Te Pipiwharauroa 56

Te Pipiwharauroa 56

No. 56

1902/10/01

(Maori Version at NZETC.)

[1] Te Pipiwharauroa, He Kupu Whakamarama, Number 56, Gisborne, October 1902.

‘REMEMBER JESUS CHRIST’

2 Timothy 2.8

(This is the first sermon preached by the Rev F W Chatterton in the Maori language. It was delivered at Te Arai Turanga, June 6, 1902.)

I shall try to preach to you in the language you know. You'll appreciate that I left a largely Pakeha congregation in Nelson to come to the Maori people.

I will speak briefly. There is no greater task than speaking of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We all say that we are Christians. We meet together in the church which is a sign that we are Christians; and yet we continually forget Jesus. Why did Peter fail in the court of the High Priest? Why did he deny knowing Jesus? He forgot his friend, Jesus. In the same way, why does a person today steal? Why does a person get drunk? Why does a person commit adultery? Why does a person use foul language? Because they forget Jesus. If they remembered Jesus they would not fail in such ways. God’s word states clearly that we should remember the reason why he came into this world.

1. He came as the saviour of sinful people.

2. As a friend for those who wish to follow him.

3. As a pattern for those who wish to follow him.

4. As a teacher for people who wish to walk in the light.

Now hear God’s word that we must remember Jesus. Because we are in need of a saviour to save us from our many sins. We are unable to cleanse our hearts, but Jesus came to save us by dying on the cross for our sins. So remember him; let us believe in our hearts.

We are in need of a friend. Perhaps we have many friends in this world, but one may have died, another may have moved away to a different place, and yet another is unable to help us. But Jesus is a friend for every day, a friend who does not disappear, a strong friend who is able to help us. So let us remember Jesus and put our trust in him.

We are in need of an example. We look to this person or that person but all are sinners. There is not a person who is fit to be our guide, but Jesus has come and he is without sin. Let us look to Jesus and we shall see one who is totally fit to be our example. So remember Jesus. Turn to him.

We are in need of a teacher, a leader who will direct and guide us. We want this thing or that thing and we are distracted, but listen to Jesus.

Certainly Jesus has come to be our saviour, friend, example and teacher. Believe in him, trust in him, follow him, listen to him, that is, remember him at all times. Remember him in the hour of testing, remember him in the hour of suffering, remember him in the hour of sorrow, remember him in the hour of weakness, remember him in the hour of death.

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THE CHIEF

Te Mahara.

In my first article I wrote of how white people have despised black people, and of some other reasons for Maori being spoken badly of by Pakeha. In this article I shall point out some thoughts to distinguish between the bearing of a chief and the bearing of riff-raff. But perhaps my eyes are Pakeha eyes since my chief is a Pakeha. However nobility is not something on the outside but on the inside, it is not conferred by one’s clothing or speech or by the colour of one’s skin, but by one’s thoughts and attitudes. A chief is a chief whether he has white skin or black skin, whether he is rich or poor. Maori know how a chief behaves. A minister in former times said that a chief’s word is very sacred, it will not fail, even though it is not signed and sealed, but today there are very few chiefs whose words can be trusted, and chiefs are some of the worst cheats. We have heard how a Maori carried water to a Pakeha officer who was calling out for water during the battle of Gate Pa when the bullets were still flying. This was the action of a chief. When Hone Heke took the guard house at the flagstaff at Kororareka, a Pakeha woman was found in the house. When she saw the Maori she burst into tears thinking she would be killed, but Hone Heke comforted that woman saying to her, ‘No karai pakeha, mi no kira wumana.’ [No cry, Pakeha, me no kill a woman.] After this, Hone Heke commanded one of his men to guide the woman into the town. His attitude was that of a chief; he was afraid to lift his hand against a woman. Ngati Porou tell how, when the Hauhau were taken captive at Waiapu, one chief ordered that they be killed, but Mokena Kohere saved them and gave orders for the Hauhau to be released. It is said that the Government urged that Waiapu be confiscated. A large sum of money, £7,000, perhaps £10,000 was laid in front of Mokena, but Mokena returned that money. That elder said that the quarrel was his, not a Pakeha one. Had Mokena thought as a base-born person he would have taken the money. The lust for money is what debases a person, leading to theft and to false witness in court, and presently the person is no longer ashamed of evil speech, his heart is hardened and there is no awakening.

Money consumes a person’s thoughts. He thinks wrongly that the Pakeha does nothing except for money. However there is work done for money and work done out of love. There are indeed perhaps some people who will say that if they are paid well then they will make things for the sale in Auckland. But this is a work of love not for money, and secondly it is for the benefit only of Maori. I heard some Maori saying that Henare Kohere should be paid money for saving the Pakeha at East Cape. That was a work of love; his reward was honour, not money. A missionary woman was taken ill in America; the doctor was at a different place. Out of love some Indians crossed the sea in a canoe, despite the roughness of the sea, to fetch the doctor. For three days those six men battled with the sea before reaching land. When the Bishop enquired about paying them, their captain was angry and said, ‘Do not talk about payment to my men lest you offend them. You know what the sea was like. No-one would dare sail on it even were he paid in gold, but this woman loves us and has given herself if need be to die for us, and likewise had we died for her it is nothing to speak of.’ The Redskin has the heart of a chief.

