Te Pipiwharauroa 63

Te Pipiwharauroa 63

No. 63

1903/05

(Maori Version at NZETC.)

[1] Te Pipiwharauroa, He Kupu Whakamarama, Nymber 63, Gisborne, May 1903

A VISITOR FROM AFAR

On 22nd April, John R Mott MA, PhD and his secretary visited Te Rau College. He is Secretary of the World Student Christian Federation. This Federation was founded seven years ago. Its membership has grown to 85,000 of the educated people of the world. Their work is to forward the faith within the great colleges and beyond. India, China and Japan have joined this Federation. Although the Gospel has not been proclaimed in Japan for very long for every 1000 students in the colleges of Japan 30 are Christians. Amongst the total population one in every 1000 is a Christian.

This Federation is still growing. Mott is travelling to see its branches throughout the world. He spoke words of encouragement to the students at Te Rau. He said that the greatest work in the world was the preaching of the Gospel of Christ. There was no other occupation like it. And no-one must turn back once his hands have grasped the plough. He said that a person’s words gain approval not because of the strength of his body or how well he speaks but it is by the care the person shows that someone is truly won to faith. His words coming from the heart will not fall in vain from his lips. It is not good for a person to be hypocritical; this is the sin particularly hated by Christ. If a person’s heart is right his words, his thoughts, his deeds will be right; if there is wrong within there will also be wrong on the outside. A person of great faith knows to look out for temptations, for a long time he has lived carefully, while there are some people whose eyes close in sleep so that temptations can come unseen and indeed the eyes sleep so that temptations come and when he bestirs himself the pa has already fallen. Some people allow evil thoughts to dwell in their hearts and do not cast out those thoughts. Adultery is a wicked sin but a person has already committed adultery if he allows adulterous desires towards a woman to dwell in his heart. Martin Luther said, ‘I cannot prevent the shadow of the bird that flies over my head from touching me but I am in the wrong if I allow that bird to build his nest in my hair.’ A foul thought may penetrate our hearts but if we welcome that thought we are allowing it to build its nest in our hearts. A man’s adulterous thought is something that he creates, it does not suddenly appear, and when that adulterous desire enters and he holds on to that desire and does not cast it out then he has allowed his thought to build its nest in his heart – he has sinned in his heart. The good thing is to cast out the evil thoughts. Do not vacillate. Good will prevail and evil thoughts can be cast out by thinking good thoughts. Think of Christ and if you are determined to cast out evil thoughts it will be easy to do so. Mott said that we should take to heart the prayer that God’s will be done. God will not answer the prayers of people if the things they pray for are wrong and foolish, if they are praying only for themselves and there is no place for others in their prayers. An important thing is to read the Word of God to enlighten the heart. The Bible is the only book in the world to enlighten the heart.

[2] Mott had much more to say. He is a highly educated man; it is said that he could have stood for the presidency –to be a very young president of America [?hei tumuaki tamaraki rawa mo Amerika – sic.] had he stood as a member and had he undertaken this work. However he says that preaching the kingdom of God is a great job. During Mott’s first year at college he was not a religious person, he did not believe there was a God or in Christ, but when he looked into the accounts of Christ he believed and said, ‘My Lord and my God.’ Mott says that the wise people of the world want faith. A large gathering was arranged by Mott in Christchurch attended by people from the colleges. Some Maori from Te Rau and Te Aute attended. They will give accounts of the meeting when they return.

THE OPENING OF A MAORI SCHOOL AT TE PUNIHO.

On 22nd April there was a big celebration at a Maori village called Te Puniho. This village is 21 miles from New Plymouth – between New Plymouth and Parihaka. That celebration was for a school for the children of that part of out Lord’s vineyard, so that they can learn to grow up as good people and to resist evil. Many people came to the opening of that school. E M Smith MHR and Mr Jennings MHR, the members for the area came, as did Archdeacon Cole and the Rev F Peneti. Also there were Ropere Tahuriorangi and his wife, and Pita Paaka [Peter Buck]. Many leading Maori came to the celebration. Te Kahui, chief of Rahotu, was also present.

The people who cultivated this treasure were Rev Peneti and Wire Kerei. These are the men who grew the tree right up to its flowering. The Maori elders and the Pakeha were generous in praising their efforts to establish this valuable asset in Taranaki. This is also the seed kumara of the great work of the Pakeha. There is only one similar school in Taranaki. And although they have not been able to achieve many other good things they have grasped this fruit. So my friends, you gatherings of the wise, you tongues in every place, help your friends working in this part of the Lord’s farm. Pray to the Heavenly Father that he will send his blessing on his servants working here and on these sheep of his farm.

People made many speeches that day, and there were many good things [hua – fruit] in the speeches. However because I am afraid that there will not be space in our paper I send only the speech by this chief, Te Kahui.

This is what he said: I greet this gathering of leader who have come together under the roof of this building today. Although we are two peoples, today we meet under a single roof. I stop using the name Maori and the children will begin to bring the two peoples together. Hot iron cannot be joined to cold iron, but if both are heated together then they can be joined. The school is such a fire. The Pakeha treasure is the school. Peneti attended school. He works as a minister. My desire is that all Maori children become ministers, doctors, members of parliament, lawyers, or carpenters, blacksmiths, shoemakers, or other occupations. The school is what transposes a person into all these occupations. The school has been set up. Parents and children, value your gift. My wish is that our children should seize on Pakeha learning lest we be deceived by this people.

