th our ship sailed. This ship is excellent when it comes to travelling fast. We were two days at sea when it started to get warm; we were nearing the line of the sun [?equator]. We photographed in Cape Town. We were also given a case of tobacco, eight wads of tobacco for each person and some packets of cigarettes, and some books to read. Major Pilcher gave them to us. He is the New Zealand Government representative here. Mr Seddon was made much of here and we heard that perhaps he will be appointed Governor of the Orange Colony. On Wednesday 11th we crossed the line around the middle of the world, the Equator. It was an extremely hot day, our mouths were open and gasping for air, and no-one wanted to wear clothes. Lads, it is summer here and the sun sets at seven. It is winter for you there. Not much is done on board ship – singing, dancing, entertainment, eating, sleeping and that’s it. The members of my haka team are bestirring themselves. Our officers are very grateful to me for leading our haka party. The performance makes one shiver and they take up the words in a resounding way. On Monday 14th we held our sports. I entered four races and won two. I won £1 17s 6d. Terei won the 75 yards race and was second in another, for which he got £1 15s. I was the one amongst us who won most money. We are all well. One thing that occupies us is carving pipes which we sell to the Pakeha. This morning we sighted the Canary Islands. Tomorrow morning we arrive at Madeira, a Portuguese island. On Monday 21st we arrive at Southampton. Prince Francis of Teck is one of the passengers on our ship. He it was who brought Lord Kitchener’s oath with regard to the peace to the Boers. We [?meet up] in the ship every day, perhaps three or four time in the same day. That’s enough of my talking. Send this letter on home. You people at home, greetings to you all. I am extremely well. Greetings, Oha and your grandparent, and also Pani and Hira. That’s all.

From your younger brother,

Henare M Kohere.

SS Kinfauns Castle.

MADEIRA TO LONDON

Hello everyone. On arriving here I feel much love for you all; here I realise just how far away I am from home. Re, I was very grateful on receiving the letter from you and Poihipi. It was waiting when we arrived here and on looking at it I was glad to see that you are all well. Greetings! I am very well and have not yet suffered any illness.

I sent a letter form Madeira. Now let me begin this letter at the time before our arrival there. Our Lieutenant, Uru, went down with fever. It was very bad. On 17th June we arrived at Madeira, a Portuguese island, a very beautiful town. Some of us went ashore. One enjoyable thing there was the diving by the town’s children: they were able to dive underneath the ship from one side to the other. If a few coppers were thrown far away one by one they would dive for them and placing them between their toes they would rise to the surface. Those children had great stamina. There we ate summer foods, - strawberries and many summer foods. Our ship put in there to take on coal. We stopped there in the morning [3] and sailed again at 12 noon. Then we looked forward to the time we should see the famous land of England. The English town our ship will berth at is Southampton. On Wednesday 18th we were off the coast of Portugal [the land of the Portuguese] and on the morning of the same day we were off the coast of Spain [the land of the Spaniards]. At dinner time that day we entered the Bay of Biscay, a place where the seas are very rough. When we arrived there our ship began to pitch. We were told that that was calm, but to us it was very bad. On that day, 19th, our captain was taken ill and we were all sad; we were like sheep without a shepherd. On the next day for the whole day we sailed through very rough seas. At dinner-time we crossed the English Channel and we saw ships and steamers sailing for various parts of the world. We knew that next day we would arrive in Southampton. We began our preparations though our officers were still lying ill. Taranaki was very ill though Uru was looking better. We were given tobacco, 21 rolls each, and [we did justice to it - lit. the going of the tobacco was wicked]. At night-time on Monday 21st we sighted land and entered the bay [the Solent]. There was much shouting. It was beautiful entrance. There were ships and steamers anchored there. It was not long before we were tied up at the wharf. Colonel Porter was standing on the wharf; he had come from London to greet us. He greeted us Maori affectionately saying, ‘E ta ma, tena koutou.’ [Friends, welcome!]. He came on board and went to see our officers who were in bed. He gave instructions that they be taken to hospital. We felt it greatly when they went and were separated from us.

It was not long before we descended to the wharf and our feet were standing on this famous land of England. We did not see much of this famous town.

Now I am going to write about something very entertaining here which you can put into Te Pipi. One of us is from Te Waipounamu [the South Island], his name is Weteri. Now the Pakeha people here, those Pakeha who have not seen Maori, think that the Maori People do not know how to speak English, that we are black, and that we still eat people – this is a very great thing. When they saw us two Englishmen began to bet. One of them said that those people do not speak English and the other said, ‘I bet you that they know our language.’ Then they arranged a drink of beer as their bet. One of them said ‘I shall go and ask that one if he knows [English} Then that man went to Weteri. Let me say that, when those Pakeha were making their wager, Weteri was listening to what they were saying. This fellow came and asked Weteri if he knew how to speak English. Weteri replied, ‘Kaore mohio Pakeha.’ [‘No know English!] The Pakeha shouted with delight and then went to his friend and said that he had won the bet because he does not know our language. When Weteri heard this he went and called out, ‘I say, what is it?’ The other shouted with delight that he had won the bet because he knows our language. Weteri replied that they had both won, but the right thing now, I think, is that they should have two drinks. This is the end of the story.

