He Kupu Whakamarama

Te Pipiwharauroa 137

No. 137

1909/08

(Maori Version at NZETC.)

[1] Te Pipiwharauroa, He Kupu Whakamarama, Number 137, Gisborne, August 1909.

‘As clouds deck the heavens, so feathers enable the bird to fly.’ [cf. Nga Pepeha 352 but also He Konae Aronui p.13]

‘KUI! KUI! WHITIWHITIORA.’ [The cry of the shining cuckoo.]

THE TRUE MARKS OF A CHIEF

The words of a dying man are words of authority; if he is a chief and a truly good man then the tribe will hold on to his last words. There are two reasons for treasuring his words. First, because they are words that will grow in your heart. And the man who is dying has no deceitfulness with him; the things that concern him deeply are the things that will help his people after he has gone; these are what he will speak about. Secondly, as is the man so will be his words. He is a chief and a good man. His words are his final gift to his people.

Because of this they will treasure his words which will recall for them what he was like. Many of our chiefs have died. And not one of them has failed to speak to his tribe. The thing that has particularly impelled them to speak lasting words is the way Pakeha and Maori live together. They have observed the troubles Maori have had formerly and so have turned to giving advice. And their advice has tended to be: ‘Hold to the faith; hold to the Treaty of Waitangi; hold to the Law.’ Does the tribe treasure these injunctions or not? As for the faith, we look in vain for a response. It does not accord with the wishes of those who have left it. As for the Treaty of Waitangi, it has been much discussed by the Government and the Treaty has been declared null and void because Maori have breached it. As for the Law, we find ourselves asking, which law? If it is the law of peace, of love, of living well, then that is good; but we find that in the faith. It is only the faith that enlightens us but people don’t set their hearts on it. The other two matters are spoken of and approved of but people don’t know what they mean. Now the problems that our chiefs sought to avert by their advice have come upon us. Let us say now to our remaining chiefs, those who are still living, that it is no good just giving advice, it is necessary to take action. Thoughtful people, both Pakeha and Maori, have said that the well-being of Maori depends on work. Work the land. We don’t wish to speak of this aspect now but rather of the dying speeches. Our well-being depends on learning; not only on the things learned at school but on all skills. Ngapuhi have shown their wisdom in choosing Te Rangihiroa as their member and have thereby given us an example of the value of learning. But it was also through Te Rangihiroa’s ability together with the help he has given the Government that he has attained that position. The Government has stopped helping Maori students at leading schools. Tomorrow we will find ourselves without these kinds of people. There are many children growing up now who could be like those we have seen but who will not be able to attend the leading schools. Now had some of our wealthy chiefs who have passed on been generous in their dying speeches and left money to support a Maori child at leading schools then we would have had plenty of people to be fuglemen for our canoe surrounded by the breaking waves of the sea. [2] We are not saying that such help should only be available to those attending the leading schools; we are saying that help should be available to those going to leading schools, to those studying trades, and to others doing other things which will be of benefit not only to that child but to the people as a whole. This is the good bequest, the thing that bears fruit; a bequest of advice only bears no fruit. Our well-being depends on us; so let us help one another. Let us stop being indebted to the Pakeha. Remember the saying:

‘He kai na te tangata, he kai titongitongi;
he kai nana ake, tino kai, tino makona.’

‘Food from another is nibbling food,

that from one’s own efforts is the best food, the most satisfying.’’

[cf Nga Pepeha 454]

STIPENDS FOR THE MAORI CLERGY.

To the Editor of Te Pipiwharauroa.

Greetings to you and to your friends in the Lord. I have seen Te Pipi Number 135 in which Paora Hopere responded to my letter in Te Pipi Number 133. I send him my best wishes. Paora Hopere says in his letter that what we said was like the statement Peter made, ‘In their greed they will exploit you with deceptive words.’ [2 Peter 2.3] I cannot find anything I said that is deceptive in my letter, but had I said, ‘All Mormons and others should collect for the Church of England,’ then I should have been doing as he alleged, I would have been saying something wrong. Why did Hopere think this, since we do not yet share things between churches? My idea was not only for the Church of England but for others as well if they are collecting money for their ministers – except for Paora Hopere’s own church. If you disagree with this idea, Hopere, then point out how many belong to that church and to others also. If I knew the numbers belonging to each church I should not lump them all together along with the money.