People of both races were full of praise for the clarity of this elder’s speech. There were also good speeches by some of the Pakeha, but because we fear that the wings of our bird will not be strong enough to carry the heavy weight of his load I have not sent them. We are working hard picking supplejack seeds to strengthen our bird in its flight. It is good. But you should know that we are not particularly strong here. However, bird, you can see those who are distressed because of lack of food in these days. Be strong. Presently you will see the last first and the first last.

Best wishes, Te Pipiwharauroa. May God give you long life to carry light to the people who live in darkness.

[3] 

TE WERETA

The supporters of Te Wereta are not pleased by what I have written about their tohunga – I knew that they would not like me and my articles, but by and by they will see that my articles were right and they will become bored with their tohunga. Te Wereta knows that his people are bored with him because he is travelling to see a different tribe. Let other tribes not think mistakenly that Ngati Porou support this man; the chiefs of Ngati Porou do not like Te Wereta.

I find fault with all native tohunga because they are condemned by Scripture, (Deuteronomy 18.10-12), but I have not strongly condemned native tohunga, not because I agree with them but because this is an ancient Maori practice, but I strongly condemn Te Wereta because I know that what he is doing is deceitful. He is not a genuine tohunga and to say that he is a prophet of God is accursed. If the matter being delivered concerning the mana of God is right then it is obvious, but this man came out of prison, he is a thief, and it is not obvious. Timi Kara said that God was mistaken to give the power to heal to cunning rascals such as Hone Poti, Te Tokomauri and Te Wereta and to pass over the good people. Te Wereta is a man who has been in prison for theft; he was several years in prison in Auckland. One man here has spoken about Paul, a bad man, but he was appointed an apostle by God. Did Paul steal pigs? Paul rather was a very good man; his fault was persecuting the Church and he persecuted it thinking mistakenly that he was doing the will of God. (1 Timothy 1.13). When Te Wereta stole pigs, did he wrongly think that he was doing the will of God? Beware of taking God’s word to justify deceit and falsehood. Some people are quoting the words of Paul concerning ‘gifts of healing’ (1 Corinthians 12.28). Christ, the Apostles and some other disciples had this power, but I do not know that it came upon anyone else subsequently outside of the Scriptures, ultimately resting upon Te Wereta, according to some people. But does Te Wereta have the gift of healing? Why did some people he practised on here in Gisborne die? There may have been others in other places. Many people Te Wereta practised on here were not healed, and the few people here who say they were healed do not see that they are still very ill.

There are people here who say that Te Wereta has healed some Whanganui people; after many years laid low by illness Te Wereta healed them. This is one of our Maori mistakes – believing what we hear with our ears and not believing what we see with our eyes. Our ears have heard that Te Wetreta healed some Whanganui people while we have seen with our eyes that the people were not healed here in Gisborne, and that the man from Te Waipounamu, brought here by reports of Te Wereta, returned home ill, and yet people believe what they have heard about but not what their eyes see. This amazes me. Maori are strong believers but many believe in wrong things – a futile belief. Indeed in former times the Hauhau believed that their incantations would turn aside the bullets of a gun. In the battle at Waerenga-a-hika the Hauhau charged the Government troops, they left behind their rifles and chanted incantations, they put up their hands to deflect the bullets believing that they would not be hit, but when there was a volley of gunfire a great many of them fell dead, and those still standing fled. This is a sad story, a pitiful one, but it is told to point out the futility of people believing in false stories. But the Scriptures say that some people will believe in untruths. ‘God sends them a powerful delusion, leading them to believe what is false (2 Thessalonians 2.11).’ ‘Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will renounce the faith by paying attention to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, through the hypocrisy of liars (1 Timothy 4.1-2).’ Is it not deceitful for a person to be required to drink mixed alcoholic drinks while the tohunga says, ‘Drink in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit’? Is it not deceitful when a man who has come out of prison and who has not shown his penitence says that God has given him the power of healing? Is it not deceitful to give a sick person a stone to put on the painful place, saying that it will cure him? Is it not deceitful to cut the hair of some other tohunga to drive out demons? Is it not deceitful to lay hands on the sick while praying and dancing:

May love be a train ticket

By which I will bind your heavy burden?

[4] 

Te Wereta says that all churches are his – the Missionary [Church of England], the Mormon, the Ringatu, but at the hui at Omahu, it is said, he said that his denomination was Church of England. Is what Te Wereta said right? Does he not belong to the Ringatu? I visited Mangatu, a village where Te Wereta lived, and that village was Ringatu. There I heard that Te Wereta had strongly urged the Ringatu tohunga to go to Tokomaru, to the Ngati Porou area, to preach the Ringatu faith. Te Wereta had been strong in his urging but that elder decided that he would not go, saying to Te Wereta, ‘Matiaha is still alive there.’ Is it not the practice of the Ringatu to celebrate the twelfth day of the month? This is one of Te Wereta’s main practices and now, when a Day is held by the Ringatu, the Church of England people who support Te Wereta are instructed to attend that Day. Te Wereta is an ‘apostle’ of the Hauhau faith. Is this not the main reason why Wi Pere backs Te Wereta? Ringatu is Wi Pere’s real religious allegiance and perhaps he thinks that Te Wereta is the successor of Te Kooti. There is a tohunga here who was lauded by Wi Pere but when that tohunga would not join the Hauhau, Wi Pere spoke badly of him. The leaders of Ngati Porou know that Te Wereta is a practising Hauhau and that is why they denounce him.

