Te Pipiwharauroa 60

Te Pipiwharauroa 60

No. 60

1903/02/01

(Maori Version at NZETC)

[1] Te Pipiwharauroa, He Kupu Whakamarama, Gisborne, February, 1903

THE TEMPTATION

First Sunday of Lent

Matthew’s story of the temptation of Christ is the portion of Scripture set as the Gospel reading for this Sunday (Matthew 4.1-11). The story is also told by Mark and Luke.

Mark’s version is very short (1.12-13), however he makes two important statements: one is the word, ‘immediately’. Christ came into the world to destroy the works of Satan (1 John 3.8), and when he had been baptised he did not delay but immediately began the battle with Satan. The other is the phrase about the wild beasts. We are clearly taught by this phrase the utter loneliness of Christ in that place; he had no friend there.

The account by Luke (4.1-13) is the same as that of Matthew except that Luke puts the disclosure of the kingdoms of the world before the ascent to the pinnacle of the temple.

Jesus had no friends with him during those forty days so it must have been he who told the apostles what happened during those days. It was not only during those days that Satan fought with Christ; Luke says that ‘he left him for a time' (4.13); and Jesus speaks of some other temptations (Luke 22.28). These temptations are indications of the nature of all kinds of temptation, the things that spring from ‘the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride in riches (1 John 2.16).’ He was tempted even though he was:

1. the Son of Man who would do away with people’s sins;

2. the Second Adam who would restore to us the good things lost by the fall of the first Adam;

3. the true Christ who would not be drawn away from his work by the attractions of the world.

He was led by the Spirit into the desert: Mark’s word is stronger, he was driven. He was brought to a lonely place because the fight was his alone, though his strength was imparted to him by God through the hands of the angels (Mark 1.13). This is an instruction to us not to rely on people but on God alone in our fight against the devil.

He fasted: Fasting was Christ’s way of fitting himself for the battle. It was said, in the collect for the First Sunday in Lent, that that fasting was for our sake, because we are the ones who receive the benefits of his defeat of Satan.

He was hungry: He was truly human.

If you are the Son of God: The Pharisees taunted Jesus in the same way when he was on the cross (Matthew 27.40). Perhaps Satan was remembering the voice from heaven at the baptism of Christ (Matthew 3.17), ‘You are my beloved Son.’

Make these stones into loaves of bread: Luke’s version has this stone as if Satan was showing him a particular stone. He knew how long he had been fasting and his idea was to leave it to the desires of the flesh to defeat him.

It is written: Christ’s weapon was the one that has been given by God to people, ‘the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God (Ephesians 6.17).’ That word came from Deuteronomy 8.3. Let us remember that it is by giving life to our spirits with that food that the body will be strengthened against falling into temptation.

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They will bear you up in their hands: (Psalm 91.11-12). Satan said ‘it is written’, but he left out part of verse 11, ‘to protect you in all your ways.’ This is not a promise from God to the person who is turning from his ways, who is going to the place where he will quickly be tempted.

You shall not tempt the Lord your God: Christ did not want to exalt himself in the eyes of the people by such a miracle, rather he sought to honour God by his obedience to him (John 12.28).

All these things I will give to you: These are self-aggrandising words of Satan as if he owned the whole world (Luke 4.6); the fact is that God has arranged that this is to be the Kingdom of Christ. It will be given to him at the right time. Christ does not desire to take over his kingdom on the wrong basis; he will not agree with Satan that he is the ultimate ruler.

Worship the Lord your God and serve only him: This is the great task for anyone (Ecclesiastes 12.13). And if our hearts are committed to this we shall not fall to Satan.

The devil left him: By persisting in the battle Christ stood firm. We are to fight in the same fashion (James 4.7). We must be careful that we do not mistakenly think that we have sufficient strength in ourselves for this fight (1 Corinthians 10.13), but Christ will support us, and he knows the strength of Satan (Hebrews 2.18).

O Lord, who for our sake didst fast forty days and forty nights: Give us grace to use such abstinence, that, our flesh being subdued to the Spirit, we may ever obey thy godly motions in righteousness and true holiness; to thy honour and glory, who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Ghost, one God, world without end. Amen.

A LOSS

On December 6th Peneti Pana of Hokianga died. He was 80 or perhaps older. He is lamented by his people because he is the last elder in his tribe. This elder was a pillar of the Church. He it was who kept his people in the Faith.

PARIS: THE FRENCH

Pipi, this may not be an appropriate article for you to carry but then the supplejack does not bear fruit every month of the year.

My heart goes out to this wonderful town, Paris, the main city of the people we Maori call ‘Wiwi’ [‘Oui, oui.’] We have heard all the accounts of London and it has been as if we went there like those who have just returned from England. Our hearts have wondered at the accounts of London. It is perhaps a good thing that we hear what some other great towns of the world are like.