After a little while we got on the train and travelled here to London. The trains in this country go differently, they hiss along. From the train we saw the countryside. Strange! They were cutting hay and digging potatoes – summer activities. It looked like New Zealand. It is 87 miles to London and we covered the 87 miles in two hours. While we were waiting we saw the chimneys. There were no open spaces; it was built over. Everyone, when you see this town of London it is awesome; the buildings all stand close together like some hills [at home – lit. over there]. They are from 8 to 12 storeys high above ground and there are also levels under the ground. I am not able to describe adequately what this town is like. We were not taken to the town but headed straight to the place in which were to stay. It was seven miles from the centre of the city, but we travelled all the time through built-up places, and going underground we arrived at Alexandra Palace. We descended and went to the camp. Pakeha stared at us Maori and followed us, overawed. Alexandra Palace very old. It was not lived in by royalty. We slept in tents with hammocks and ate in the Palace where the cooks and stewards were English.

Before our arrival there the organisers of the soldiers had said that we Maori should be put with the natives of other lands and separated from the Pakeha. Mr Seddon said that he did not approve of us being with those other native people but that we should be in the place where the Pakeha soldiers were accommodated. [4] Consequently we are the only indigenous people who are together with the Pakeha. When we arrived we were invited to perform haka at an evening concert in the Palace garden. Here the sun sets at 9 o’clock and rises at 2 in the morning. You have to consider what this place was like. The haka was not good because of the crowd of people; the place was full. A place was cleared for the haka but before long it was full of people because people were trying to see the Maori haka and consequently there could be little in the way of actions – we could chant but not move our hands. That night we went to sleep for the first time on land after sleeping at sea for the nine weeks we spent travelling from Lyttelton to Southampton. The next day being Sunday the soldiers paraded and went to the Palace for a service. When that ended we were issued with money - £5 each. On Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday we drilled on horseback and in the evening wandered through the streets of this town. English folk looked after the horses and took them to the stables; all we had to do was mount them and go. On the Tuesday we heard that the Coronation was postponed because the King was ill. Things were different and that day each group of people arranged to do their own thing. Then we were permitted to go off to do as we wished, to see the famous sights of London – the Tower, Crystal Palace, and the Zoo. I saw many parts of London, the places we had read about in our school books. I cannot write about them at present. Re, there is very little time to write, we are always on the go, being invited by this and that Englishman to his home, so that we are out of breath. We get little sleep. Things are different for us because our officers are not here: the two of them and Taiaroa are still in hospital. Many of us became ill during our first days here. The place in which we are living is good, it is high up and we can see the town below, though our eyes are not able to take in the whole town. One remarkable thing here is the size of the trains; they go whizzing by from all over the place. I travelled on a train which went underground and went under the River Thames. A wonderful thing! Some trains travel above some of the buildings. The trains are like tuatara or rats tunnelling into the earth. If you go into town and want to go to a particular place you head into the middle of the street and there is the entrance.

We are still one of the peoples that the Pakeha follow, even coming into the tents, and if he can shake hands , then that Pakeha is content. Even though we look very different they still come in. The Pakeha are very kind to us, but the kindness of the Pakeha here to the New Zealand soldiers is not like the kindness shown by the Pakeha [of New Zealand] to the English soldiers when they arrived there. Tomorrow we go to Spithead to see the naval ships.

I end my letter here and will write again very soon. Greetings to you all. God protect you.

From your loving younger brother,

Henare M Kohere.

Alexandra Palace, June 27.

NEWS FROM ENGLAND

The Shah of Persia, the King, arrived to see King Edward. He received a huge welcome from the King and the English people, and he in turn gave warm greetings. It is said that his clothes sparkled with diamonds.

England also welcomed warmly the Boer Generals, De Wet, De La Rey, and Botha. They saw the King on board his yacht, ‘Victoria and Albert’. They are collecting money for the benefit of the Boers in Africa.

The King has gone sailing on his yacht along the coasts of England and Scotland. He has completely recovered from his illness, since he was able to go shooting. The King was seriously ill. A person is lucky to survive, but the King recovered his health very quickly. The heavenly Father restored him through the prayers of his people. It is said that the King is selling his race horses.