I shall summarize the reasons why I denounce what Te Wereta is doing. If these reasons are right then I would be wrong to keep silence.

1. Native tohunga practices contravene the Word of God. If Te Wereta says that Jehovah is his God, which part of Scripture says to give a sick person a stone to subdue his pain?

2. Te Wereta deceitfully says that God has given him the gift of healing. This is deluding people. He cannot cure a very sick person. He uses the sacred name of God for his deceptions.

3. He uses in his works the Ringatu prayers. He is being deceitful when he says that he belongs to all denominations.

4. People die through his activities. I can speak of the death of a girl from here in Gisborne. That girl suffered from typhoid fever, but on the instructions of Te Wereta she was taken to Tokomaru. She was tossed about on a buggy. On the road her illness got worse and by the time they reached Tokomaru it was very serious indeed. Te Wereta worked on her fruitlessly. Because she was so bad she was brought back here to Gisborne where she died at home. Had it been a Pakeha doctor he would not have agreed to her being taken away, but in his foolishness Te Wereta said to take her to Tokomaru. It is clear to me that it was her being taken to Te Wereta that caused the death of this girl. But the followers of Te Wereta have made up a false story purporting to explain why this woman died. Some people have died through giving credence to Te Wereta and not going to the Pakeha doctor. It is the case that those who believe in tohunga do not go to Pakeha doctors.

There are other reasons but these must suffice. I believe this is a very important matter and that I am right to fight this man who is deceiving the Maori People.

I am responsible for this article and no-one else, and not Te Pipiwharauroa. If anyone is critical let him criticize me only, but criticize me openly on the marae and not to my back.

Reweti T Kohere.

FROM THE EDITOR

We received the letter from Tame Arapata which appeared in the last edition of our paper. It told of the passing of a motion at the Te Aute Students’ Association Hui held at Taumata-o-mihi last January which proposed the setting up of a committee to oversee the work of Te Pipiwharauroa. Te Pipi endorses that letter and the setting up of the committee. Because Te Pipi and the Association are working together, seeking ways and giving advice about how to better the condition of us Maori people, the Association proposed the setting up of a Committee to protect Te Pipi and to see to publishing its reports and its recommendation is Te Pipi. It would be concerned with the part of the paper dealing with the work of the Association. But the Committee would also look at all the articles that are sent to the paper. The Committee would decide if an article was good enough to be included and if it was not it would not be included. So, people, read the words in our paper carefully. Many of the knowledgeable people of our country will have read your articles before they are published in the paper. The Chairman of the Committee is Herbert Williams and the Committee consists of five old boys of Te Aute who live near Gisborne.

[5] 

STORIES FROM AROUND THE WORLD

On 21st April, the Chancellor of the Exchequer [lit. the Keeper of the Finances of the Kingdom of England], Mr Ritchie, laid before the House of Commons of the English Parliament, a document showing what remains in the coffers of the Kingdom of England after paying the Generals and Admirals, sailors, members of Parliament, the King’s railways, and many other liabilities. After paying all these things, the Kingdom of England is left with £87,619,000 to work with. Scotland, after the payment of its liabilities, has £10,996,060. The island of the Irish, under the rule of England, has £2,570,000. The New Zealand Government will not stick its chin out and try to match the amounts mentioned above; one thousand pounds is a huge amount to our Government. Have at you, England, the pit of money. Get along with you, our jaw is painful with speaking of the greatness of your glory. Having money is also one of the glories of the peoples of the world.

AN EXPLANATION

The Editor of Te Pipiwharauroa has received many letters from people asking why they have not received their papers. Please understand friends that people’s papers are sent to the villages they have told us to send them to. We think that the fault lies with the Post Offices. They give them to the wrong people and so people do not receive their papers. We have therefore tried to think of a way to prevent the papers from going astray. What we have come up with is that people who subscribe to the paper should speak to the Post Master of their town and tell him not to give their paper to someone else and that they or other people known to the Post Master will fetch their paper.

Friends who help Te Pipi should be aware that our paper is a Maori language paper and that you should not suffer attacks from people who have sent English language articles to be printed in Te Pipi. Not all those who take this paper understand both languages. Many people are deaf to the English language and complain about the insertion of articles in English which cannot be read by Maori eyes.

But if you really want to put in those articles, translate them into Maori , send them in and they will be seen by all, from children to the elderly.

THE DEATH OF KIORE KENA

To the Editor of Te Pipiwharauroa.