Paris is called the most beautiful town on the face of this earth, and it is a town that people want to see. There is a proverbial saying: ‘It is good not to die without seeing Paris.’ [See Paris and die.] The appearance of these towns, of Paris and London, is like a draper’s store and like a blacksmith’s shop – London is the blacksmith’s shop. The activities of that city are shrouded in smoke for weeks or even months. In winter when the snow falls travel is difficult in London. The coal dust mixes with the fog, people’s skin is black, and mid-day is like night so that people have to carry torches to light their way at noon on the streets of London. Therefore London has not been able to beautify itself. People leave behind London to go and see the beautiful city of Paris. The Americans live in their large towns and they suffer from the noise of their machines and other things, and their eyes smart because of the smoke, and so they cross the wide seas to find rest in Paris. Strangers, people from other countries, walking in the streets of London look as if they are bewitched; not so in Paris where the people are used to the sight of strangers on their streets. Paris is full of places to see. The design and the construction of its buildings is such that they are all good to look at. It has many attractions to bring people there. Indeed, in recent years they held the largest exhibition in the world (Paris Exhibition). I am not able to write about all the remarkable things in that city without filling up our paper. I can tell of just a few things. The exhibition hall in that place is the Museum. A person would need to spend a week wandering about in that building to see [3] everything in it. The important person who provided most of the things in that building was Bonaparte. While he was Emperor of France he spent his time fighting and collecting the treasures of each people as he went. His crown is there, a gleaming example of the workmanship of the time. One cannot say how much that crown is worth. There is always a guard beside it. Should a person try to grab that crown then the guard would press a button so that he would find no way of getting out with the crown. There are many wonderful things there. Indeed there are some of our Maori treasures there. They were perhaps brought there by the French whaling ships; Bonaparte never came here!

One striking thing is the Tomb of Bonaparte. His tomb, covered with gold, is under the dome of the building. He is still amongst his Generals.

One different building there is the mortuary. If a person is found who has died in the river or in some other place he is taken to lie in that place. If a family think that someone has died they can go there and should they recognise him there they take him away for burial. They may be there for weeks or even months. That building is always full of people looking for relatives who they think may have died. The people brought there are those who have died in the river or in the streets and who have not been seen by their families. Those who died well are fine to look at while some inspire dread. It is very offensive building.

As for the people of that town, there are no large industries there like the steelworks one finds in London, and so the provision of food is the major occupation of those people. We Maori respect the skill of the Pakeha in cooking and the Pakeha, that is, the English, praise the French. It is a great skill widely learned by that people. If a French person wants to eat poultry but does not have any he gets some mutton or beef perhaps and, when it is cooked, that meat tastes like a real bird. Frog is a major food for those people. Their food is very expensive. A plate of frog soup will cost as much as ten shillings. The French with their many dishes think this to be a superb food. The French mainly wash down their food with wine; they do not have tea. Wine is always their tea. Those people have no pubs; the restaurants are their pubs. When a man eats he drinks wine to wash down his food. One does not see drunk people on the streets as one does here in our towns. This is one thing in which that people is superior to the English. The French say that the English are a people who get stupidly drunk. Those words perhaps apply to us Maori. If New Zealand were like that there would be no need for a vote to do away with liquor licences. One strange thing about those people is the soap. They do not have soap but their clothes are very white. They perhaps have other things with which to wash clothes.

Those people are suspicious of the English in many matters while the English find fault with many of their ways. They are not an anxious people. They are very kind to people, but a small thing will rouse their anger, they are not restrained. Because of that characteristic that people has not progressed. They have a great desire for something today and tomorrow their ideas will have changed. And so some pull this way and some pull that way with the result that another people get on top of them while they are pulling against one another. But I end these words here lest I use up room that could be used for sound articles. So, Pipi, best wishes to you!

A LAMENT

For a resting-place for bones on the shore of Turanga called Te Rakau-a-Ue.

By C H Ferris

(This is a resting-place for the bones of chiefs. Kahungunu was buried here.)

1. Sleep, you weary ones of past times.

Sleep the sleep from which there is no awakening,

With the slapping of the waters, of the waves of the sea,

Drawn up by the gravel of the shore.

2. See the gravels of the tides,

The bones lie exposed to become dust,

Uncovered by the sea winds

So that you can be washed by the spray.

3. This is a sad place, a beloved place,

A place where the frond of the toitoi shakes,

Like the flashing of fire burning in the night,

A resting-place for the ancestors of former days.

4 There is the [?au-mate] moon shining.

Look into the distance at the deep sea

Wearing its cloak of light

To light the people from whom we are parted.

5. Sleep my dark-skinned brothers

On the long strand of the sea at Turanga.

Listen to the voice of the sea

Moaning a lament to you all.