One sign of a chief is that he does not seek praise from people – because he is a chief he fears being made much of. Lofty mountains, though, cannot be hidden. The attitude of the chief is to put himself last, but this attitude is praised by people.

Te Pipiwharauroa printed some articles to guide people in their village and their home, ‘Some Chiefly Practices’. However some people did not like those articles. They did not like to be instructed; they read there articles they did not like. They would rather be instructed in how to be despised by the Pakeha, in how not to be accepted in the places of leadership, in how to have separate rooms for Maori and Pakeha, since for the Pakeha these are all signs of a chief. It is not only great works which show whether a person is a chief or low-born, but small things too. People let us hold on to our nobility, that of the Maori, so that other people will acknowledge our nobility. If the heart is noble, the outside will be noble: chiefly attitudes are better than chiefly blood.

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SWEARING

(To the Editor of Te Pipiwharauroa.)

Friend, these few words are being sent by your friend so that my friend and others can see these words of support. Friend, I am gratified by and I give glory for some instructive words in our paper in September concerning ‘The Chief’. I am very glad to have read those instructive words; I greatly detest the practice of swearing. It is the case that we Maori are continuing to do wrong, and it is still the case that the Pakeha tell us to go outside and there we are, standing outside. In my understanding the person who swears is mad; perhaps his brain has been turned by the heat of the stones of the hangi. It is my desire that the Marae Councils will attack the people who adopt these behaviours. Best wishes, Let us do away with those things we hear on the side. This island e-e-e! Be strong in attacking the works of the devil.

From your friend,

W Pekatitoki.

Wai-o-Tapu

[I am very happy with Wi Pekatitoki’s words in support of mine; his heart has latched on to the concern of my words, which is a sign of love. Are any other people going to write on this subject? Wi, best wishes to you. – From Te Mahara.]

WONDERFUL LONDON

I am very sad that I have not written sooner. These weeks have been so short. I shall not be able to write of all the things I have seen. I am very well and have nothing to grumble about. Only our captain is unwell and lying in hospital but he is getting better and it will not be long before he comes out. It is not possible to convey to you how much we are enjoying staying here, and the Pakeha have given us a great welcome. Every day we receive invitations to go to tea or to dinner or to what have you. It was good at first but after a while it has become a bit tedious. Thousands of people have come to our camp. This Pakeha will speak to the Maori and present them with a card inviting them to his home. There are times when the box is full of cards. Nothing the heart desires is lacking. Of all the native peoples in London the Maori are pre-eminent. The Pakeha wants to see and talk with the Maori, and the Pakeha says, ‘The Maori are the best of them all.’ Despite the wonder of London, the people as a whole are ignorant about the great people. They do not know the whereabouts of this land of New Zealand; some think it is in Africa or Sydney or Melbourne. There are articles about Maori in the newspapers every day. One told of the Pakeha who went by mistake to the Fijian camp and said, ‘Ah, there are the Maori.’ Some days they ask the Maori to point out to them the Maori, and when the Maori says that he is a Maori they are surprised.

London is a very amazing town. A person coming to London learns a huge amount. In New York everything is new, but all those things and more can be seen here also. All the famous places of London are preserved. The Tower of London looks the same as it has for centuries past. There are still guides who know the stories of all the things in the Tower, some ancient things. The British Museum is a wonderful place in which everything is heaped up. We also saw the Temple, the building where the lawyers work; again it is a very old building. The corridor in this place is where William Shakespeare gave one of his addresses to Queen Elizabeth. In this place is a table from the time of the coming of the fleet of the Spaniards (Spanish Armada) to attack England. After the defeat of the Spaniards, Elizabeth and Drake, her general, dined at this table.

We saw St Paul’s, the great cathedral of England. The minister, if he stands at the far end is invisible, he is so small. Inside St Paul’s are other small chapels - which is different. The summit of St Paul’s is a dome, which ensures that however small the voice of the person he can be heard in all parts of the building. I am not able to tell you all about one of the huge churches of London, Westminster. It is here that the King is crowned. And I am not able to tell you about the Houses of Parliament. The house which was not as I had imagined it was Buckingham Palace, the London home of the King. You would not know that this is the residence of the King of the British Empire When you look at the outside it is not different from most of the buildings in London, but you know it is a king’s house because of the iron gates and the soldiers guarding the gates.