We have received an English newspaper and read articles praising the Maori for their bearing and for their wisdom. Their haka were greatly appreciated; the Pakeha found them very remarkable. Because the paper is so full we are unable to print all the letters we have received from England, but be patient [?kaua e whakapaua wawetia]. If anyone receives an interesting letter from England please send it to be printed in Te Pipiwharauroa.

[5] A PLEA TO THE MAORI PEOPLE

To the Maori people of the two islands of Aotearoa and Te Waipounamu; to the leading men and women; to the men and women, to the elders, to the children, to the girls. Greetings to you all. This is a request from us, from the Sale Committee of the Victoria Maori School, to ask you to help us with our objective to increase the funding of the school. Girls and Pakeha women throughout New Zealand (though most are from Auckland and its environs) have decided to devote their energy to helping their younger sisters, Maori girls, and it is their hope that you will all help to make this sale a success. A room is being set aside for Maori artefacts only, given by Maori – mats [?takapau,whariki], clothes, kits, poi and other Maori treasures. If all Maori people support this sale by making things for this sale, one doing this and one doing that, it will not fail to make much money because your Pakeha relations really want the things you make. Maori people, we wait for you to answer our prayer. So, greetings to you all under the protection of our one King, and also under the graciousness and love of our one Lord.

From your loving friends,

The Committee.

L Gillies, Gladstone Road, Parnell.

M Horton, St Stephen’s Road, Parnell.

A Stevenson, Portland Road, Remuera.

E Clark, Victoria Avenue, Remuera.

TO DOCTOR POMARE

Friend, greetings. Some Auckland girls and women have had the idea of putting on a sale in March 1903: the money from the sale will go to the Maori Girls’School. One of the tables will be set aside for Maori artefacts only – small mats, kits, hats and other Maori crafts. We think that Maori girls and women will support this effort if they hear about it and that individual girls and women will send their crafts to be sold. Because the Committee do not know the appropriate ways to inform Maori people about this sale and to seek their help, and knowing your understanding of the Maori and that you travel in their areas, the Committee would be grateful for your help in making known the sale to the Maori people and perhaps you could send us the names of women and girls who would support this effort, so that we can write to them.

Lady Ranfurly is very supportive of this sale and has agreed to be the Chairwoman. She has said that the sale may take place in the grounds and one of the halls of the Governor’s House in Auckland and hopes to be there for the opening.

That’s that.

From the Committee.

THE SAD HEART

We felt great sadness and shame when the Supreme Court sat here, indeed at all the sittings of the Supreme Court here in Gisborne. A sitting of the Supreme Court does not pass over the head of the Maori. At this sitting there were two criminal cases, and the two involved only Maori. The judge complimented the Jury on there being so few criminal cases, but he spoke strongly saying that although Maori are few in number, they have many criminals.

The crimes were very serious and the alleged criminals were held in prison. The first crime was one of having sexual relations with a girl who was not yet sixteen years of age; she was a niece of the accused. This is a very disgusting crime. We have publicized it not because we want to but in the hope that the many people who are saddened by it will set about looking for a way to reduce this offence, because the abuse of children takes place in all places. Parents should be careful of their daughters and not allow them to go unsupervised to hui, or to shearing sheds or to tree felling.

The second crime was theft of money. The shop was broken into, the money box was carried outside where it was broken open and a large amount of money and books were taken, Most of the Pakeha said that this was not done by Maori, but some Maori children were found to have done this skilful burglary when the smallest of them confessed. The smallest was let off. It is astonishing what these children know about theft. Some people think that these children have read bad Pakeha books which contain stories of theft, and there they have learned about it.

People, this is an indication that Maori are descending into crime. If this saddens you then take up the Faith as a medicine against evil.

[6] 

THE CONTINGENT OF MAORI SOLDIERS

Cape Town to London

I wonder how you are all getting on. I long to receive news of home, because we’ve been away from New Zealand and home for a long time. On our first day in the camp we received letters from the two of you. Perhaps you had heard on which day we would arrive in England. On 4th June we sailed from Cape Town and arrived here on 21st. This is our second week in London and at last we have free time to write to you. I have so far received three letters, some may still be on the sea. Perhaps your many problems have prevented you from writing.

My heart is seeking a way to write to the two of you about all the things I have seen: it is a huge task which would take many hours to complete. We had a very good journey from Cape Town to Southampton where Colonel Porter was waiting for us along with one of the officers of the Duke of Connaught, younger brother of the King. Here we boarded a train and at 12 o’clock we arrived on the southern outskirts of London, and at half past three we arrived at Alexandra Palace to the north of London. The two of you know that famous London is big, but a person cannot conceive how huge this town is. There are people swarming around the streets and the roads are full of coaches, buggies and carts. If a person were to climb to a high place in the centre of London he would not be able to see the extent of the town, and also the skies are darkened by the amount of smoke from fires.