(Translated into Maori by H T Potaka.)

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A LETTER FROM WAIKATO

The saying of the elders goes: 

Patua i tahatu o te rangi, waiho te tangata haere wa kia haere ana, kia rongo ai i te kupu korero.

‘Strike at the horizon, but leave the casual traveller alone so that you may hear the news.’ [cf Nga Pepeha 2128]

This is the message I heard and saw and which I now bring for you to hear and, if you wish, for you to publish so that all may hear that it is indeed so.

When we have seen people going to their deaths, to the mouth of the pit for bodies, they have not said, ‘Enough, my stomach is full,’ or, ‘I am satisfied.’

The thoughtful people of Waikato have sought to know the reason why your three people died in the same house and how to stop it. Then they asked the tohunga, Purohe.

Why have people gone to the afterlife in this fashion? The Tohunga replied that the cause is to be found in the burial ground of Patatau [sic.]. It was an omission in that they had not been gathered up [?kopi]; were they to be gathered up then the deaths would cease. Then they saw that they had to disinter the ancestors and parents of King Patatau. Thereupon they disinterred six. It was found that they had died before the arrival of the faith in this country. Those whose names I know are Tuata, Rauangaanga, Potatau, Tawhiao, Mahuta, and Te Ripi, six generations. If one looks to the sister of Mahuta, Tiahuia, then there are seven generations to the child of Hera who married into Ngati Raukawa.

On Wednesday, January 21st, the people gathered at Taupiri. On 22nd the people came bringing the dead. They sat and awaited the arrival of King Mahuta and his people. On 23rd Mahuta arrived with his wife. The people made for the northern side of Waikato and the bodies were taken to the south side. Mahuta’s band played ‘Best wishes’ [‘Kia ora’]. The local people welcomed them with ‘He dies, he dies! He lives, he lives! This is the hairy man who makes the sun shine, etc.’ Such was the haka, a reference to the words of the Tohunga. It is that which will postpone the death of Mahuta, the King. Lest it should happen, there was much weeping. It was realised that these dead were of past generations and it was as if they were being bodily resurrected. Looking back, when those people had been lost their land had been lost. The new people who came after them are different. These thoughts elicited weeping and love, and that love extended to the recent dead. That being finished the local people stood to say important things to the King, that he should confine sickness and so bring an end to people dying. When the King stood he saluted the bones saying, ‘Welcome, people of the darkness! Welcome, my ancestors who have come here. I say to you, Be confined, be confined, be confined: do not be exposed.’ To these words of Mahuta the people called out, ‘Thank you! Thank you!’ [?Kia ora]. The King said that they should now be buried. Te Wharua stood and called out that if the people agreed with the words of the King that they should be confined, they should all voice their assent. There was heard here a great shout of agreement with the bringing of happiness. Now people would not be afflicted. One man went and closed the openings of the receptacles in which the dead lay, a visible sign of the words of the King that they should be shut. When they were taken for burial it was said that Nikora Tautau, Minister of the Church of England, should bury them.

When it came to the time for the minister to officiate he said that it was not appropriate for these bodies to be buried according to the rites of the Church but he would pray for us all. He said, ‘I shall read to all of us the words of Paul, the Apostle of Jesus Christ: “All who have sinned apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law.” (Romans 2.12)

People, hear the words of the Apostle. When you think of it carefully, these dead were not baptised, they had not heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ. However although they had not heard our Gospel and some of them were not baptised, they are better than we who have heard the Gospel and who have belittled them. These are the ones of whom Paul spoke who died apart from the law, while we are those whom the Apostle says, having the law will be judged by the law. It will be very difficult for us to enter into God’s kingdom.’

The above is the extent of Nikora’s address. Presently he would finish his sermon in the village at 7 p.m. However he had begun with a wrong text. He gave a full sermon at the grave. One elder found that his heart was made new by the sermon at the grave, so that when he arrived at the village he spoke of his being born again and preached about Jesus. At 7 p.m. the bell rang. After the hymn Nikora spoke on Psalm 32.4. My moisture had departed and I was dry as in summer. (Satan is the one who parches things.) The life of everything that grows in the earth depends on the moisture from the water and the rain which God has given to sustain those things he has created. It is not that kind of moisture that the verse speaks of as being taken away; [5] this saying is about something that has feet and has been carried away, about water that has run away and disappeared. This is the water that has feet, the water that bubbles up to eternal life; John 4.14 makes us think about this word ‘dryness’. Think about our dead ones whom we have buried and how they were dry, without flesh, without sinews, and without skin, as we think about what I have been pointing out to you. If some of you are following your Bibles, turn to the revelation of God to Ezekiel in chapter 37. When he saw the dry bones he was told by God to prophesy to those bones to listen to the word of the Lord (v.4). But he was not speaking of actual bones but of the House of Israel and their separation from the Spirit of God so that they have become dry just like the bones (Ezekiel 37.11). Israel had done wrong and God had departed from them, and they were carried off by the Midianites.