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There are thousands and thousands of marvellous things here in London. It would fill a book were I to write of them all. In London you see the well-to-do and the poor. On the western side of the town is where the top people live. There you find some of the world’s leading streets – Bond Street, Oxford Street, Piccadilly and others. Everything in these streets is very fine, but the prices are exorbitant. The pocket suffers! At the western end of Oxford Street is Hyde Park, a very ornamental place. It is possible that our camp will be moved there to Kensington this week.

In the middle of London is the heart of the city, It measures one square mile. One finds there the buildings of the great enterprises, the Bank of England, the Stock Exchange, and the many associated businesses. Because so much work is done here and there are so many people permission was not given for electric tramways to run in the streets. If anyone wants to cross a main street it is a major enterprise and you can find yourself waiting for half an hour before getting across.

Some parts of London are terrible, the poorer end. When I saw this I was thankful at heart for being born in New Zealand; there is no reason for a man being poor in New Zealand. But here in London if a man is born poor he will remain poor to the end of his life. Here one is followed by children pleading for coppers and if the child gets his copper he is as happy as if he had got £100. There is a great division between the top people and the poor.

The King’s Castle

Yesterday we travelled out of London by train to Windsor. We had been invited to go. The soldiers who guard the King’s Castle, the Life Guards, invited us. After dinner we were given a guided tour of Windsor Castle, the main residence of Queen Victoria. In this castle are some things from ancient times. The Duke of Argyll guided us. Thousands of people in London have not seen the things we saw. Only the part designated for the King we did not see, but other rooms, those set apart for kings coming to visit the King of England, we saw. We saw the room where all kinds of weapons were heaped up. The highest part of the castle is the Round Tower. The Saxons began the building of this tower, afterwards came the Romans, and after it was worked on by the Normans, the ancestors of the English. It stands on a small hill and it is the best place in the castle for seeing in the distance. People have heard how carefully guarded the king’s castle is: when the hat belonging to one of us was blown off by the wind into the garden, he was not allowed to fetch his hat but it was retrieved by one of the gardeners. When we had seen over the whole house the Mayor and Council of Windsor put on a banquet for us. Eton College is not far from here. The English boast that the great battles at which their enemies were defeated were fought on the playing fields of Eton. Their generals were educated here. But I would add the hills of New Zealand to Eton for the soldiers of New Zealand were taught on those hills. But the places in London are still the most remarkable. We have not as yet visited the Crystal Palace.

The King’s Fleet

Last week we went to Portsmouth to see the display of battleships. This is the most wonderful thing I have seen. When I saw with my own eyes the fleet of ships I had to agree with the statement that England is Lord of the Seas. Lying at anchor were all sorts of naval vessels from huge ships to torpedo boats.. I was overawed. And yet these ships were just those from the Channel ports to the south of England. It would be very good if after the King is crowned he and other kings along with the soldiers from the colonies could come and look. No gun sounded. The ships floated on the surface of the water, not disturbed by the sea or anything. Our boat drew near to one and we shouted, and the sailors responded with greetings. Everyone took up the songs, ‘Rule Britannia’ and ‘Three Cheers for the Red, White and Blue.’ There were bands on each ship which took up the songs. Our day was taken up with looking at the battleships, and when we returned to land we had no voices.

On the next day in the morning the Queen, the Prince, the Prince of Wales and Lord Roberts came to see the soldiers from the colonies. This was a great occasion. Our route took us close to the King’s palace so that he could hear his soldiers passing by while he lay ill. When the Queen and her party had inspected the soldiers we all assembled for the March Past that is,  

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we passed before the Queen and her family while the band, the best band in the world, played. While the soldiers were passing, thousands of people were shouting without inhibitions. When we were returning to the train I saw Piki, a man from Gisborne, amongst the crowds. When he saw me he ran to shake my hand but the policemen chased him and pulled him back. He asked Henare and me to his home but we have not gone.

It will be a great day in London when Kitchener arrives from Africa; the English are preparing to welcome their warrior. The soldiers have been summoned to gather. The road along which Kitchener will travel has been decorated and this will be a great day.

I have not so far spoken about the bedecking of the town for the coronation day. It is very good and something to wonder at. The streets are decorated with flags, flowers, and a great variety of things, and moreover they are lit up by electricity. Various things are depicted: there are writings, flags, crowns and many such embellishments. At night they are lit up. Some large buildings, built at considerable cost, have been knocked down to make space for the building of grandstands for the onlookers. £50 is the lowest price for a seat. Some wealthy people have paid a great deal of money to demolish buildings belonging to others so that, after the coronation of the King, they can erect new buildings. It is not known how they got their money but they have it, and they will build larger buildings and still have thousands of pounds left in their pockets. Many of the buildings in London now were completed for the occasion of the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria. You know how much money was lost when the King became ill.

This coming week we are going to Birmingham following an invitation. Although we have to travel by fast train it is great to see the countryside. The parts of London we have seen are very beautiful; I’ve not yet seen a hill here half the height of Titirangi. There is not an inch of land undeveloped which is not nearly the case there in New Zealand. Although this is summer I have not yet seen a dry place outside of London and the grass grows green.