Friend, greetings! Will you please publish this notification of the death of Pita Kena in our bird. Many people came to see him – all the people in Kaipara. This man was one of the old chiefs of this Kaipara district and of this hapu of Te Uriohu. He was a descendant of Haumaewarangi. He died on 2nd April 1903 at Pouto, Kaipara Heads. The Pakeha also spoke. The name of the Pakeha who spoke was Mr McLeod, Helensville. In his tribute to Pita Kena he said that he had known this elder for forty years and loved him. Pita Kena was 80 years old. He was one of the people who helped Te Pipiwharauroa. Now he has died. Please write and tell me the cost of printing this article, and also the amount owed by Kiore Kena to Te Pipi.

From your friend,

Tuparata Kena.

HETE MATEHANA [?DR A MATHIESON]

She is the sixth woman doctor in New Zealand. Her first medical studies were at a college in England. Afterwards she went to a college in Ireland. The Principal of this college was from Auckland. She emerged with a good degree and gained the title L.R.C.P.

The aspects of medicine she specialises in are the illnesses of women and children. She says, ‘Most of the illnesses suffered by women can be cured, and by women doctors.’

Hete’s parents are in Auckland. She is working as a doctor in Christchurch.

[6] 

SOME LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

To the Editor of Te Pipiwharauroa.

On 17th November the Synod of the Diocese of Auckland met at St Paul’s Church in Auckland. The main task was choosing a Bishop, to replace the Bishop of Auckland who died.

Many Maori clergy attended, fifteen of them, along with Hori Manihera and H A Hawkins from the Maori section and three lay representatives – 20 people in all. It was realised then that this is how Maori should attend the Pakeha synod. They were all agreed that a bilingual bishop should be chosen, one who spoke English and also the original language of New Zealand, Maori.

However, when it came to choosing, most members of the house were strongly in favour of calling a Bishop from England, and so the Maori gun was stuffed up and waterlogged and did not go off. When the gun was unblocked it was moved that Rev Herbert Williams of Te Rau, Gisborne, should be the Bishop; he spoke both languages and was fitted for the position.

The benefits of having both languages, according to our human understanding, were enumerated, but despite this it was appreciated that ultimate decision was with God who would indicate his choice, even though the human heart might want a bilingual person. It is not like drinking from the cups immediately the hot tea comes; rather one leaves the tea for a time so that it is not hot, and it is left for a length of time like that, then it is satisfying and one even forgets to blow on it to cool it. So if one drinks cold water it goes smoothly down the throat and one is satisfied, and soon satisfied, and that is that.

On 27th November a visitor from afar visited Ngaruawahia, Waikato, Bishop Williams of Waiapu. He is a rare white heron of a single flight. He came to confirm and the Pakeha also came to the church at 7.30 p.m. Some people came for the worship, some came because of the fame of Mr Williams, a man who knows the Maori language, though some did not know that the Bishop knew the Maori language. It began with a hymn and we are not unfamiliar with the Pakeha things and with his precious hymn book. When it ended the Bishop spoke to the people being confirmed. There were ten Pakeha to be confirmed. When the Bishop ended his address they were confirmed. After dealing with the Pakeha side the Bishop called out to the congregation saying that there were some Maori present being confirmed and so they should sit quietly. After saying this he began speaking in the Maori language. The looks on the faces of the Pakeha on hearing the Maori language were like car lights, shining dimly at first and gradually becoming stronger, as they stared in amazement at the Bishop. They knew what Mr Williams was saying in his good and beautiful voice, because he said the same extremely important things in both his English and Maori addresses. He spoke about the baptismal covenant, the things that the Godparents had agreed, at the Baptism, would be renounced – the devil and all his works, and how the person would believe all the articles of the Christian faith, and would keep God’s will and commandments and walk in the same all the days of his life.

Had the Bishop spoken only in English then one would have heard sighs from the Maori side that their ears had not heard and that they did not know what it was all about. Had the Bishop spoken Maori the sighs would have come from the Pakeha side. At the end of the service, coming outside one would have heard the Pakeha learning to speak Maori and trying to speak like the Bishop and we would hear Maori words being used by the Pakeha for ever!

Many Pakeha spoke to me about how strongly they wanted to know the Maori language, just like Mr Williams. Enough of this.

So the Maori Church of the Diocese of Auckland would like it if we had a Maori-speaking Bishop. Like cool water in the summer sliding down the throat would be the words sliding down the throat of the ear and well-satisfying the parched heart.

You go to fetch water with the bucket in one hand but the water is only dripping. You dip in the pannikin but wait a long time for it to fill before emptying it into the bucket. Then you go back with the pannikin and again it takes ages to fill before you can empty it into the bucket. Soon you are weary at the time it is taking. On one occasion when you empty it into the bucket you spill part of the water out of the bucket and it is wasted. There is still water remaining but it is taking so long to fill the bucket.

It is like this with a Bishop who only speaks one language. The Bishop is the spring, the congregation is the bucket, and the interpreter is the pannikin. Part of the water is spilled by the pannikin. It is like what happens with the interpreter. If the Bishop speaks at length, the interpreter leaves out some of what is said – the words do not get into the bucket so that, as far as the congregation is concerned, those words are lost.

Hence my wish that the Maori Church throughout the Diocese of Auckland should send a petition that the Bishop should learn both languages, so that its mind is made up before the installation of the new Bishop.