The place where we are staying is in the north of London. If we go to the centre of town it is half an hour on the train or one hour on the tram. Were I to go to see all the good places of London I could not accomplish it in a week. Everything is here, all sorts of constructions, and they are awesome. Although we have been here for two weeks we have not seen an eighth of London. Wherever one goes there are thousands of people, there is no open space, and no place to rest. Following the instructions of the Pakeha we have visited many places. Yesterday we went to the home of Lord Onslow, one of the former Governors of New Zealand. After dinner we went to a part of London (Earls’ Court) which has been made to look like Paris, the capital city of the French. Here one finds all manner of French things, just as if one was in a French town.

We visited the Tower of London, a building built like a fortress. Here is the building where important people such as Lady Jane Grey and the Earl of Northumberland and his entourage were imprisoned in former times. I saw the rooms in which they were imprisoned. We saw also the room in which Guy Fawkes was imprisoned for his plot to set on fire with gunpowder the Houses of Parliament. That room was scary. The Tower stands in several acres. We also visited St Paul’s, the great English cathedral, the Temple, the military barracks, Westminster which is the building in which the King and Queen will be crowned, the Houses of Parliament, and many other places.

The place in which we are staying is Alexandra Palace Park. We sleep in tents but eat inside the building. Thousands of people come each day to wander about here in the park and in the house. In this building are a theatre, a concert hall, and a shop. In the evening more people come into this building than all the people of Gisborne. Because there are so many people in the garden and the building you may mistakenly think that you only find the people of London here, but if you go to another place you find the same multitude of people there. The Pakeha greet us warmly. They see it as a great honour to talk and walk beside the people of the colonies, but they especially seek out the Maori. Once they have talked with and then perhaps shaken hands with the Maori, away they go. We are continually being invited by the Pakeha to go to their houses, to dinner, to the theatre, and to countless other entertainments, so that presently it becomes boring. But it is never boring to think of Gisborne, of home and of peace. We have met some young Pakeha boys from New Zealand.

You are perhaps sad at the King being struck down by illness and for the postponement of the coronation but it has been rearranged for August. Thousands of people are standing outside the King’s residence waiting to hear if he is getting better or worse.

At the end of this week Kitchener arrives from Africa; this will be a great day. His thousands of soldiers are assembling to welcome him, and we are joining in the welcome. Only the soldiers from Canada have returned home because of the postponement of the coronation.

We have not yet gone outside of London, but tomorrow we go to Windsor Castle, the [7] main residence of the King. The castles and palaces are wonderful constructions, a single one covers a large area of land. In these buildings one finds a church in one place, a public house in another, a theatre in another – there is no end of things. In our palace there is a church containing the second largest organ in the world; the largest organ is in Sydney. Last Sunday the Archbishop of Canterbury [Frederick Temple] preached to us. He was not different from most bishops, but he was drier than some I have heard.

Having spoken to Watene and Arapata I went to Hyde Park, they having told me I ought to go. This is where the leading people in London meet up. The crowd are driven along in their carriages or their motors. It is a beautifully decorated place. Here there is a lake which looks like snake. When I arrived there were thousands of people there. Under the trees was a counter containing all sorts of food.

Enough of my words, strange as they are, and I have gone on and on. We are all well. Only Taranaki is ill and still in hospital. Give my love to all the folk at the College.

From your loving friend,

Terei Ngatai.

London, July 8th.

AFTER MANY YEARS

To Te Reweti Kohere.

Friend, involved in the work of our bird, greeting. May you always be blessed by the good works of our blessed Lord, and may he protect you there and me here. So much for the greeting. Many years have passed since you came here with Pomare and Timutimu. At that time it was decreed that there should be a school here and this month, at last, it is completed. The building stands in a beautiful setting. There are 40 children in the building. It was opened on Sunday 24th. On Monday there was the feast and Hemi Huata came here on that Sunday. Now, friend, appreciate that what you and the Government ordered has been done. Hence these words to inform you.

From your loving friend,

Te Teira Tepaea.

Tangoio, August 16th.

ODD ITEMS

The hymns printed in the last edition of Te Pipiwharauroa, ‘Jesus as Friend’ and ‘Bury the Sorrow’, were translated into Maori by Apirana Ngata.

Two people in the Wairarapa died because of a charcoal fire and some escaped with difficulty. They went into the house and having put a charcoal fire in a tin they went to sleep. Two of them did not wake up. People should be very careful of a charcoal fire: it is very poisonous, and the poison is worse when there is no fresh air moving through the house.