The railways which go underground are remarkable. You go down 40 or 50 feet into the ground from the streets of London and come to the station. If you wish to travel about you can get into a train above ground and perhaps at the next station you will find yourself going down into the ground. And so it goes down. As for coming up, the train may carry you up or perhaps you will taken up in a lift [box]. There is also a train here which travels in a tube under the ground and which is powered by electricity. The cost on all of them is two pence. It is truly remarkable.

People say that one can obtain many things for very little money in London. That is very true. Many things can be purchased for one penny, but before you've turned around you find that even the smell your pennies has disappeared [kua ngaro-te-haunga-ahi o o kapa]. Use the pennies and you use the shillings, use the shillings and you use the pounds, and your pockets are empty. It is not possible to talk about everything. The heart is so bewildered at so many things to contemplate that perhaps I’ve forgotten the important things.

How are you all, and all Gisborne? My thoughts turn homewards often. I hear you have been doing wonders at football. We are not able to get to the football. It is not possible to write to each one of you; only in New Zealand do you have this treasure – nothing to do. Here our work is drill, from morning until night. If we go out to dinners we go as soldiers together, we return in the middle of the night, and first thing in the morning we are drilling on horseback. We are soldiers all the time. My love to you all.

From your loving friend,

Terei Ngatai.

FROM THE EDITOR

We are sorry that we are unable to print all the letters that we receive.

The paper replied to Hone Wiki of Te Kao. Why was he answered when that was his home?

We are very sad at the wickedness of some people who steal the papers of those who are paying for them. This practice strikes at the paper and it will discourage people from supporting our language. If a person is caught taking the paper wrongly then tell us and we will summons him for theft.

People, remember the request of the sale committee in Auckland, of the chiefs, of the Councils, of the clergy, and tell people to pay attention. Don’t let people think that they will do nothing. Some people are waiting to be ordered. The work will not be done if there is no boss.

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A DISASTER CAUSED BY DRINK

It is a dreadful thing when men fall victims to bullets from a gun or when many men are cut down by volleys from cannons. It was dreadful, it was wicked, and death is always a shock, especially when the killing was clearly by the hands of men. In the 32 months of the fighting with the Boers, 21,942 English died, most from sickness. We express regret for the number of people killed, yes this is a great calamity. But there is a much worse calamity. During these 32 months when the English were fighting the Boers, 320,000 English people died as a result of drinking alcohol throughout Edward’s realms. In one month of fighting 686 people were killed, and in one year 8,232. Those who died from drinking alcohol during one month numbered 10,000, and in one year 120,000. More people died as a result of drinking alcohol in ten weeks than all the English who died fighting the Boers over 32 months. The explosions of the Boer cannons have now ceased but the cannons of alcohol don’t stop; they still weep and the rumbling continues.

The money used for the war totalled £180,000,000, not including the amount the English used for guarding the wives and children of the Boers. This amount was used in two years and eight months. During the same time the English spent £500,000,000 on alcohol. The war consumed £67,500,000 in one year, and the war has come to an end. Alcohol consumed £187,500,000 in one year and drinking continues.

If this £500,000,000 were used to build fighting ships for the Empire it would provide 1240 ships and would save the lives of 320,000 men. The Athenic is the largest ship to visit New Zealand and is 12,234 tons. If the money spent on alcohol were used to build steamers, 2270 the same size as the Athenic could be built. If the money spent on alcohol in New Zealand were split up between all the people it can be seen that each man, woman and child would have £3 10s 11d each year.

People, avoid this ‘food’. Be men. Stop ascribing pleasure to that disgusting ‘food’. Cows drink water, flowers take in water, birds drink water, and the cows are strong, the flowers are beautiful, the birds fly high – why do men not follow your example? Why do you drink foul water [wai-piro – booze], stinking water?

When the election of Pakeha members takes place there will be a vote to approve or disapprove of the sale of liquor. This power has not been given to us, the Maori. The Pakeha is able to consider allowing Maori to have liquor or perhaps to deny it. This is treating us Maori like children. This is a plea to Maori and to half-castes voting for Pakeha members to vote against this spring of temptation, of wickedness and sin. We know that although a person drinks liquor he will not be sad to be deprived of this beverage. If a person votes it is only the first line at the top of the paper that should be struck out, that is, these words:

I vote that the number of licences in the district continue.

THE WIFE OF CAIN

Pakeha frequently ask believers this question, ‘Where did the wife of Cain come from?’ And there are Maori who ask the same question in order to mock the Bible. Most, indeed the great majority of people who ask this question are wanting to find fault with the Bible, and they say there is no God or heaven or even hell. They ask if there are not errors in the Bible and about God. But they are the ones who are at fault; they are troubled by their sins. They seek to banish God and hell from thoughts for the short time they live. People, it is not the case that your unbelief does away with God or hell. Do not be mistaken.