You say in your letter, ‘these Ministers who are told to collect money really want ..... the hard work of other people.’ Again, if this is examined it appears that you think that these ministers are endeavouring to get money for themselves, but this is something that they have privately renounced as I will declare. These ministers do not say anything but seek to fulfil the work committed to them – that’s all they want. If they are able to achieve what is required of them, that is good. But if they are required to work, should we not help them? It is good to make life easier for those few people.

Furthermore, these ministers do not no only preach, they also guide the people to the ways which will be of benefit to body and soul, and they do other things as well. So, if they have spoken for the people is it not right that they should have the things you have mentioned? From our observations, certainly these men are doing good work. How indeed would we stand if a minister set up standards for his parish and ended up breaking them himself?

And so I say that because of their good works we should wholeheartedly seek means of helping them.

You say in another part of your letter, ‘And it has been the case up to the present day.’ Yes, and do you all obey all the teachings of Christ?

Enough, may God bless us all.

From your friend,

Ihaka.

Parnell, Auckland

August 6th, 1909.

A TRULY BRAVE MAN.

In a coal mining area in Melbourne four men were working, three miners and their boss. They were occupied in digging to deepen the pit. They had reached a depth of 53 feet when an accident happened to them. They were digging a place on the bottom for gunpowder. When the disaster happened they had dug two holes for the powder. When they had finished ramming it in, some of them climbed to the top leaving one to set a light to their explosives. When the wicks were burning he started to climb up. However his foot slipped and he fell down. When his friends heard the boss calling out that their friend had fallen, David, one of the two who had climbed out, climbed down to help. When he reached his friend he found him lying there with one of his legs broken. By then the explosives were almost ready to go off. David seized his friend and pulled him to the furthest part of the pit, five feet from the explosives, then he lay on top of him to protect him. The first charge exploded, heaping up the chips at one end. Shortly afterwards the second charge exploded with the same terrible results. But these two people were safe. Their plight was made worse by the broken leg of the man who fell, but had David not climbed down he would have died. This man is the bravest of all brave men insofar as he was prepared to give up his own life.

[3] 

A MANIAPOTO HUI FOR TIMI KARA

[Timi Kara was Acting Prime Minister for three months. – Barry Olsen]

Ngati Maniapoto held a hui on 31st July at Otorohanga. This hui was to welcome the new Prime Minister on his visit to this area to discuss land problems. The Prime Minister and his party arrived on 1st August. Those who came were the Prime Minister, Wi Pere, Te Heuheu, Te Rangihiroa, Taraua Marumaru, Hue Te Rangihoapu, Mr Jennings MP, and Timi Kara’s Secretary. After the welcome and laments, the visitors went into the house and Taonui stood to address the visitors.

He said, ‘Welcome, new Prime Minister. We are very grateful that you have come to the main centre of the tribe so badly regarded by the Pakeha. Welcome to these members of this enslaved people. These anyway are some of the ideas held by Ngati Maniapoto.’ He ended his words to the friends of the Prime Minister and led the waiata. After him came Hihi Rangiwhenua, Whitinui Hohepa, and Poututerangi Te Tomo. Then Hone Omipi stood. He said, ‘Welcome, Prime Minister. We have great respect for you, and for the problems carried by you and the country. And we are very happy that you have come to this welcome. Because of the sufferings of both small and great you have been invited here by your servant tribe as a consequence of the efforts of the Pakeha peoples, spoken of in the newspapers, to confiscate the remaining Maori lands, land wasted on the bloody Maori. It is said that the lands of the Maori are lying idle and not paying rates or taxes. How is this? Our hands and our feet are tied still. Do we Maori not purchase sugar, tobacco, matches, butter, valuables, and many other Pakeha goods to justify what Pakeha people say? It is because they do not have laws tying them up that they speak about me, about the bloody Maori, these Pakeha. But if the bags of money were open to the Maori then Pakeha and Maori would be the same. So Timi, give the Government’s bags of money to the Maori people of this country. Make a law about land improvement, (it is for you to do), to meet the wishes of the Maori, just like the laws applying to Pakeha settling on land. If such laws are made, we will agree to pay rates and taxes. There are many causes of Maori grievance in the many Pakeha laws. Shortly these will be enumerated and the island will give them into your hands. These are our submissions.