What is seen to be wrong with the Maori Church on the East Coast of this island? Because the Bishop’s gun has two barrels, it cries out to the Maori and it resounds to the Pakeha, and so there is no problem; all is seen to be agreeable.

Nikora Tautau.

To the Editor of Te Pipiwharauroa.

Greetings to you, the one who sends Te Pipiwharauroa to go and see the four corners of New Zealand and to hear the stories of each place, and so I send these few words to be carried by your pet.

The Hui of the Maori Church in the Archdeaconry of Waimate, in the Diocese of Auckland, was held at Kaitaia, Manganui North, from March 12th to 15th, 1903.

[7] 

One of our number was struck down with illness at that hui, Rev Timoti Kiriwi. On March 18th Timoti Kiriwi’s child died at Waimate North while Timoti Kiriwi was lying ill at Pukepoto.

When he heard that his child had died he went on that very day, March 18th, 1903, to Mangonui.

On 19th March at 8 p.m.he arrived at Waimate North. When he got there Timoti Kiriwi found the dead child lying there along with two others of the children who were ill. There was great distress.

On 30th March, 1903, Timoti also died and it was a time of great sorrow. Timoti Kiriwi was taken to the resting-place of the spirits of the people. He is asleep.

His people were extremely sad at the death of Timoti because they were again left as orphans. It was the same in the district in the case of the Rev H P Taua. His people grieved greatly over him, as did also the Pakeha who were sad at the death of Timoti Kiriwi. Farewell, friend, into your resting-place, you and the ark of your strength. [Psalm 132.8]. Long life to you, Te Pipi, in the love of the Lord.

From your friend,

T Paerata,

Taumarere.

16/4/03

To the Editor of Te Pipiwharauroa.

Greetings to you. May God protect us all. So much for greetings. Friend, will you please tuck these words into the wings of our pet who flies chattering along at the dawn of the morning from the perch from which our pet begins his flight to the two islands - if he is able to deliver these words.

The meeting of the Land Council of Ngapuhi was held at Waiomio in the County of Kawakawa, Bay of Islands, from 23rd February right up to the middle of March when it ended. The meeting began and so did the sicknesses. People were ill right until the end. Some people who know say that the fault lay with the ancient houses of the elders. They were responsible for this affliction. Some of those people prepared food for the meeting and before the meeting ended some of those people died. But there is set down the word: Jehovah has taken them; blessed be the name of Jehovah. [Job 1.21]

People say it was caused by a wasted cow. A wasted cow had died and it was taken to the beach and was washed up again on the beach, even though people knew very well that the proper place for its body was six feet under. What I said was, what many of us were saying, that I did not want to die. It is not given to a man to know the time he will die. Some fifteen or perhaps more people were ill in just that short time.

So much for that. I finish here. Best wishes.

From your friend,

M H Houtaewa.

To the Editor of Te Pipiwharauroa.

Friend, greetings! I am sending a few words for you to load onto our bird.

I am grateful for the letter written by Tamihana Tikitere telling how Waikato brought the Kahika Mokihi as a sailing companion for Te Wharau o Iroiro. It is obvious that Tikitere is mistaken about that matter.

For one thing, our friend is mistaken in that it was agreed by the Race Committee and Te Arawa that the Waikato canoe should be brought to Rotorua.

It is the case that Te Wharau o Iroiro was left behind by only a few yards but it will be seen that presently at next year’s races perhaps Te Iroiro will win.  I am also at odds with Tikitere about his saying that a carthorse should not be yoked with a racehorse, because the elders’ proverb says,


He tangi to te tamariki, he whakama to te kaumatua.
‘When a child weeps the elders are embarrassed’ [cf Nga Pepeha 733]. 

Iroiro is 100 years old. We will see what happens in 5 years. 

Best wishes.

Paora Kopere.

Taupiri.

THE DEATH OF REV TIMOTI KIRIWI

To the Editor of Te Pipiwharauroa.

Friend, greetings to you and to all the men of the college. Greetings to you all who are united with us in love for Timoti Kiriwi who entered his rest on 30th March 1903, at the age of 36.

He was not ill for very long, only for three weeks. He took ill on 9th March when we travelled from Waimate to the district synod held at Pukepoto, near Kaitaia. When we arrived there he lay down on his bed. He did not hear the proceedings of the hui, only the opening. On 19th March he arrived ill at Waimate. When he arrived one of his children, Reihana Kiriwai, had died on 18th March and two of the others were lying ill with the same sickness. Then after two weeks lying ill he entered into his eternal rest. I was with him throughout, right up to the time of his death.

Our hearts of flesh grieve greatly for this servant of the Lord who has been taken to his [8] rest. His people lament for him and at being deprived of their shepherd. What will happen?

The two children, Hori and Mere, are now well. According to the doctor their illness was typhoid fever.

The widow and her bereaved children live at Te Waimate.

And now the greetings. Best wishes to you all. May God give us all understanding.

From your friend and fellow servant in love.

Hare M Ruarangi.

NEWS FROM ABROAD.

France

In France, the home of the French, they are using not horses but electricity to pull ploughs. The first plough to be driven by electricity was used in 1879.