A certain Pakeha asked Dr Torrey to explain to him the wife of Cain. When Dr Torrey asked him if he would believe if he explained it to him, that man said that he couldn’t promise it. The purpose of that question was to provoke and not a desire on his part to believe. And this is the case with most people who ask such questions. But Dr Torrey enquired into the character of that man and he discovered that it was not the wife of Cain who was a problem for that man but the wife of another man with whom he had an adulterous relationship. The person who rages against the faith knows that it is rather he who is at fault. You who sin, turn to God and do not bury your head in the sand thinking mistakenly that your whole body is hidden and cannot be seen by God. Is it to be Christ or the devil, heaven or hell? Stand up and look about before you fall. Why should you perish?

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OTHER ITEMS

On 11th of this month in 1899 the war with the Boers began. The fighting went on for two and a half years.

On 8th of this month in 1769, Captain Cook landed at Turanga, the first place he came to in New Zealand 133 years ago. There is a memorial stone to Captain Cook erected in Gisborne.

A telegram from America tells us that the grandson of Pirikama Ianga, a spokesman for the Mormon Church, has been put in prison for killing his mistress. The woman was the wife of another man. He battered the body then threw it in the river.

This month Ripi, Mahuta’s son, died.

Aata Wopereki [Arthur Warbrick] has also died. He died in the sea at Ohiwa, Opotiki. He was a ferryman. When his boat was carried out to sea he plunged into the water and went under. Perhaps he suffered a seizure. His wife, on shore, saw his plight.

The Timaru set sail from Lyttelton for Kaipara in the first week of September. It is a large sailing ship with three masts. It has not yet arrived and it it thought that it may have capsized.

The Paparoa is a large steamship, a mail boat, but it was challenged by sailing ships. When it sailed from Cape Town it raced against a sailing ship. For four days they stuck together but then the sailing ship was left behind because the wind died down.

It is a major concern that the price of wool this year has fallen because some woollen mills are reclaiming wool from old clothes and re-using it and mixing it with new wool. What needs to be done to put an end to this practice is to pass a law requiring the labelling of clothes indicating that they are made from new or old wool. At present the price is the same because people are ignorant as to whether the wool is new or old.

The Rev James Lyall, who is responsible for hundreds of Gisborne Pakeha turning to God, has said that New Zealand is the most beautiful country he has seen and that the Maori are the most beautiful indigenous people he has seen. He spoke to the Te Rau College urging those present to pray earnestly that God will give his blessing to the Maori People.

The Christian is joyful and there is no joy like it. The heart overflows with the joy of peace. He sings out of the fullness of the heart. There is no joy like it. If the great number of people who suck at the breasts of this world knew of the wonderful joy of faith, then all would have turned to Christ. I listened to the songs of the hundreds of Christians here in Gisborne Town Hall and joy welled up in my heart. We raised our right hands as if Christ were standing amongst us. One Maori asked his friend, ‘Will it be like this when we reach heaven?’ The reply was, ‘It will be awesome!’

ELECTION DAY

During the second week of November, perhaps on 15th, there will be the election of Pakeha members. We have received a letter from Tuta Nihoniho advocating that Wi Pere should be member for the Tai Rawhiti, along with his speech about the things which  make it appropriate for Wi Pere to be member. We do not agree to printing the notices concerning candidates lest Te Pipiwharauroa be seen to be a partisan paper.

A telegram has arrived from Rotorua saying: The whole of Arawa has nominated Pirimi Mataiawhea to be a member of the New Zealand Parliament. – Mita Taupopoki and all Te Arawa.

THE PARTY OF MAORI SOLDIERS.

On 18th of this month the Tongariro arrives at Hobart, Tasmania. On Saturday 25th it reaches Auckland. If they catch the steamer, the young men from Gisborne will arrive here on 26th.

At the banquet give for the soldiers of the colony when they arrived in Edinburgh, Scotland, the Maori performed the haka and were greatly praised by the Pakeha. The Edinburgh newspaper said: 'This was the very best new thing. It was different. The roaring of the voices and the quivering of the bodies led to loud shouts from the onlookers. The performance of the haka conformed to ancient practice and so they wore only short Maori skirts. First there was a takarokaro, then a ngeri, and last came a real haka, like war parties striking each other. Trooper Kohere was the leader and he it was who taught the company the haka.'