“To the Honourable Timi Kara, Prime Minister of the Dominion of New Zealand. Father, greetings. We sincerely congratulate you on being appointed to the greatest position that the people of the Dominion are able to confer upon a leader. Greetings to you and your fellow members, Wi Pere and Te Rangihiroa, and your fellow leaders of the great tribes of the country who have come here, along with Mr Jennings MP. We are very pleased that you have come here in response to the invitation of Ngati Maniapoto. The main concerns which led us to invite you are not matters of concern to us alone but are matters that affect all the tribes in the country, and those are matters which the Pakeha side is using to bring pressure on the Maori People because the means of dealing with our lands have not been properly settled.

First. Section 11(1) of the Native Land Settlement Act 1907 says, ‘All land brought under the Land Boards of each district shall be divided in half, half being for sale and half being for lease.’

Second. The Rating Laws and the Taxes devised by the Pakeha side should be applied to Maori lands, since no clear provisions have been laid down whereby the lands can be worked, in order that Maori may get the benefit of the land.

Third. A law should be passed which would make available sums of money to Maori farmers. It is right that Maori should pay rates and taxes if they had the same access to funds as Pakeha farmers.

Four. Maori Towns. The titles required by the Pakeha should be changed, and some of the rate money should be used to pay for improvements in those towns. Now we, this section of the Maori People who live together with the Pakeha people under the shelter of the Sovereignty of England, have no desire to hinder the continuing development of the Dominion. But we do not want those objectives to be pursued to our detriment. Our desires in respect to the matters listed above are:

For the first matter. Abolish Section 11 of the Native Land Settlement Act. 1907, and let the Land Board deal with the land under the Maori Land Settlement Act, 1905, Section 17.

For the second and third matters. If ways are made available for Maori to borrow money in the same easy ways that have been provided by the Government to Pakeha living on the land, so that they can farm the land in the same way as Pakeha, and with safeguarding provisions lest Maori be left without land, then we shall certainly agree to pay leases and taxes.

Fourth matter. We do not want to change the ways Maori towns are administered. Things should be left as they are. Nor do we agree that some of the rent money should be used for the improvement of those towns as desired by the Pakeha. The reason is that the sections in those towns were sold [4] at the stand-alone value of the land. No account was taken of improvements. However, if the Pakeha agree to add the value of improvements, roads and other things, to the value of the sections then we will agree to finance the improvements.

The matters were settled at the Maniapoto Hui held at Otorohanga on 31st July, 1909, by all Ngati Maniapoto. At the conclusion of Hone Omipi’s speech and the peruperu [dance with song], Pepene Eketone stood. These were his words: ‘Welcome, Timi Kara, the new Prime Minister. Welcome to your people. Make your country good and just. We have become one – the East Coast, the West Coast, Northland and the South. You and Wi Pere should not treat us as different people. Hone Omipi has spoken about this. [? Have different laws for us from those of the Pakeha, based on the laws that are made. It is said that we Maori should conform to those ways. It is best to leave things as they are. Do not do this.]