Because Israel did not believe in the strength of the Lord they could not think straight and they thought that the heart of God was against them, they were bewildered, and they wandered in the desert for forty years until all who had been born in Egypt had died. Joshua and Caleb remained having kept the word of God. See Psalm 95 for God’s weariness with that generation.

In 1863 there was fighting here in Waikato. The year 1903 is 40 years from the war to the present day.

DO NOT GET INTO DEBT

Perhaps this article may appeal to some people, but what does it matter if the heart of a person does not approve of this article; one makes a choice. It is the case that I am not in debt. Who is the man who needed to borrow? But this topic was suggested for discussion, as something to be tossed over in our minds when the mind has nothing else to work on.

1. What does it mean to you, why do you get into debt

if your clothes are torn and old?

Repair them and they will be conserved for a time.

This is better than breaking your heart

with repayments.

2. Who is going to love you more for the look of your hat

or of your handkerchief or your shoelaces,

or for the crafting of your waistcoat, your shoes, or your suit,

if he knows that all those things are new?

I remain the one to whom you are in debt

and that is something that will lead people to jeer at you, saying,

‘You haven’t paid off your debt yet.’

3. My good friends, this is my warning to you.

Don’t get into this thing, debt.

If your house is small, let it be.

Nestle down in the good judgement of your heart.

If you get in debt in order to have a big house,

Although you may be sheltered from the rain and the wind,

the cold will enter your warm heart.

4. My female friends, do not get into debt, but listen!

If this year’s fashions in clothes differ from last year’s,

so be it. Don’t go and buy more beautiful things.

Be aware that this year will be just as warm as last year.

Speak to your friend, because your district may not be concerned about the clothes being produced for the new year.

Also, the weight of your purse may not equal the weight of your concern to be spoken well of.

5. My male friends, do not go into debt.

Leave it to your friends to please themselves

with nice houses, with things made of gold, with beautiful flowers.

But there is no point in your desiring those things if you don’t have the means to pay for them

6. If you have a lot of money to throw about

my words are of no interest to you.

Spend your gold and silver as you wish.

But be aware of the person who has bills to pay

And whose mind is uneasy.

7. You married men, do not be content to be in debt

lest you fill your wife’s cup with sorrow

when she thinks that perhaps tomorrow payment will be demanded

and if you cannot pay you will be summonsed.

A NOTICE

Diocese of Waiapu

There will be a Hui of the Maori Church for the Turanga district at Te Horo on Monday, 30th March in the Parish of Te Horo.

W L Williams, Bishop.

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MORE OF THE LETTER FROM WAIKATO

In 1863 Waikato abandoned faith in God. The bewilderment of that generation was like that of Israel in the desert. Is God not wearied with that generation as he was with Israel? (Psalm 95.10)

The people besought the King to bind the sickness. I do not know the source and the end of this idea of binding the sickness, which I observed. In the year of which I spoke in which God was abandoned, the moisture departed from this generation and they have remained parched there right up to the present day. They are at present like the bones seen by the Prophet; although we say that we are alive, we are not like the elders who were exhumed. The reason we became dried up was the abandonment of the Lord, the source of living water. Given this idea of binding the sickness, then on the basis of this thought we have now been foolish for forty years so let us return to the faith (Hosea 6.1-2). I know that some basis is being sought for setting in motion this thought. Then Christ will give moisture, the Christ who calls out to the one who is thirsty, ‘Come to me and drink.’ The prophet calls out, ‘Oh, everyone who is thirsty, come to the waters.’ [Isaiah 55.1]

It is the Spirit of God who gives us water. We read of the river in Psalm 46.5.

There were four rivers to water the trees in God’s garden at the beginning – Gihon, Pishon, Tigris and Euphrates. This river was for this garden, for the whole world, and for men's trees. The leaves on the trees beside this river did not shrivel up.

With the deaths of those people who had stumbled in the desert, the new generation were able to take their army to the land of Canaan. Now they were holy because the elders had died. It is for the descendants, for us, to bring things to completion so that we shall soon see life, physical life rather than eternal life, but this will be lengthened by God – we see this in the Fifth Commandment. God has said to people, when they break the Law of God, that they are but dust, soil, and they will return to that state. This is not inhibited by Christ but he does say to take courage (John 16.33).

May the Spirit of God establish those things that are right in what I have said in our hearts.

When we are preaching we ought to turn a deaf ear to the acclaim of the congregation saying, ‘Thank you, thank you’ (?Kia ora.)

And so, were I to write at greater length I could not make things clearer. I have written so that other parts of the country may know how things are here, and this sermon is an exhaustive account of that.