Takirihi Kaukapa of Ngapuhi has been sent to prison for six years for the shooting of his wife. He and his wife were at loggerheads because of the violence of the husband. When his wife left him he decided to shoot her. One day when the wife and her mother were walking along the road they were stopped by Takirihi. He shot his wife who fell to the ground. He mistakenly thought he had killed her and he fled. The woman recovered. The man hid himself for nearly a year but when he returned home he was handed over to the law.

We have received a letter from Wiremu Rokena of Matakohe, Kaipara, lamenting the death of his beloved friend, Hori Wetini, an elder who supported the works of the Council, an important person of Ngatikuri. He died on 21st July.

Wire Potae of Te Touwai, Whangaroa, has told us of the goodness of a Pakeha lady in nursing to health the Maori of his district; many people have recovered. They were struck down by Typhoid Fever and were not restored to health by the doctor but by that woman. If people ill with Typhoid Fever do not receive good nursing they will not recover, whatever medicine the doctor prescribes. It was the woman who brought them healing, not the doctor: the doctor gave medicine but the woman gave instruction and nursing.

The date for the sale of the Tai-Rawhiti company lands has been put back two years. They have been put in the hands of a board of three Pakeha to manage. Under a law passed by Parliament that board has been given powers of management.

The Tutanekai came to Gisborne bringing the members of Parliament to see this district. Amongst them were Timi Kara and Tame Parata. Those people praised the fertility of the Turanganui land, and they also spoke in praise of Timi Kara, [8] the first Maori to win a Pakeha seat [Waiapu Electorate 1898], also to become a Minister in the Government. One of the South Island members said that Timi Kara was the most sought after Minister. Tame Parata said that the reason he came here was to see the place at which his canoe, Takitimu, landed.

THE PLUME [?RAU] OF THE HAKA

We have seen in the newspapers of England and Scotland words of praise for haka done by the Maori soldiers who are visiting England. They have performed the haka in the presence of the offspring of kings and of the nobility of the Pakeha. When they performed their great haka in London, they did their haka to raise money for a hospital. While they were doing their haka they were surrounded by thousands of Pakeha. Their haka was good, so good that they were asked to do it again. There was huge appreciation from the Pakeha. When all the soldiers from the colony visited Scotland, each people did their own thing, drill or whatever. Forty thousand Pakeha watched. At the end came the Maori haka. The Glasgow Herald newspaper said: ‘The best thing of all was kept until last, the Maori haka done by 27 of the New Zealand soldiers. Words are inadequate to depict the power of the voices, the distortion of the bodies and the faces; it was as if they had returned to the former state of the Maori, the state of the cannibal. The eyes were lifted up, the faces were arrogant, the bodies were all quivering as if they were about to attack the enemy. They were completely absorbed in what they were doing, the movements of hands and legs were co-ordinated, although they were not always raising and lowering their hands as one. It was not possible to repress our heartfelt admiration. The Maori haka is a great treasure. Presently the many people were hoarse from shouting their applause.’

After the haka the Governor of Glasgow stood to congratulate the soldiers of the colonies on their presentations. He said that he had no desire to praise the performance of one people but if he had to choose what he liked best he had to say that the Maori haka was the best, and from the resounding applause it was obvious that the people agreed that the Maori presentation was the best.

DEATH FROM THE CHARCOAL FIRE

Friend, Reweti Kohere, greetings to you and to your new elder who are preparing our young men to take their place in the vineyard of our Lord; may he pour out upon the two of you his many blessings, and upon your two families, and upon Herbert and Mrs Herbert [Williams] and their family.

Friend, this is about a new and different misfortune, and I would like our bird with the sweet voice to carry it to the marae of our relations as a warning for them.

On Thursday 14th of this month some men went to work at the house of a Pakeha, three were adults, one of whom was deaf and dumb, and one was a child, making four in all. One the evening of the Friday the Maori asked if they could sleep in a building; this was the hut in which their employer made cheese, though it was a long time since that Pakeha had given up cheese-making. He agreed to their request because they pleaded insistently with him. The Maori set about making a fire in a tin which they filled with charcoal and carried into the hut. Then they shut the door and the windows and went to sleep until dawn, and right up until dinnertime. Then the Pakeha went to the outside of the hut and heard snoring. In the evening the Pakeha went again and again heard snoring. The Pakeha spoke to his wife saying that the Maori were still asleep. His wife told him to pound on the hut with an axe. The Pakeha knocked on the hut with an axe. The Maori were still snoring and did not wake up. The Pakeha had not opened the door but the wife of one of the Maori had become anxious. On the Sunday morning the Pakeha sent his son to fetch some Maori. When they arrived they opened the hut. It was still hot. As they looked carefully they saw that the child and the [?whanga-turi sic.] were dead. The man and his wife were still breathing. On Monday 18th this tragedy was investigated. There were present the judge, the doctor, the policemen, the Pakeha man and the Maori. It was found that this tragedy was caused by gas, there being no vent [in the hut]. On Wednesday 20th I buried the two who had died. The doctor said that the two who survived would not die. To look at they were getting better and appeared to recognise people. Friends, it was a pitiful thing to look at those who had survived in that their bodies were like corpses; [9] only by the gasping of their breath were they any different from corpses.