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 A DEATH

On Thursday, 24th September, Hamaka O’Brien died. He was a young man, almost 22, from Ngati Raukawa. He was a well-educated lad. He was sent to St Stephen’s. On 1896 he finished there having reached the limit of what that school was able to provide. In 1898 he decided to go to Te Aute College. Because he wanted to get to Te Aute as soon as possible he left Rotorua, and travelled by way of Taupo. Six days later he was walking the streets of Napier with his stick, his feet having carried him to all the places he went to. His mission was to fulfil his desire to complete his education, and he did not worry about the long distances he travelled. During that year it was said that we had discovered a lad with good hands and strong legs for our favourite sport, football. He was one of the three-quarters for the Te Aute first team until 1899. In 1900 he was captain of the team. This was the year they won the Nepia [?Napier] Cup, the second time they had won that trophy. At the end of his schooling he sat the Government examination for the civil Service. He passed, and went to Auckland. The office in which he worked was one of the big purchasing places, known in English as the New Zealand Dental Depot. In his first days at this work he began on the basics of dentistry and myriad other treasures of one part of the office. This year it was found that he had mastered all the work of this section and so he was moved on to another section of the office which dealt with every kind of medicine. Having achieved this he died. Now, parents, family, loving friends, recall the times when he was living and you could see him in person. Let the heart contemplate and weep over our example of what a person should be. God gave the person and God also has taken him away. But for us, those who go on living, there is weeping and sorrow. And so I shall fix these words to our bird in case he does not want to take them so that he will cry them into the ears of the tribes of the island.

From your loving friend,

Watene Haerewa.

Tuparoa, 
October 4th.

THE LAND COMPANIES

Of all the calamities around land that have afflicted the Maori, the calamity that has hit the people of Turanga from Uawa to Nukutaurua is extraordinary, the wrongful loss of these lands by the Tai-rawhiti Land Company. Some Maori lands have been lost by calamity with large areas being confiscated or sold, but these lands were handed over by people in response to agreeable words, some were explicitly refused but were handed over in response to the assurance that they would provide a living for the local people, but we now see that they have failed and are not providing for the local people. Timi Kara has entered into an useless agreement to get a law through Parliament to hand over all those lands for a Board to manage – I say 'useless agreement' because it springs from exasperation and it is not known whether it will be supported or be opposed and it depends on the power alone, and the thinking, of the board as to whether it can be saved. The thing to be careful of now is that no-one grabs the remaining viable pieces of land. 

Mawhiti te weka i te mahanga e hokia ano?
‘Once the weka has escaped from the snare, will it return?’ [cf Nga Pepeha 1720]

I am going to set down an ordered account of these lands so that people can understand this great calamity. The amounts of money and the acreage which I have gathered are not entirely accurate but are near enough. In 1878, 24 years ago, 400,000 acres were handed over to the lawyer Mr Rees and Wi Pere to manage. The amount of money involved in bringing theses lands under the administration was £10,000. If the local people had been wary they would have scrutinized this. When this money was used up the Supreme Court said that the Maori had no authority to dispose of their lands and this £10,000 was wasted. On the instructions of Mr Rees a company involving some Maori and some Pakeha was set up to manage these lands. The Maori had the lands and the Pakeha the money. Mr Rees went to fetch Pakeha, and when ‘the migration of Mr Rees’ arrived in New Zealand the Land Court said it was not possible to divide the lands and that the project and the money were wasted. A bill was placed before Parliament to specify the shares of the local people but it was not passed. Subsequently the company was expanded and £100,000 was raised to settle the land. Nearly £15,000 was paid to the Government for stamp duty and £20,000 was paid for surveying the land and other works. As the outcome of the extravagant spending on the works and the meddling of the Pakeha the money outlaid grew to £100,000.  
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Wi Pere and Mr Rees went to England to raise loans but came back with nothing, and the money was used up in their travels. At this time 300,000 acres of the land had been swallowed up; the remainder lay idle because of the problem. The local people collected £3,000 which was spent on lawyers. It is said that Mr Rees and Wi Pere spent almost £10,000 on their journey to England. At present the management has been given to Timi Kara and Wi Pere for them to find a way to rescue the situation. The bank wishes to sell to recover its money. The law has been passed to prevent the sale out of consideration for the Maori.

The practices around all land administration have not produced a worse situation than this. Members of Parliament have spoken severely about the managers of these lands. Nearly £300,000 has been used up and when the mouth asks, ‘Where is this money?’ it is answered by the echoing cliff, ‘Where is this money?’ Perhaps it is like this: 

Para rakau ki runga para rakau ki raro: tu-te-rangi-pokia, kia ngaro.
‘Half the tree stands, the other half lies below: when the sky is overcast let it be hidden.’  

Parliament asked Wi Pere to give an account of this money. This to me is the saddest thing, that a Maori is one of the people who drew Maori into this disaster. It is said that it was Wi Pere’s explicit urging that which led the Maori to agree to hand over some of their land: he was the hand and the spokesman of Rees. This is a major tragedy but my heart is full of admiration for the forbearance of these people; there is no grumbling or suchlike. Wi Pere is still one of the bosses of the company which has badly affected their lands but still they hold on to their family loyalty. When there was an election these people supported Wi Pere, and in the coming election they will again support their chief.