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

NOTICE OF THE DEDICATION OF A MEETING HOUSE

Being held at Te Rahui, Waiapu District.

This is an invitation to the tribes, to the families, to the languages, to the gatherings of people, who live in every part of Aotearoa and Te Waipounamu. Greetings to you all, beloved friends. Welcome, welcome, welcome to the dedication of our ancestor, Rongomai-aniwaniwa, to be held on 19th February 1903. Welcome, welcome. Come all of you in person into my presence on that day. Walk through the various villages of your ancestor, Kahukura, lying there. [7] Bring with you his belt in which was dried kumara which was sweet to the throat of Toi and which he carried over to the other side. But let the food in that belt now be silver, gold and notes. So, my friends, my children, my grandchildren, bring plenty, let your thoughts be cheerful, let them be sweet to my throat, let the works of faith shine out, to ease the distress which presses on the shoulders of your ancestor, Rongomai-aniwaniwa. So come, come, with hearts full of love and contentment, bound together by peace. It is said that faith without works is dead, and so it is that works establish the faith. Come, come. I will entertain you all and protect you at that time, and right until the end of the hui.

So much for that.

Neho Kopuka

Rauhuia Tawhiwhi

ITEMS OF NEWS

On 22nd January, Raniera Kawhia was married, the only child of Rev Eruera Kawhia, at his father’s marae, Taumataomihi. He was a student at Te Aute and is now at the school for clergy, Te Raukahikatea. He was married by Herbert Williams. No-one had anything to say against the marriage of this young chief of Ngati Porou. The name of the lady was Heera Waaka. She was educated at Hukarere. There were speeches by Mr Thornton, Herbert Williams, Apirana Ngata, Rev Mohi Turei, Te Kopa and others. That young person responded to the greetings on behalf of himself and his wife. He said that his great desire was to follow the principles of his father, during his life.

The old boys of Te Aute living here in Turanga held a reception for their master, Mr Thornton. As a token of their affection they presented him with a walking-stick overlaid with gold, and a pipe. There were speeches and songs. Mr Thornton responded to the speeches. He said, ‘My heart is overjoyed at this gathering. You are the children I have brought up; I am your father. Therefore I am very happy for you who have undertaken important work. I have been teaching at Te Aute for 25 years and I have devoted all my strength and my thinking to supporting all the things which will benefit you and your people too. And my wish is that the Creator will continue to protect me, that I may be blessed with many more years living at Te Aute to work in joy and love for you, the Maori People.’

TE PIPIWHARAUROA

To the Editor of Te Pipiwharauroa.

Friend, greetings. These are a few words to be carried to the marae to which our pet flies. The hui of the Te Aute Students’ Association was held at the Marae of Rev Eruera Kawhia, Taumata-o-mihi, Waiapu, on 19th January. A motion about Te Pipiwharauroa was put forward by some of the Ngati Porou leaders. As these people see it, our pet is heading for death, and they looked for a way to return the corpse to this world. It was thought there that some five old boys of Te Aute who live in Turanga should be formed into a committee to run and supervise our bird so that it is given soft food only and not hard food. Herbert Williams would be chairman. Enough, my wise friends in these islands, do send appropriate articles for the benefit of the people.

From your friend,

Tame Arapata.

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SOME LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

To the Editor of Te Pipiwharauroa.

Greetings, friend, at this time of the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ and the new year. So much for greetings.

Would you please load these words onto Te Pipi for it to carry them to the marae where the soles of its feet touch down – to Tai Rawhiti, Tai Tokerau, and Tau Hauauru, and, crossing to the south, to Te Waipounamu.

Friends, do the work while the sun is shining. Be awake. Stand in the Faith. Be men. Be strong. (1 Corinthians 16.13) Be diligent in forwarding the purposes of our Councils and hold on to their close ally, the faith, which will guide, empower, and bring about the fulfilment of the work.

1. I am the captain of this ancestral canoe, the Kurahaupo Council. Friends, look at the Treaty of Waitangi because these treasures, the Land Council and the Marae Council, emerged from that Treaty. However it is the Marae Council that is the subject of my words because the time is near when the members of the Marae Council will be elected. Listen, people, and stop voting for drunk fellows to be marae members in any place. It is not right that they should teach people to drink liquor because they have been chosen to guide the people into right ways, just as we clergy guide the people to God as the one who gives life to body and spirit. Indeed this is what I read in the words of Doctor Maui Pomare MD who said that if we Maori are weak in managing our Councils then the Pakeha will take away this valuable thing. I believe that then the words of Isaiah 3.36 will be fulfilled. There will be weeping and wailing as in the time of Jeremiah (Matthew 2.18). ‘A voice was heard in Ramah, wailing and loud lamentation.’