Germany

Two German men had a contest to see who could eat the most pukupuku fish which are like herrings but larger. One of them won the prize; he ate 23 of the fish.

There was a Maori at the Hui held at Omahu on 29th April 1903 who ate eels. The number of eels eaten by him at one sitting was 21. The length of a single eel was nearly 2 ½ feet, and so one eel was equivalent to perhaps four herrings. And so we think that the Maori ate the equivalent of 84 raw herrings. And so by eating 21 eels that Maori showed that no-one could compete with him. Perhaps were this Maori to be made to play with the Germans then he would eat one hundred herrings. This Maori is awesome when it comes to dispatching food. He has the stomach of an elephant.

England

A deaf woman married a deaf man. The minister marrying them had many difficulties. Their marriage was carried out by signing.

America

A woman, [?Aperama Anihana], gave £200,000 for the building of a college for girls. This woman is a daughter of the American, Jeremiah [?Maripeka], who left £1,000,000 to his daughter when he died.

ODD ITEMS

A battleship is being built for the English, a huge and well-armed ship of 16,500 tons. It is called New Zealand.

Four Chinese found a slab of greenstone weighing 4 tons. That greenstone was sold to the bank for £223.

A Pakeha in Gisborne planted 75 acres of corn. When it was sold that corn was worth £1010.

We have heard that the tohunga, Te Wereta, was thrown out when he arrived at Te Wairoa. But being thrown out is nothing; being beaten would be worse.We heard that Te Wereta’s telegram had arrived when he got to Taranaki. He said that Te Whiti should submit to him. This would be the first time Te Whiti has been told what to do by anyone. Will Te Whiti have his hair cut?

On 3rd of this month an American Torpedo factory (manufacturing bullets that travel under water) exploded. Fifty buildings were demolished and twelve people were wounded, but there were no deaths.

On 4th May the flax and wool stores in Auckland belonging to the ‘New Zealand Shipping Company’ were destroyed by fire. That Company lost £5000 worth of buildings and £10,000 worth of flax fibre. Although this was a great loss it is more than covered by the insurance on the buildings and their contents.

A GREAT LOSS

On 25th March 1903, Raiha Mahirau died at Te Kao. His family and others who knew him were terribly sad.

Someone greatly valued has been parted from us.

A voice we love is no more.

There is an empty place in his home –

a place which will never be filled.

A Farewell from his father,

Eru Ihaka.

[9] 

 THE BISHOP’S ADDRESS TO THE HUI OF THE MAORI CHURCH AT OMAHU ON 27TH APRIL 1903.

Friends, ministers, and representatives of the people!

Paul likened the Church of Christ to a person’s body which has many different parts and each part has its own work. There is only one body and there is also only one director of what is to be done by all [the parts], the man whose body it is. The body is not divided but each part seeks to work for the good of the whole body so that it grows up well and is strong and able to bring to completion all it undertakes. He says that we are all one single body in Christ and that each one is a part of him. The one Spirit activates this body – the Spirit of Christ. He it is who guides and strengthens us to do all that Christ wishes. We see from this the work that this Hui of the Maori Church has to do which is to look at those things that are weak or wrong in this part of Christ’s body and also to stir up those who have become part of that body so that they are quick to do Christ’s work for the increasing well-being of the whole Church.

One area of weakness seen in this part of the Church is that no-one comes for confirmation. Christ has provided everything needed for a person to grow to maturity and he has said that if we abide in him we will bring to completion his works. It is the believing heart that abides in him as if it were his flesh or his bones. One thing provided by Christ to stir up the believing heart to abide in him is the Lord’s Supper. The way in which a person joins in this is by Confirmation. Let the children be taught the things they should know, the things that should be believed by a person in order to save one’s soul, then it is right that the be confirmed. If a person is not prepared to be confirmed it is a sign of weakness, a sign of sickness. If the parents have a lively and strong faith they will have undertaken for the children to be carefully taught the things that contribute to spiritual life. There are few people now who take the Lord’s Supper; most of the people of the Church do not want it. If the children are not carefully brought up to replace those who have departed it will not be long before the flames of the Gospel are extinguished amongst the Maori people.

One sign of a heartfelt commitment to the works of the faith is a sense of awe when one worships God. It is right that we should gather for this activity in order to be happy. The main reasons for us gathering are to praise God for the good things he has given us, to listen to his holy word, and also to pray for the things we need for body and spirit. And here we have another sign of weakness in that many people do not come to worship, they are not eager to arrive early for worship, rather they arrive in the middle of the service and then leave: when they do come in they sit down and do not stand at the appropriate times to stand and they do not kneel when they should kneel, not do they take the prayer book so they can join in at the places where they should be speaking. This kind of worship will not be blessed by God for while the body has come to the service the spirit is worshipping somewhere else.

Let us focus our thoughts on what Christ did, for he is said to be our example. He did not come to be served but to serve and to give himself for the salvation of many people. What he says to those who would follow him is to deny oneself and follow him in the way of the cross. The purpose of what he says is that we must not do what we want, but that we should put all our effort into doing his works, and to remind us that we are his soldiers, his servants, and we will not achieve this if we do not receive his Spirit. We can trust in that Spirit while we are gathered here that all that we do will be according to his will.