When the local people had finished, Te Heuheu Tukino stood to reply to the speeches and to express his happiness at Timi’s appointment as [Acting] Prime Minister. This was a sign to him that prosperity was coming to the Maori People. He was followed by Taraua Marumaru, He te Rangihouapu, and Te Rangihiroa. In Te Rangihiroa’s speech he spoke of the graciousness of Ngapuhi in inviting him to stand in the place of Hone Heke. After Te Rangihiroa, Wi Pere stood. He spoke at length about the laws affecting the Maori People. After Wi’s speech, the Prime Minister stood. These were his words. ‘I respond to your welcome, Ngati Maniapoto, remembering those who have passed through the doorway of death, bringing my tears and my love. Thank you for your welcome. We have two problems, from within and from outside. Let’s deal with them. I came from my home with the desire to find here [? ngaa hiihii me ngaa haahaa] with respect to making laws which affect us Maori. I am aware that you are the right group to set down carefully the right proposals for us, the Maori People. One section of us, Waikato, that is, Henare Kaihau and his son, are returning to the obscurity of the past. But, my friends, the way we Maori must take is to bind ourselves to the land. It is true that I was at fault before; land was taken and the country was devastated. So what? That has been relegated to the time of failure. Now we have entered a new era. Our eyes eagerly look forward and are not looking back. Go on. Be strong. Commit yourselves to your jobs. Pursue the goal lying before you. And I am here to support your endeavours, you Maori people. There is shouting and applause. I also say this, people, during the month of August I am inviting each tribe to choose their objectives. This is what the Pakeha peoples are doing, with the newspapers involved, and it is about the land and the towns of Otorohanga and Te Kuiti.

The Song.

‘Whakarongo!
whakarongo ra te taringa
ki te hau taua, e hau mai nei,
[kei te tai] kei te uru,
hurihia.
[Hurihia ki muri ki to tuara!]
Tikina taku ika
ki waho ki Te Moana Nui a Kiwa,
e takoto mai nei.
He koronga,
he koronga naku, kia tae au
ki nga uru kahika;
ki Ohui, ki Oama;
kia kata tau mai te kikihitara,
kotikotipa, e kohurehure
kiki pounamu;
e tangi ana ki tona whenua
ka tipuria nei e te maheuheu.
Tangi kau ana te mapu e.’

[This waiata is printed in Ngata – Nga Moteatea Part I p.68ff. His translation follows.]

Hearken!

Let the ear hearken

To the rumours of war, that resound

From the west.

But turn –

Turn your backs upon them!

Seek my fish

From the great sea of Kiwa,

That lies before me.

For I desire,

Greatly I desire to reach

The groves of kahika trees

At Ohui, at Oama,

That the cicada may freely cackle,

The bush wrens laugh

And the green insects too,

Lamenting the fate of their land,

Now desolate and overgrown with weeds:

Only a sigh of despair is heard.

After the Prime Minister’s speech, Mr Jennings MP stood and said: ‘Greetings, Maniapoto. I am very grateful for this day and that I have been able to come and hear your concerns about your lands and your towns. This is a just cause, but do not say that what some of our Pakeha friends are doing is wrong for they are concerned to guide you because the eel trap has been set and there are those who want the eel to go in. Work your lands. Money is the important thing these days. Don’t go backwards. Turn to farming – milking, making butter. In everything the law for both peoples should be the same.’ So ended here the words of Mr Jennings and so also ended the doings of the Ngati Maniapoto hui to which they invited the Prime Minister to help them find clear ways to manage their lands and their towns.

DISASTERS AT SEA.

A Wrecked Steamer.

A steamer, the Maori, has been wrecked, a little off Cape Town. The Maori came from London. There were no passengers on board but much cargo. Most of the cargo was for Dunedin. The Maori struck the rock only 24 minutes after leaving Cape Town. Four minutes after hitting the rock it broke up. When it broke up the captain ordered his crew to launch the three boats. Two of those boats were smashed. The third was also damaged but near the shore; when it was landing it was dashed by the waves onto rocks. Most of the crew survived but some died in the huge waves. Some were still on board the steamer and those on land made every effort to fetch them. There was one strong man amongst them who, although he was tired, swam to fetch another [5] who was floating in the sea. That man swam eighty yards in the huge waves and saved the man he went to get. Afterwards he returned to fetch another man but when he reached him the man sank, and because he was so tired he nearly did not make it back to the shore. Some of the fishermen helped at this accident and rescued many men. This steamer was large and old as well. It was built in 1893. It was 5317 tons, 402 feet long with a beam of 48 feet, and a load-line of 29 feet.