STIRRING UP FAITH

An American minister spent ten days here preaching and seeking to turn people to Christ, because most people have only heard of the Gospel and of the name of Christ but they have not given their hearts to Christ, they do not want to change what they do, the world’s ways have entered their hearts, and some say that when they are near death they will repent but it means nothing. Such people have not yet entered the Kingdom of Heaven but are still outside looking in. James Lyall was the minister who came here, an excellent preacher and a man full of the Holy Spirit. The church and the largest hall in town, was full every night. There was not an empty space because of the eagerness of people to hear the old Good News. No other activity in the theatre had attracted so many people. During those ten days 350 people of all sorts put their trust in God – drunks, swearers, thieves, and godless. Many young men gave their hearts to God. At the beginning of this effort a certain person had written some bad things about the Bible. He was a person who did not believe in God. By the end that man had stood up in the crowd to declare that he had changed and become a servant of Christ. The faith of believers was awakened, fed and set aflame. Many Pakeha from major towns in Australia and New Zealand were converted through this man and two others from America. Pakeha believers in this land are praying for the Maori People that God will stir up their faith because the faith of many Maori has grown very cold, in some places it is frozen, but it will be melted by the Sun of Righteousness. So, people, let us stir up our faith lest we die of the cold.

NEW ZEALAND TO ENGLAND

London to Germany

To Te Reweti

My lad, greetings to you and to all of you for whom my heart longs. I am very well. This is a general letter to you on the Friday of the week in which we will set out to return home. I thought that I must write a letter before we leave. I have so far not suffered any sickness from the time of our arrival until we leave. Now I throw away my appetite for England and my heart longs to return home. I shall not write much by way of greetings and I shall not write a few words for Te Pipi; that can wait and when I arrive there I shall write. 'Re', last Monday, on 18th August, Terei and I went to Germany. A man took us. On the morning of that Monday we went [10] by train to Dover, crossed by ferry to Calais, a French town, where we boarded a train and saw France, the land of the French. Leaving France we entered Belgium and stayed overnight in Brussels. We explored this town, the capital city of this kingdom, and saw its churches and people. The following day we again boarded a train to travel on. We left Belgium and entered Germany. Travelling was awesome. We slept in Cologne on the river Rhine. This is the destination of the tourists, those people who come to see one of the world’s wonderful rivers. After waking one morning our party went on board a boat and sailed upstream. 'Re', it is a very beautiful river. For one thing you find huge buildings, castles, beside the river – very large. It is not possible to write a full account of the river. We travelled up and stayed overnight at Mainz, 120 miles from Cologne: we stayed in the best hotels in these towns. We explored the town. One day we got on a train to Frankfurt and went as far as Homburg [sic. ?Homberg], returning the same day to Mainz. One day we sailed on the boat to Cologne where we slept, then we did our return journey by train to Calais. I am writing this letter at sea travelling from Calais to Dover. The sea is very rough. The ferry takes one hour to cross from here and in the evening I shall arrive in London. The Pakeha has been very kind to the two of us; it is as if he were our father. We will be sad to leave him. And so, old fellow, this Maori is returning home. So much for my words to you. Best wishes to you all. My love to all the folk at home.

From your loving young brother,

H M Kohere.

London, August 24th

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 men and women, to the elders and the children, and to the girls, greetings to you all. This is a request from us, the Committee of the Sale for the Victoria Maori School, that you will help us fulfil our desire to increase the funding of the school.

The Pakeha girls and women from throughout New Zealand, though most come from Auckland and its environs, are determined to help their sisters, Maori girls, and it is their hope that you will all help this sale to achieve its goal. A room has been set aside solely for Maori artefacts given by Maori – mats [takapau, whariki], cloaks, kits, poi and other Maori objects. If the whole Maori People support this project and make items for this sale, each doing what they can, we shall not fail to raise a great deal of money, because your Pakeha family are very keen to have the things you make. Maori People, we await your response to our request. And so, best wishes to you all under the shadow of our only King and under the grace 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.

NOTICE

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.

A GREAT BATTLE WITH THE WHALE

Friend, Te Pipi!

Greetings, lad, the living face of your ancestors who have passed on. Thank you for taking up the works of the Faith and for your love of the Maori People. May the grace of God be with you and may he bless your work.

Friend, here are some portions of seed to be carried by our bird if he is free to carry them – a story from Te Kaha here about the killing of a whale.

One day during this month of September, the 3rd, some men went to catch fish. In the evening they saw a southern right whale [tohora] - there was its head - swimming beside their boat. The two of them knew immediately that it was a right whale [raiti weera]. It disappeared and they could no longer see it.

[11] 

The whale was heading straight for the beach at Hariki, a small sandbank between Te Kaha and Waioreore. This was the sandbank on which 58 whales were stranded alive last year.

The two of them landed and told those ashore that they had seen a right whale but that they did not know where it had come from or where it was resting.

That night those who had been out doing their work did not sleep easily, remembering the famous whale. In the early morning they climbed to the top of a hill and saw it beyond Te Kaha, beyond Hariki sandbank, floating or resting. This kind of whale is a fearful one and unlike some other kinds of whale killed here, the humpback, the sperm whale, the [?tini peeke] and other kinds of whale which are said to look like snapper by whalers here. When the sun was high above he set out. His boat! This was the beginning of people crowding onto the two boats. The third boat was painted a different colour, which led it into trouble.