§§§§§§§§§§§

In the Land District of Auckland there are 555,577 acres which have not yet been dealt with by the Maori Land Court. In Hawkes Bay there are 184,492 acres, in Taranaki, 365 acres, and in Wellington, 132.031 acres. In Nelson on the other island there are 6,626 acres and 26 perches. In the South Island there are 115,110 acres, 2 roods and 33 perches. All together the lands which have not yet been adjudicated on amount to 194,651 acres, 3 roods, 19 perches.

[10] 

A REMARKABLE MAN

Russian newspapers tell of the long life of a man lying in the Tomsk Hospital. He is 200 years old.

We believe what is said about him is true. It is said that he has his birth certificate and some other papers showing his age. There are certain marks on his body which prove that he is the man named in the certificate.

He has been a widower for 123 years. The date of the death of his wife in the certificate is 1780. He and his wife were married for 47 years. His son died in 1824 at the age of 90.

He is certainly the man in our times closest to the age of Methusaleh who is spoken of in the Bible.

LETTERS

Friend, greetings! Best wishes to you in the work to which God has directed your spirit. I want to thank you for the article entitled ‘Wereta, tohunga or prophet?’ which appeared in the April paper, Number 62.

Friends of every tribe, of every hapu, of every chiefly domain of Aotearoa and Te Waipounamu, although Christ had not yet shown himself, John the Baptist said he was very near. Then the adze, the axe, would be laid to the roots of all the trees – all that were not bearing good fruit; they would be cut down and thrown into the fire. This axe will cut down the forests of thorny shrubs, of nettles, of Scotch thistles, and all such nasty vegetation, and ‘the Word of the Lord’ is the edge of this axe, the sharp edge. It says, ‘You are to have no other God before me,’ he shines forth, and you are not to make for yourself an idol in the likeness of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters under the earth. You are not to worship such things or make such things etc. This axe is holy. Do not take the name of Jehovah in vain for Jehovah will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain. Now Wi Pere is an educated man but he has obviously not studied this axe [because] Wereta is a healer who calls upon the name of Jehovah, the God of Hosts, while giving the sick alcohol to drink.

This is a presumptuous use of the Word of God. Let the man be cursed who makes his friend drink liquor. Consider carefully what this axe is like. (Jeremiah 17.5, Malachi 1.14.) Therefore, readers of our bird, there are none of these tohunga amongst my people, Ngapahi, and there are none of those gods we are warned about by the Living God, the creator of heaven and earth. Do not bow down to some strange gods. But the marae, the tribe, or the hapu that supports those works to strike at the Christian Faith and at the Spirit should be aware that a bad name is the outcome of seeking to do the works of the flesh. But it is true that sin rules and has myriads of people under his sway. But the fulfilment he offers is death and destruction. There is also the King of Love but few submit to him. However the fulfilment he offers is eternal life in Christ (Romans 5.21). My wish is that these activities be stopped by laws made in the Councils and the Marae Committees. Let it not be left to lead astray those people whose hearts re not committed to seeking the living God. He has accused the preachers of being lazy, but it is the people who support those misleading activities and make problems for the ministers.

It is for the Editor to decide whether to print or not to print these words.

Hapeta Renata.

Kaeo, Whangaroa.

To the Editor of Te Pipiwharauroa.

Greetings, bird! Bird, if it pleases you, please carry these few words to be seen by the tribes. These are the words. There are two elders in my village who are still not receiving their Pensions, a brother and a sister. They qualify for the Pension but at this time they have not received their Pensions. I understand that malicious people have stopped the Pensions of these eligible elders.

They seek to use wrongly themselves the provisions for the eligible people. As a result the eligible people are suffering. It is know that those people have lands and wealth, but they conceal them when they are considering these matters. They persist in lying and say ‘I don’t have land or cattle of sheep or even a single shilling to buy a glass of beer.’ It seems as if this [?kapu - ?saying], ‘a wolf in sheep’s clothing’, is right. It would be good if a wise person should look out those wicked people and put them in prison. Wrong has indeed been done to my elders who are without and are not able to find enough to buy tea.

[?Mo konei a] the prophet Wereta, these elders have no lands, no horses – the two of them have nothing at all.

And so, bird, best wishes.

From your servant,

N. T. T.

Kaihu, May 5th, 1903.

[11] 

THE BOARD OF THE MAORI LANDS OF THE TAIRAWHITI UNDER THE TRUSTEESHIP

On Saturday, 2nd May, 1903, the first meeting of the Land Administration Board under the Trusteeship of the Honourable Timi Kara and Wi Pere was held here in Gisborne. The people who attended that meeting were Mr Macfarlane of Uawa, Mr Harding of Gisborne and Mr Shrimpton of Napier, the members of that Board, and Wi Pere, Member of Parliament, and Mr Rees, a Gisborne lawyer, and Mr Jackson, the Receiver of the Trusteeship.

It is appropriate that we look back over the many years and at the actions too which gave birth to this Board. Perhaps some of our elders have a clear understanding of the things done over the past twenty-five years involving some Maori Lands of the Tairawhiti which were to be opened up as Settlement Lands. Indeed most of the actions are still of concern.