THE SPEECH OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE MAORI SECTION OF THE CHURCH IN THE DIOCESE OF AUCKLAND.

My brothers of the Maori People, and my Church friends, my heart rejoices that I have returned to the Diocese of Auckland to decide on the means whereby the Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ will be advanced.

He will guide us by his Spirit. While I was far away I was delighted to find that many people in England are very supportive of our work amongst Maori. I was continually being asked about the state of this people, the Maori, in every place I visited. This revealed that the people of England are continually thinking about the Maori.

Mrs Neligan and I were presented to the Prince of Wales and his wife. He asked how the Maori People were getting on and about Victoria School for Maori Girls and asked me to tell the Maori People and the School that they are always in his thoughts. The Presiding Bishop, the Archbishop of Canterbury, asked about the state of Maori, and I was delighted to tell him and the many who were present that the majority of our people hold to the faith. I was very happy to be able to tell of the blessing of God and of his grace poured out upon our work in Waikato and Taranaki. One thing that gladdened my heart was confirming in Waikato and Taranaki. I think of the state of the work in those areas formerly and the difference now when there is a hunger for the Gospel. I am full of praise to the Father in Heaven for his love to us. But much work remains to be done, nevertheless our prayers are being answered and the work is being blessed. We continue to pray that workers will be sent into his vineyard. I am heartened by the way the women are working. We want to set up other mission houses but need to give careful thought to how this can be done. The thing that really heartens me about the women’s work is that some girls from Victoria School have come to be companions for those women. It will be a matter for praise when Maori are appointed as Ministers and workers, whether men or women, amongst their own people. You have welcomed Make Wiremu to be a companion to Mr Hawkins. I know it will be only a short time before you will treasure him as you do Mr Hawkins, our good friend.

I have not yet heard of the progress with stipends for the Maori work, however I think that Maori will spare no effort in supporting the work, not just with men and women but with money too.

One important thing on our minds this year in New Zealand and in the whole Church, is the Centenary of the birth on 5th April of Bishop Selwyn, that giant of a man, the first Bishop of New Zealand. They are remembering in England the birth of that great man. And Maori too should be thinking about that centenary for he was a much-loved friend, the Shepherd of the Maori People.

The blessing of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit be upon our work.

Some of the Motions.

‘Has the means of raising money for clergy stipends been changed?’

Answer: No change has been made in the procedure arranged by the Committee at Peria in 1904, which divided the amount between the villages.

‘Is it allowable for ministers to conduct weddings on Sundays?’

Answer: There is no law forbidding it, but the decision rests with the minister because of the amount of work he has to do that day.

‘Let each village determine the sum it will raise.’

It was referred to a committee to discuss. Those appointed to the committee were Revs. H Papahia, M Kapa, W te Paa, W Keretene. This was the response of the committee: No village should be disinclined to raise the quota laid down by the committee at Peria in 1904 when the money for each village was set. The parishes should make every effort to find ways of achieving this task easily.

‘The 1911 hui is to be held at Kohanga.’

[6]

WHAT TO DO ON THE SABBATH DAY.

Arthur questions his father at home.

[This article is taken from a major English newspaper which carries these words as its motto. ‘We will shoot down any untruths which are flying about.’]

Arthur: Father, don’t you want me to talk to you about Sunday?

Papa: About Sunday? Certainly, but you will not stop the activities I have arranged for us.

Arthur: What are we doing, Father?