The Whanau-a-te-Ehutu had a real battle that day. Their elders, their children all set upon the right whale because the elders who were good at this work in former days had all been pensioned off by the young people and the young people had set themselves up as being something. After a great deal of work the [?toati ?thwarts] were cleared and the boats were afloat. Waikura’s boat emerged in front and went straight beyond Tokaakuku along the line to where that fish was lying. Because of the slowness of the whale in moving Rapata Roihana’s boat reached it floating there. He brought his boat alongside it and speared it. At that point the whale went wild. It was terrible angry. The angry reaction of this sort of whale was three or four times worse than that of the humpback.

It is an indication of how bad it was that it coiled up its tail so that it struck its head and then it whipped back.

The boat that had speared it fell behind and Waikura’s boat came up. Tiopira prepared to strike at [the whale]. Friends, this has to be one of the bravest attempts to kill the great fish of the sea in this district. He started to strike. Four times the harpoon pierced it. The whale went down under the water because of the great pain. Tiopira thought that it was dead due to the length of time it had been below, so he put down his harpoon on the [?hai - ?prow] of the boat and went back to the stern area where he began smoking his pipe. It wasn't long before he felt the boat moving and the rope had become wrapped around the tail. The wounded whale emerged and was angry. The rope sprang from the [?hoka pine - ?cleat]; the rope was between the legs of Tiopira. He was hurled down to the bottom of the sea; the twisting tail of the whale pulled him down. For a long time he disappeared from the sight of the men on the boats so that they thought that he had died, it was so long. But he was occupied in climbing up using the rope from his boat. Two men, Wiri Waaka and Te Raina, brought him into the boat. The first thing he did after being saved was to look at his watch in the little pouch attached to his belt. Although it had been so many minutes in the water it was not damaged. After his accident he was desperate to kill [the whale] and he grabbed the [?mapu] harpoon and struck at the place of the ribs, although because of the length of his harpoon, and as it was the place where the heart is, it went right in and the whale died. The boats began to tow it to shore. At 7 o’clock at night they brought it ashore. It was in 1873 that the last right whale was killed here, and now we have this one. The men who killed the last right whale, Renata Te Ahu, a younger brother of Paora Tinirau of Waipiro, and Paraire Ihaka, are still living here. The two of them are now elderly and their job when a whale is killed is to perform the appropriate rites.

The rites being completed it is being cut up in the school and stacked until the time comes when it will be sent perhaps to Auckland. The main part of this fish which is highly sought after by people is its whalebone. In London last year it fetched £2,500 a ton.

There are altogether six whaleboats at Te Kaha and Kaipatate. They killed five whales last year.

The major projects that this tribe has completed are their beautiful Church of England church and associated buildings.

This is one of the ways they make money; growing corn is another.

So, goodbye.

The body may be far away but the thoughts are always with you there.

From your fellow worker.

H Pahewa.

Te Kaha.

[12] 

CALENDAR: NOVEMBER

Day 16 Full Moon 4h 37m a.m.

Day 30 New Moon 1h 35m p.m.

1 S All Saints’ Day

2 S Twenty-third Sunday after Trinity

Morning Evening

Hosea 14 Joel 2.21

2 Timothy 3 Luke 22.1-31

3 M

4 T

5 W

6 Th

7 F Fast

8 S

9 S Twenty-fourth Sunday after Trinity

Amos 3 Amos 5

Hebrews 2 – 3.7 John 1.1-29

10 M

11 T

12 W

13 Th

14 F Fast

15 S

16 S Twenty-fifth Sunday after Trinity*

Micah 4 – 5.8 Micah 6

Hebrews 10.1-19 John 5.1-24

17 M

18 T

19 W

20 Th

21 F Fast

22 S

23 S Twenty-sixth Sunday after Trinity†

Ecclesiastes 11 - 12 Haggai 2.1-10

James 2 John 8.1-31

24 M

25 T

26 W

27 Th

28 F Fast

29 S Vigil, Fast

30 S First Sunday of Advent

Andrew, Apostle§

Isaiah 1 Isaiah 2

John 1.25-43 John 12.30-42

Isaiah 54 Isaiah 65.1-17

† Use the Collect, Epistle and Gospel of the 25th Sunday this Sunday.

* Use the Collect, Epistle and Gospel of the Third Sunday after Epiphany for this Sunday.

Use the Collect for this day after each days Collect until the evening before Christmas Day.

§ On this day or on another day of the week except for Sunday use the prayer for the spread of the Gospel.

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/- Mini Kerekere, E H Bruning; 2/6 Wiremu Paul, Hohoepa Te Piri, Paraone Heremia.

H W Williams, Te Rau Press, Auckland.