I value this gift and do not want it taken away by the Pakeha, because it is something freely given by God to our Queen, to Victoria, and then the Queen gave us the Treaty of Waitangi. The Councils can bring us together as a family. So, people, use them and do not be indifferent to a gift from God.

2. Our Councils of Kurahaupo and Tongariro are diligent in guiding people according to the faith and in supporting the advice given by Te Pipiwharauroa, namely, that those unmarried people who live together should be married and bring their children for baptism. And my Councils urge people to take the Lord’s Supper. Such are the activities of these Marae Councils which are using the Faith as a means of helping them in their work for the advancement of the people under their authority and also under my ministry.

Friends, clergy friends, this part of our Lord’s vineyard is growing well. So, Councils wherever you are, work with your clergy so that you may develop the same policies as Kurahaupo and Tongariro. Be doing what God wants.

Best wishes to you all for the New Year!

From your friend and servant in Christ,

T Tokoaitua.

Parewanui.

_______________

Friends, greetings to you all! I write this to tell of the death of an elder from Kaiapoi. He was W Haihira. His family was from a family of leading chiefs, Tahu Potiki, Tura, Rakawakura, and down to Turakatahi. He was 93 when he died.

A Happy New Year to us all.

Hoani Hape.

Kaiapoi.

REPORTS OF PARLIAMENT

We cannot refrain from saying some words of praise for the Bill put forward by Hone Heke, member of Parliament for the Maori of Tai Tokerau, which he moved in Parliament last year. Although the Bill was not passed, Hone Heke was diligent in explaining the clauses when the Pakeha were considering whether it was right or wrong, and whether it should live or die. The following are the statements of Hone Heke:

I had not been long in the House when I saw that there were no provisions in the Bill to lighten some matters which rightly needed consideration and easing. Why had the ministers not given consideration to these matters? I am speaking of the stamp duty levied on leases and some other licences of the Maori. Under the regulation which at present authorises the disposal of Maori land one must pay £7 10s in every £100 of the value of the land. I cannot see that it is right that this heavy duty on the documents of sale by the Maori should be retained. We have arrived at the appropriate time to do away with that duty. I have submitted a new clause in Order Paper Appendix Number 35 to amend clause 4 of ‘The Stamp Duty Act, 1894’ to delete £7 10s and replace it with £2 10s. For all Maori land that is put up for lease or sale one must pay £7 10s in every £100 above the value of the land. Why is this wrong provision allowed to still stand? I know that the Pakeha members and the Government in 1882 had the idea of passing such legislation applying to the Maori and dealing with leases and sales by Maori on the basis of their statement that ‘Maori land did not pay rates to the County Councils’. What I want to do is to show the erroneous nature of that idea. As a result of my request in 1894 the duty of £10 in every £100 was reduced to £7 10s in every £100, and now I say that the time has come when it is right to reduce that £7 10s to £2 10s in every £100. If this is agreed the duty will still be higher than that paid by the Pakeha. These are the desires I wish to impress upon the hearts of honourable members.

I move the inclusion of the following new section in the Stamp Duty Bill:

‘ Section 4 of Stamp Acts Amendment Act 1894 [(58 VICT 1894 No 40)] has been amended by this Act as follows, wherever the words seven pounds ten appear they shall be deleted and they shall be replaced by the words two pounds ten.’

There was a division in the Committee on Hone Heke’s amendment.

The members voted as follows: Ayes 16, Noes 27.

Hone Heke’s motion failed and his new clause amending the Bill was not included. The Bill as completed passed its Third Reading. - September 16th, 1902.

A response by Wi Pere, Maori Member for Tai Rawhiti, about the Bill for the Election of Members, following Pakeha members and Hone Heke:

The Pakeha has shown great respect for Maori up to this day by agreeing to include representatives of the Maori people in Parliament. This in itself recognises that Maori are a separate people – it recognises that they are the aboriginal people who possessed these islands before the arrival of the Pakeha. Some of the powers of the Maori have been completely stolen by the Pakeha. The power of making laws given to Maori before have been taken by them and Maori have been paid by being given four members of this House. Now, if these are taken away, as is advocated in some of the speeches by Pakeha members tonight, what is to become of the Maori people of generations to come. Although the Maori members are few, one of the Pakeha members tonight has said that they have great influence and he observes Pakeha members voting in support of Bills put forward for the benefit of the Maori People. We, the four Maori members, are like the pet kaka. I shall explain. In the old days a Maori man would go to kill kaka. He would take with him a pet kaka which he put in a good place. The man hid himself. Then he prodded the pet kaka to make it squawk, to screech. The kaka from the bush would fly alongside it and the man would kill them. The pet sitting there is happy, he sitting in a good spot, and he is ignorant as to the reason why he is sitting there, which is that he is bait to lure his people to their deaths. We Maori members of this House are like that pet kaka; the reason we have been brought here is to lead our people to extinction. Now today, when the Pakeha members have seen that the bush kaka have been slaughtered, they have said, ‘Let us also kill the four pet kaka of this House because there is no longer any work for them. Today you have said that we should not be in this House. Why have you become agitated about us the Maori members sitting in this House? I speak of the private Bills brought by Pakeha members in this House. Why do they quarrel over their Bills? Are they not all Pakeha? The speeches that have been made tonight about the Maori members are about me, and the reason for them is that I stick to supporting the Government – I vote always in support of their Bills. The reason I support the Government is that I know they are seeking ways to bring about the well-being of [10] all the people of this colony. Should I see that what they are doing is bad for the people then I turn to them and say, ‘You are doing something which will hurt the people and so I am turning to oppose you.’ I believe we should let the Pakeha members remain in this House. Why are you afraid of us? I know that some of the Pakeha members are very resentful and hate us sitting in the House. But there are members who continue to support the Maori members in this House. Look at the speeches given by the representative of the Maori of Te Waipounamu, Tame Parata. He has said that he was elected by two thousand people. This is something for us to think about. The South Island was wrongly taken from the Maori there: no money was paid and now you have proposed to do away with the member representing the Maori there. – September 9th, 1902.