These are the names of these people. Those who died were:

Hamuera te Pakaru who was about 60 years old, he was a deaf mute, a third cousin of mine, descended from chiefs of Ngati Kahungunu in a direct line from Mahinaarangi

Hape Ngahiraka, 12 years of age, who had a crooked leg. He was a noble child, also from Ngati Kahungunu.

Those who survived were:

Kawhena Kaparatehau, around 60 years of age, a descendant of Hoturoa and Kahungunu.

Waita Kawhena, a chiefly woman, also a descendant of Kahungunu, about 55 years of age.

Their home was Te Whiti, near Masterton. May we get through the many troubles of this year as it nears its end. The Lord is here to bless you and others of our family in the world and also us here.

From your servant in the Lord,

H Teri Paerata.

Papawai, 
August 26th.

NOBILITY.

Te Mahara.

These are encouraging words, even flattering words spoken by the Pakeha. Of all the native peoples of the worlds the Maori People of New Zealand are the pre-eminent. Maori are a noble people, noble in their works, noble in their thinking, noble in their speech and noble in their bearing. I agree with these words spoken by the Pakeha about us Maori but my heart is uneasy that perhaps the nobility of the Maori is decreasing. Many Maori are doing despicable things, just like the despicable things done by Pakeha, and consequently they are being led further into bad practices by Pakeha riff-raff, and yet Maori befriend Pakeha like that. Some Maori have learned to steal, to use foul language, to curse, and they are only concerned about themselves and give no thought to most of the people. There are some Pakeha who despise the Maori simply because they are Maori with dark skin, but if Maori have noble thoughts then the appearance of their skin is forgotten.

Those who read Henare Kohere’s letter in the last edition of the paper saw his account of the appearance of the black people of Africa who were like dogs, pulling the carts, and who were not permitted to walk on the pavements but only on the roads used by animals. In the trains of India there are carriages set apart for the native Indians and they are not permitted to occupy the carriages set aside for the Europeans. In America the European people do not like the blacks to mix with the Europeans. A black person is not permitted to marry a European, whatever the wisdom or the standing of the black person. President Roosevelt invited a black bishop to his house, and when the Pakeha people heard of it they were very angry. When the soldiers arrived in England for the coronation of King Edward the native soldiers were separated from the Pakeha soldiers, but because the Maori and Pakeha of New Zealand are one, the Pakeha did not agree to the separation of Maori from them, and Colonel Porter said that as commanding officer of the New Zealand soldiers he could not agree to the proposed separation of Maori and Pakeha. The Pakeha of England thought mistakenly that Maori and Pakeha did not live together here. But of all the native people who came to the coronation of the King the Maori of New Zealand were pre-eminent, and the Pakeha contended to follow and to see and to shake hands with the Maori. The Pakeha recognised that the Maori were a noble people. Some of the members of the New Zealand Parliament are Maori, and a Maori is one of the members of the Government. It is not so with any other people.

But, people, we must take care that we do not fall into bad ways so that we are despised by the Pakeha. One wrongdoer can result in the whole people being given a bad name. I was pleased to hear that the people of Rotorua did not agree to pull the buggies of the largest public house in Rotorua; they did not agree that we should be belittled. That is good and right. I saw in the newspapers that Maori and not permitted to sit in the public houses in Taranaki. Perhaps this is the only town that has this provision. This is an insult to Maori, but I have heard that there is a reason why Pakeha feel badly towards Maori – that the Maori have spoiled their houses. Perhaps by one bad action the majority of Maori are given a bad name. We are troubled and embarrassed. If Maori continue to spit in the streets of the Pakeha then perhaps by and by we will become like the blacks of Africa and will be compelled to walk in the roads like animals.

And so, people, I urged us to behave in a noble fashion in all that we do: the reward for goodness is honour, the reward for wickedness is shame. [10] One day here in Gisborne, Maori joined in the activities. But I was saddened when I heard a Maori using foul language and cursing. He was looking after the hangi when, because this was an unusual thing for Pakeha, men, women, and children gathered to watch, whereupon he cursed the women and children. A leading Pakeha came to see me about the bad behaviour of that Maori and when I arrived he was still cursing. When I said that what he was doing was wrong he used foul language and said that he wasn’t going to listen to a minister. Why did he say that I was a minister? I am not a minister. Perhaps he thought that it was only a minister who would condemn swearing. The Pakeha swear but this Maori was cursing women and children. If this were done by most Maori then I would support a law banning Maori from Pakeha gatherings. There were other Maori there but perhaps they were scared to put a stop to that man’s cursing – afraid. Such are the bad things of the Maori which are offensive to the Pakeha. This is not the bearing of a chief.