During the past seven years it became clear that a Law should be enacted to bring a satisfactory conclusion to what had taken place over many years. In 1901 the Bank of New Zealand made known its wish to sell the land under the Trusteeship of Timi Kara and Wi Pere to repay the Bank’s mortgage on those lands. In 1902 the Trustees and the Bank of New Zealand agreed to ask the Government to pass a law to take over the claims and shares of the Bank and to give to the Trustees and the Maori shareholders some time to rescue their lands.

This Board was set up under that Board of the Maori Lands of the Tairawhiti in Trusteeship Act [The East Coast Native Trust Lands Act, 1902].

It was six months after the passing of this Act that the Board was set up. The members of the Board are Mr Macfarlane, Mr Harding, and Mr Shrimpton.

Under that Act, in the Deed of Agreement worked out between the Trustees and the Board, were set down provisions for the administration, the sale, the leasing, the mortgaging, and the improvement of all the lands mentioned in the Deed, which clarified every aspect. It was validated by the Chairman of the Maori Land Court.

The provisions agreed between Timi Kara, Wi Pere and their lawyer, and Mr Rees and the members of the Board were all good.

At the meeting last Saturday the Board explained to Wi Pere and Mr Rees all the provisions of the Deed. There were two parts. One dealt with the lands mortgaged to the Bank and the other dealt with lands under the Trustees which had not been mortgaged. Timi Kara, Wi Pere, Mr Macfarlane, Mr Harding, and Mr Shrimpton added their signatures to those arrangements and then it was sealed with the seal of the ‘Board of the Maori Lands of the Tairawhiti under the Trusteeship.’ The Board will hold the money but has powers under the Deed of Agreement to raise money through a mortgage from the Bank, from other people, or from companies, on land which is not already mortgaged. The productiveness of the land under the Board means that it will not be difficult to raise mortgage money.

There are 200,000 acres of land under the Board’s jurisdiction. Much work was done at the meeting on Saturday. There was discussion of each block.

It was arranged that 2,000 acres of Paremata should be sold and that the remainder of that Block, 5,000 acres, be split up for leasing, and that the trees on Mangaheia No. 2 should be used to provide flooring for those living in Takapau, Mangaheia and Paremata. These three blocks cover 22,000 acres. The Trustees and Wi Pere and Tikiahana [?Dickson] went to see Pokohai to see what was needed to improve that land together with Te Puru and Te Kuri Blocks. These blocks cover 10,000 acres. They also devised some provisions to make it possible to take other Blocks for settlement.

We are convinced that the Bank favours the Board and is concerned to help so that all these lands will emerge from their present plight, or some may be rescued.

The members of the Board are all wise Pakeha, people who know how to use money profitably, and the hope is that under their administration these lands committed to them will similarly do well, and that the members of the Board will continue the good work thy have begun.

By Te Raumoa.

[12] CALENDAR: JUNE

Day 10 Full Moon 2h 38m a.m.

Day 25 New Moon 5h 41m a.m.

1 M Monday of Pentecost

Morning Evening

Genesis 11.1-10 Numbers 11.16-31

1 Corinthians 12.1-14 1 Corinthians 12.27 – 13

2 T Tuesday of Pentecost

Joel 2.1-21 Micah 4.1-8

1 Thessalonians 5.12-24 1 John 4.1-14

3 W Ember Day Fast

4 Th

5 F Ember Day Fast

6 S Ember Day Fast

7 S Trinity Sunday Athanasian Creed

Isaiah 6.1-11 Genesis 18

Revelation 1.1-9 Ephesians 4.1-17

8 M

9 T

10 W

11 Th Barnabas, Apostle

Deuteronomy 33.1-12 Nahum 1

Acts 4.1-31 Acts 14.1-8

12 F Fast

13 S

14 S First Sunday after Trinity

Joshua 3.7 – 4.15 Joshua 5.13 – 6.21

John 20.1-19 James 5

15 M

16 T

17 W

18 Th

19 F Fast

20 S

21 S Second Sunday after Trinity

Judges 4 Judges 5

Acts 4.32 – 5.17 2 Peter 1

22 M

23 T Vigil, Fast

24 W John the Baptist Athanasian Creed

Malachi 3.1-7 Malachi 4

Matthew 3 Matthew 14.1-13

25 Th

26 F Fast

27 S Vigil, Fast

28 S Third Sunday after Trinity

1 Samuel 2 1-27 1 Samuel 3

Acts 8.1-26 1 John 3.1-16

29 M Peter, Apostle

Ezekiel 3.4-15 Haggai 3

John 21.13-23 Acts 4.8-23

30 T

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.

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

10/- Kingi Rakena; 5/6 H H te Huia; 5/- Keepa Horo, E Waaka, Ngahiraka Bird, Taurau Toi, Rev Jennings, Tame Arapata, Renata, Hapeta te Hautehoro, Rev N Tautau, Hemi Tapeka, Mekameka; 2/6 Ngakapa Tahu, Hohepa Kapa, Rutene te Arahi, Kereama Herangi.

H W Williams, Te Rau Press, Gisborne.