THINKING ABOUT THE WAY

It is summer. The trees and the shrubs are blossoming, the birds of the bush are singing, the sun is shining, the sea breezes are blowing, the flax stem is full, the things in the garden have grown bushy-topped, and people’s hearts have come alive because winter has departed – hence, because of the summer, because I had laid aside my work, my thoughts turned to travelling and I spread my wings and flew southwards. I ascended and descended Rimutaka, I made the crossing of Raukawa, went over the flat plain at Haronga, and eventually came to this different land of Puketerangi – in their dialect, Puketeraki – where this ground lark stayed a short time. But I should perhaps set down more precisely an account of the things I heard with my ears and saw with my eyes and felt in my heart. It will not be a great story of our marae and our returning in the evening. I did not go far afield to England as in the stories of Henare Kohere, but as we Maori say, ‘We have our song to bind us together; without it we would be nothing.'

The boat sailed overnight from Gisborne to Napier (Ahuriri). On the boat I met some natives of the islands of Samoa. There were six of them and they were going to Dunedin, Otepoti. I initially mistook them for Maori. Their skin was like ours. But when they spoke I knew the difference because their language was different. We are one people – the Maori People of New Zealand and the peoples of Samoa, Rarotonga, Tahiti, Hawaii and other islands. We share the same origins, our language, our appearance and our customs. Our common identity is described by the Pakeha, using the name Polynesian. The six were going to fetch a ship from Dunedin to take back to their country. It is the ‘Maori’; a ship bought from the Union Company. They are a peaceful people; there was no arrogance to be seen in their eyes. They made a practice of worshipping in the morning and evening. The Pakeha gathered as they prayed and sang to the God who had been proclaimed to them by the Europeans. I thought in my heart that this was remarkable, a fulfilment perhaps of the saying, ‘The last will be first and the first will be last.’

My heart was overjoyed at hearing this native people worshipping the Lord on this Pakeha vessel. They had not left their prayer books at home; they had their Bibles and their hymns. They were all young people and were led in worship by the one who appeared eldest. Their worship, their hymns and prayers were from the heart. They used native tunes for the hymns, but sang as the Pakeha do, using basses and tenors. The language of those people was beautiful. After the service they told me that they did not all come from one island but were now living in Samoa. One even came from Niue, an island near Rarotonga, and he took the evening service. There was a European there from Samoa who spoke Samoan well. That Pakeha told me some of the customs of the native people of Samoa. He said that the main occupation of the natives of Samoa were singing and swimming in the sea. They did not have to do much work because they did not require much. They did not wear much clothing, only a kilt around their hips, because that land is not cold. The main use of their clothes is for warmth and not for showing off or for vanity. Most of their food is provided by God, the fruit of trees. Their houses are temporary shelters. One important thing about this people is that they hold on to the ancient traditions; they are slow to adopt Pakeha ways. So their hymns are to native tunes, they dress in native fashion, and no native of Samoa lives in a timber house – they say that European houses are hot. [11] The houses of the chiefs are native houses but they are larger than most.