People, be honourable in your dress, bearing, travelling, eating, speaking, thinking, and working; take care of our honour and do not let it be defiled by ignominy.

(To be continued.)

A TRAGEDY AT TE RAU

At the start of College this year we suffered a terrible blow. One of the students died in the sea on 3rd of this month. Some decided to go and get sea food. Five went in the boat – Riwai Hiwinui, Ware Waitai, Karira Karaka, Raniera Kawhia, and Ernest B Cartwright, a Pakeha.

When the party went out in the boat they were warned by the Pakeha to watch the land for large waves, the end of a southerly buster. Some of the Pakeha said not to go, but they were determined. They had only got out to sea and were crossing the reef when a wave rose up and the boat was thrown up and overturned, throwing all five together into the water. According to them that was when their Pakeha friend died; he was perhaps struck by the boat. When he rose to the surface he was dead. Those on shore saw what had happened and returned to the river to fetch a boat. After the boat came a launch. Had they been long Ware Waitai would have died. As he was going under, Ropere Tahuri grabbed his head. Ware was in front of the Pakeha. Riwai went into the sea but clung to the timber. The launch headed out and saved him. When they got to land, Ware and Raniera were in the worst state, but the doctor worked on them and they were revived. Raniera had been a sick man and he had not long recovered from the illness when he was tipped into the sea, but he is very strong. Karaka’s face was black from striking the boat but he was the one who came through conscious.

Great sadness came over the College. The reason for the disaster was their youthfulness: they did not attend or whatever. People who knew the shore had gone home, and if they had listened to the warnings to watch out for the rocks they would not have suffered but would have gone a different way over the reef. It happened because of the determination of youth. The body of Cartwright was left in the sea where it had sunk. This Pakeha was perhaps 21 years of age, a lovely personality, and a man of faith. He came to Te Rau to learn the Maori language. He wanted to become a Maori missionary, but was overtaken by tragedy. Returning to the College he met his friends, went to the boat, and the consequence was tragic. His parents are in England and may not have heard yet that their youngest son has died.

What can bring peace to the sad heart is the knowledge that he went directly to stand in the presence of his Lord. Although he was young he had sheaves of wheat to lay at the feet of his Lord, more than thousands who have grown old. God knows the reason why he so quickly called his servant to his rest.

When one of the friends of Cartwright heard that he had drowned, he presented his book and the verse of Cartwright’s favourite hymn, a hymn which seems to be a prophecy of the manner of his death:

When at last I near the shore

And the fearful breakers roar

‘Twixt me and the peaceful rest,

Then, when leaning on Thy breast,

May I hear Thee say to me,

‘Fear not, I will pilot thee!’

[11] 

THE ELEVATION OF COLONEL PORTER

Although Colonel Porter arrived later in the war, he fought some battles. His Contingent, the Seventh, fought a major battle against the Boers and many of them were killed. At the end of the war Porter was made a Brigadier-General, and on the King’s Birthday he was given the honour of C.B. But now Porter has had the good fortune to be made a Baron, joining the nobility, and is able to sit in the House of Lords in the English Parliament. His new title is Baron Strathnairn. His wife, Herewaka te Rangipaia, is called Baroness Strathnairn. She is the first Maori and perhaps the last to become a Baroness, a Lady. This is not a given name but a name derived from his ancestors. Upon the death of his ancestor, a great man, an English Field-Marshal, there were no issue and, as Porter was the nearest relative he inherited the title from his ancestor. He receives not just a title; along with the title there is a large estate, its wealth and houses. Porter and his family may go to Scotland where their lands are. Porter is a man very well known to the Maori of this area. He joined in the fighting against Te Kooti. This Pakeha is one of the elders of Ngati Porou.

SOME OTHER ITEMS

On 8th of this month the New Zealand soldiers sail from England on the Tongariro, arriving in Auckland on 24th October. Tomorrow perhaps a great many Maori will have sailed for New Zealand. On this ship will be Mr Seddon and his family and Porter and his daughter.

Apirana Ngata has arrived in Te Waipounamu to organize the elections of the members of the Councils of Araiteuru, Arapawa and Mahunui.

At the end of the term of office of Lord Salisbury [the Marquess of Salisbury] as England’s Prime Minister, his nephew, Arthur Balfour, has been installed as Prime Minister. He is a wise, good and faithful man. This man has visited New Zealand and has an estate of 3000 acres at Pahiatua.