Papa: Henry and I have arranged to play golf on Sunday morning, and you will carry my clubs. We will return from there for your mother’s large dinner to which she has invited several of her friends. If it is a nice evening we will go for a ride in the car. We will return for tea and for supper and to entertain your mother’s visitors. When the entertainment ends at midnight they will return to their homes. None of these things can be cancelled.

Arthur: Father, it is not this Sunday that I wish to speak about. What I want to know is whether you are clear that what we do every Sunday is right.

Papa: Alas, I see that some Sabbatarian has taught you these ideas. Tomorrow you will say to me that it is not right for me to whistle on Sunday.

Arthur: No, Father, I known that that you like to whistle on Sunday, and I really enjoy listening. But, Father, ...

Papa: Yes, what next? Make you question short.

Arthur: Yes, I will try to be brief. What is the meaning of ‘Sabbatarian’?

Papa: Oh, alas, it is not something easy to explain.

Arthur: Oh, Father, you are always using that word. You said that some Sabbatarian had taught me these ideas. Is that not what you said?

Papa: Well, they are people who are strict about observing the rules about Sunday and who say that no work is to be done then. These are the people who are called Sabbatarians.

Arthur: So our servant, John, and Harding, the minister of the parish, are Sabbatarians. I heard Harding preaching about this matter. He said that leading citizens who play golf and ride about in cars on Sunday are breaking the beautiful former practice of keeping Sunday holy. John said last Monday that he was worn out with working every Sunday. He knows that it is indeed affecting him.

Papa: Don’t listen to John’s stories. It is not right that he speaks in this way to you.

Arthur: Yes, it is perhaps right that he should not be speaking to me. But, there are other things he spoke about to me. He says that the problem of the black slave is that he is ordered about as if he were a beast, he cannot observe the Sunday like other people. I perceive that he is a Sabbatarian, Father.

Papa: Enough, enough, let’s stop talking about John.

Arthur: Yes, I shall stop talking about him. If you don’t like Sabbatarians, Father, then likewise I shall not like them.

Papa: Lo! That’s the right thing to say.

Arthur: But you think that people should engage in every kind of work on Sunday, that we should do what we like, and that we should cause others to work on Sundays?

Papa: That’s not what I said.

Arthur: Ha! Father, the Sabbatarians also say that we should not do these things on Sunday and you condemn them. I think you are doing the thing that they condemn.

Papa: Sir! Do not try to catch me out in this way. It is not right that a son should do this to his father. And I did not speak in that way to you.

Arthur: Ha, Father, but did you not say, as I understood it, that we should not work on Sundays?

Papa: That is what I think. We are told not to work on that day. But I do not think that playing golf is work, it is rather a recreation.

Arthur: Carrying clubs, Father, is not recreation for me. Must I carry them?

Papa: You are carrying my clubs on that day.

Arthur: Yes, Father, I understand and I shall carry them, but I think I am doing wrong, because that is working on Sunday. And besides me, John, the cook, the servants, and the chauffeur are also having to work. And another thing, Father, you are not instead going to worship.

Papa: Why are you talking in this fashion, my foolish child?

[7]

Arthur: Oh, Father, I did not want to anger you by my words. But Harding says that it is far better if a person has a desire to go to church.

Papa: Yes, May and your mother go to church.

Arthur: Yes, Father, but those are the words of Harding. He says that if men think that it is sufficient on their part if their wives and children go to church, this thinking is very wrong and it is better if they themselves go.

Papa: Now listen to me. How many times have I told you not to cast Harding’s saying at my head as if you were bewitching me with his words. I am entitled to lay down such things for my house.

Arthur: Yes, Father, I know that you are able to lay down such things. So, if you do not like what Harding says in his sermons ...

Papa: Sir! Stop putting such words into my mouth.

Arthur: No, Father. I shall stop casting the sayings of Harding at your head to bewitch you. No-one wants to be bewitched. So you do not like Harding’s preaching. And because you do not like Harding’s preaching I know why you do not like me to go to church.