It is a good thing to hold on to ancestral customs, that is, to the good customs – the bad should be forsaken. One thing that annoys me is Maori abandoning their traditional names and taking Pakeha names. Such people are foolish. If you look at the young educated Maori people you find that they all have Maori names – Apirana Ngata, Hone Heke, Maui Pomare and others. You young Maori must learn and hold on to the Maori language, Maori stories, and Maori things, but a people will not advance if they do not take on board new customs, the practices of strong peoples. The Japanese are a small people but through committing themselves to learning the practices of the major nations they have advanced and now they stand as one of powerful nations of the world so that England, the greatest nation in the world, has befriended Japan. Previously Japan was very hostile to foreign nations and did not like them to visit their land and they were continually at war. However, with the opening of its doors to the nations it has forged ahead to become a great power. Japan has made a practice of sending its intelligent young people to schools in other countries to learn the ways of the great nations. China is one of the largest and one of the most ancient nations in the world, but it is static society because it has not followed the example of other people and is set against new things. A short railway was constructed in China but because it was something new the government commanded that it be demolished! China is like a whale driven ashore and the birds of the air – Germany, England, Russia and the French – have come to tear it apart. But we see now that China has realised its weakness, and that if it is to survive it must adopt new ways, and so it is sending its young men to large European schools. If China is committed it will become the greatest nation in the world with its hundreds of thousands of people, 500,000,000 in all. It was Bonaparte who said, ‘If China wriggles, the world also shakes.’ I heard of a European woman who visited Java and said that the native people of that island were very active but they did not choose to adopt Western ways. They harvested their wheat by hand, breaking each individual stalk, and did not agree with using knives, scythes of machines. If a person asks why they do not cut wheat with a machine they say, ‘Our ancestors broke it off and we also break it off.’ Ah, they sit down and perhaps sleep in that place.

I did not spend a whole week at Te Aute but set off for Wellington, the Whanganui-a-Tara [the Great Harbour of Tara]. I went off to Papawai to see the few people there. When I arrived, many in the village were ill. There was a serious sickness there, called by the doctor Enteric, which was the same as typhoid fever. The Government doctor came to inspect the village. He condemned the water supply and said that no-one should drink it. Water is one of the main sources of this illness, typhoid fever, in the summer because the rivers dry up and the waters do not flow swiftly. Be very careful; it is best to take in water in the form of tea. Henare Parata arranged for Maori Affairs to send a nurse to care for the sick, and for a doctor to look after the sick. This woman is perhaps the first to be sent by the Government to go and live in a Maori village to look after the sick. While I was at Te Aute I heard that the four children of a man from Hastings had died in a short time. It was realised that they died, not because of the severity of the illness, but because they were badly nursed. What use are the doctor’s instructions and medicines if the sick are not well looked after? Medicine does not have miraculous powers. As a people Maori are very keen on using the medicines of the tohunga , but if they are doubtful some of them who are fed up with sickness will not spend money on the doctor’s medicine. We repeat the saying, ‘It is better to prevent the illness than treat it.’ Henare Parata told me that it is the case than many Maori will not tell the doctor the symptoms of their illness or those of the sick person so that he can prescribe medicine. I did not see Tamahau but after one day at Papawai I got on the train to Wellington. That same night I boarded the ferry for Christchurch. After two nights there I went by train to Otago. At Waitaki (Waitangi) I saw a bier with a body with some Maori following after. In the evening I arrived here at Puketeraki at the home of Tame Parata MHR. When I arrived there was a dead body lying here.

I end this article here and will print the remainder later. However this is my closing word. There are very few Maori amongst the Pakeha, but in these days when we are so few I have come across many Maori who a ill, and I have seen two Maori corpses while not seeing a single Pakeha being taken for burial. The Maori People are descending to the Night.

[12] CALENDAR: MARCH

Day 13 Full Moon 11h 43m p.m.

Day 29 New Moon 0h 56m p.m.

1 S First Sunday of Lent*

Morning Evening

Genesis 19.12-30 Genesis 22.1-10

Mark 4.35 – 5.21 Romans 11.1-25

2 M

3 T

4 W

5 Th

6 F Ember Day

7 S Ember Day

8 S Second Sunday of Lent

Genesis 27.1-41 Genesis 28

Mark 8.10 – 9.2 1 Corinthians 1.1-26

9 M

10 T

11 W

12 Th

13 F Fast

14 S

15 S Third Sunday of Lent

Genesis 37 Genesis 39

Mark 12.13-35 1 Corinthians 7.1-25

16 M

17 T

18 W

19 Th

20 F

21 S

22 S Fourth Sunday of Lent

Genesis 42 Genesis 43

Mark 15.42 – 16 1 Corinthians 12.28 – 13

23 M

24 T

25 W The Annunciation to Mary

Genesis 3.1-16 Isaiah 52.7-13

Luke 2.1-21 1 Corinthians 15.1-35

26 Th

27 F

28 S

29 S Fifth Sunday of Lent

Exodus 3 Exodus 5

Luke 4.1-16 2 Corinthians 1.23 – 2.14

30 M

31 T

*Use the Embertide Collect every day this week.

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.

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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/- Tiopira Tamaikoha, Hone Papita, Horomona Rangitapua, Rev Rameka Maumia; 3/- Hira Taruke; 2/6 Te Hekenui.

H W Williams, Te Rau Press, Gisborne.