One of the subscribers to Te Pipiwharauroa, Hirini Whanga, lives in Utah in America. This elder went with his family of eight to the Zion of the Mormons. We have learned that one of his children, Pirika Whanga, has died after being thrown by a horse. A main occupation of his was riding horses and it happened that his death came about through a horse.

THE SALE IN AUCKLAND

We have published the letter from the Auckland Maori Girls’ School great sale committee and we have received also a message from the secretary of the school urging us to publicize that cause. People, may all of you consider the objectives of that sale. It will be a great thing and the wife of the Governor is sponsoring it. It has been arranged that that parish and that area of the Auckland diocese will have stalls and a stall has been set aside for the Maori People also. All the proceeds of this sale go to the school, that is, to the betterment of the Maori People, and therefore we must support strongly this effort. Let the tribes, the leaders, the Councils, and the ministers give their strong support to this thing.

Kits should be small, six inches long more or less and four inches deep more or less, and should not be decorated with Pakeha paint. The flax alone is fine, or perhaps kiekie, and you can decorate them with black or perhaps with golden-yellow sand-sedge. The mats should also be small enough to be used to stand dishes on, about two feet long and one-and-a-half wide. Poi should be large with the strings made of flax fibre and not of wool. Do not attach any Pakeha adornments to them. Large mats are welcome but not too many. However send all kinds of Maori artefacts. Give the objects to the appropriate people, or show them to us. So then, people, best wishes to you in this important work. – Editor.

COLLECTION FOR THE TE RAU CHAPEL

£10 Mrs Hunter Brown; £2.2s Bishop of Nelson; £1.1s Rev W H Bawden, Rev J Marshall; £1 Rev J Hobbs, Mr R T Kohere; 10/- Mr J Holloway.

[12] 

CALENDAR: OCTOBER

Day 2 New Moon 4h 39m p.m.

Day 17 Full Moon 5h 31m a.m.

Day 31 New Moon 7h 44m p.m.

1 W

2 Th

3 F Fast

4 S

5 S Nineteenth Sunday after Trinity

Morning Evening

Ezekiel 14 Ezekiel 37

Ephesians 5.22 – 6.10 Luke 7.1-24

6 M

7 T

8 W

9 Th

10 F Fast

11 S

12 S Twentieth Sunday after Trinity

Ezekiel 34 Ezekiel 37

Colossians 1.21 – 2.8 Luke 10.1-17

13 M

14 T

15 W

16 Th

17 F Fast

18 S Luke, Evangelist

Isaiah 55 Ben Sirach 38.1-15

1 Thessalonians 3 Luke 13.1-18

19 S Twenty-first Sunday after Trinity

Daniel 3 Daniel 4

1 Thessalonians 4 Luke 14.1-25

20 M

21 T

22 W

23 Th

24 F Fast

25 S

26 S Twenty-second Sunday after Trinity

Daniel 6 Daniel 7.1-9

1 Timothy 3 Luke 18.31 – 19.11

27 M Vigil, Fast

28 T Simon and Jude, Apostles Athanasian Creed

Isaiah 28.9-17 Jeremiah 3.12-19

1 Timothy 5 Luke 19.1-28

29 W

30 Th

31 F Vigil, Fast

NOTICES

We have some Catechisms to be Learned by Children, and Sunday Prayers. If a clergyman lets us know what he requires we will send them free of charge.

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.

A NOTICE

To those wanting a Prayer Book or Hymn Book. I now have plenty of books The prices are:

Large, soft cover 2/6

Large, red cover 3/-

Large, hard cover 4/-

Large, superior cover 5/6

Small, soft cover 1/-

Small, red cover 1/6

Small, hard cover 2/6

Small, superior cover 3/6

Hymns -/6

Clergy requiring Hymn Books can contact J Upton, Auckland, and the price will be less.

I will pay the postage to send the books to you

H W Williams,

Te Rau, Gisborne

People wanting a Bible or a New Testament should apply to the Bible Depository Sunday School Union, Auckland.

Bible, 2/6, 3/6, 4/6. Enclose a postage stamp for 1/-.

New Testament with explanatory headings 2/6, 3/-, 4/6. Enclose a postage stamp for 3d.

Small New Testament with Psalms 2/-, 2/6, 3/-, 3/6, 4/-. Enclose a postage stamp for 3d.

SUPPLEJACK SEEDS FOR OUR BIRD

5/6 Te Rere Paipa; 5/- Hata Te Poki, Hirini Whanga, Nepia Mahuika, Mrs Keefer, P R Meo, Eru Te Toi, Hori Pawa, H K Taiaroa, Aperahama Renata, Waikura Tautuhiorongo, Weeti Katae; 2/6 Wharetunoa Anaru, T Gough, Robt. Ormsby Sr, Sam Gilman, Matene Naera; 2/- Hori Tangata.

H W Williams, Te Rau Press, Gisborne.