Father: Who said that I do not like you to go to church?

Arthur: You are taking me to carry your clubs on Sunday morning and so I am not able to go to church. John cannot go, nor can the servant girls. But what of it, what is different is that we are not Sabbatarians, which is a loathsome thing, is it not?

Papa: Stop your talking! Go and put your stamps into your book.

Arthur: There is plenty of time for that.

Papa: There is no time better than the present. Go.

Arthur: I can stick them in on Sunday, Father.

Papa: Go and do it now. I have told you fifty times that I do not like you putting stamps into your collection book on Sundays.

SAYINGS AND PROVERBS

He mate kahu korako.

‘Desire for the hawk with light plumage.’ [cf Nga Pepeha 562]

Ka kai i te kai a Tuiti.

‘He ate the food of Tuiti.’ [cf Nga Pepeha 970]

THE ARAWA PERFORMING GROUP

The group from Te Arawa going to America stopped off at Samoa. There they were welcomed by Queen Makea. When they returned to their ship the Queen gave them a cartload of fruit for them to eat at sea. They also visited Hawaii. There they had a problem as they did not know what change they should getting for their money when they bought things for themselves. Most of the shops in Honolulu, the main town in Hawaii, are run by Chinese. Their problem was that the money there is different; it is not the same as ours. At the beginning they discussed it, but because they did not understand they left it to the Chinese to sort it out. If they decided to hold onto a few shillings when giving the Maori change for a pound that was up to them, the Maori did not know. The worst difficulty arose when they arrived in America. When the group arrived the doctor came to inspect the people on the ship. It was found that 17 of the Maori had eye problems and these were not permitted to land. Timi Kara received a telegram from them asking him to telegraph the American Government asking for permission for them to land. Timi replied that he was not able since it was a different nation with its own rules. At the moment the 17 are still living on board the ship. When they are well, perhaps they will be allowed to land.

THE FIRE IN AUCKLAND.

On the evening of Monday, 6th August, a large building in Auckland caught fire. It was one of the large buildings in Queen Street. The building had three floors. It was fortunate that there was no wind that day; had there been any wind a large part of Auckland would have been destroyed by the fire. Alongside that building are some of the largest hotels in Auckland and the efficiency of the firemen saved those buildings and others nearby. It was their efforts that limited the spread of this fire. It is said that the fire was fearful to look at. The value of the things consumed by the fire is between £80,000 and £100,000. One man who had an office on the third floor, when he heard the fire, dashed into his office to fetch some of his possessions – they may have been rings. When he returned his way was blocked by the fire. He wrapped his possessions in a handkerchief and tossed them down, then went down himself. One of his hands was all singed by the fire. The possessions he fetched were not found.

[8]

THE NEW ZEALAND CHURCH

The Time of Organisation.

In our articles about the Church we have shown how the Maori People turned to the faith. We have seen how the whole race turned, the last parts being the Tai Rawhiti, the Tai Hauauru to Ngatirauka. We turn in our account to that part of the faith. We look now at the organisational side, the work to consolidate the faith adopted by the Maori People.

The missionaries had wanted to have a bishop assigned to them. When Bishop Broughton of Australia visited in 1836 he saw that this was something they really wanted, and he wrote a letter to CMS asking them to look into the matter. When the group charged with selecting bishops for the colonies met, the bishop for New Zealand was the priority. The New Zealand Company was keen to help with this matter. A stipend of £1200 a year was decided upon, half to be provided by CMS and half by the New Zealand Government. The choice lay with the monarch and the monarch accepted the person recommended by the Archbishop. The first person chosen was William Selwyn, elder brother of our Selwyn. He was a scholarly man and had taken a post in the University of Cambridge teaching theology (as Lady Margaret Professor of Divinity). When he did not want the position, his younger brother, George Augustus Selwyn, was chosen. Selwyn had not been in ministry for long when he was selected, but he agreed because it was the request of the Archbishop. His view was that a clergyman is like a soldier: wherever he is sent by the general he goes. On 14th October, 1841, he was consecrated as bishop. He was born at Hampstead, in England, in 1809. His father and grandfather were famous for all that they had achieved. His father, William Selwyn, was a lawyer, a learned man in the skills of his calling. He was the man chosen to teach Prince Albert, the husband of Queen Victoria, the laws of England. The elder brother of Bishop Selwyn, as pointed out above, was also a scholarly man. The child after Selwyn died, and the last – there were four of them – was a scholar like his brothers and worked as a lawyer. He stood as a Member of Parliament and his last position was as a judge. Selwyn was educated at Eton. While he was at school he excelled in all sports – in swimming, running, rowing, and other youthful games. This was the reason why he was able to make his long journeys in New Zealand. In 1831 he took his BA. In 1833 he was ordained Deacon. He was installed as minister of a parish. At that time the parish was in debt over the renovation of its church. When Selwyn became aware of it he gave his stipend for three [two] years to pay that debt. When people saw his action they embraced his idea and the debt was covered with part left over. This was his first work which showed his great ability. Many leading positions were offered him but he declined them – an honorary Canonry of St Paul’s (the great English Cathedral) and a teaching position in a theological college. Before he was consecrated as bishop he took the degrees of MA and DD. This was a person who had in himself all the marks of a great man. He was a humble man but with a heartfelt dedication to justice. He put his heart into all he did. This is the thing, it is said that he has conquered himself, he does not think of himself. One saw in him a heart of love and of dependence on God. All this justifies the saying that Selwyn was one of the great men of the nineteenth century. There were many things he had to do before he came here. The first thing was to get the Government’s letters authorising him to work and defining the boundaries of his jurisdiction. He was allocated in these letters New Zealand and all the adjoining islands. His strength in argument gained him the right to appoint his own archdeacons; these letters provided that they be appointed by the monarch.

One of his achievements was to arrange that all groups in the Church and the New Zealand Company too should support the Church of New Zealand. These Company monies were given to the SPG [Society for the Propagation of the Gospel] and that organisation added some sums as follows: £12,000 for the Diocese of Wellington, £500 for Taranaki, and £2,000 for the Diocese of Nelson. The SPCK [Society for the Promotion of Christian Knowledge] has said that it will help with the Bishop’s desires. When all the Bishop’s preparations were made, he sailed with his clergy on 26th December, 1841. On that ship was a boy called Rupai who was returning to New Zealand. He had been staying with a doctor while being educated at school. While they were at sea Rupai’s job was to teach the Bishop the Maori language and when they arrived at Port Jackson he had learned to speak it. Here their ship had an accident. [9] During the long time they were waiting for the ship to be repaired, Selwyn and Cotton, one of his clergy he brought, argued, and he left most of them in Port Jackson. [But see Evans – Churchman Militant p.32] On the night of Sunday, 20th May, they arrived at Auckland. On 5th June he preached his first sermon in the law court in Auckland and the congregation was astounded that he preached to them in the Maori language. He brought five clergy with him and four of them were still learning.

On 20th June he arrived at Paihia. Mr Williams was teaching his children when news arrived that the Bishop had arrived on the beach. When he arrived to welcome him he found him pulling his boat to land. Mr Williams realised then that the Bishop of New Zealand was a good man. Mr Williams approved greatly of the Bishop as did the Bishop of all the missionaries. In his letter to CMS he said, ‘If you perceive in the text of this letter how much I admire the missionaries, it is true that those are my feelings.’ In his sermon preached in Paihia in 1842 he said, ‘It is wonderful how Christ has blessed the work of his ministers. We see here a savage people who have turned to the faith. God has given a new heart, a new spirit to the thousands of his people in the many parts of the world. This work has been done by people filled with the Holy Spirit; they have guided the new people into the flock of Christ. There has arisen amongst this people, infamous for killing, a Church for God, to show the world the power of the faith.’

On 24th June his wife and the rest of his party arrived. One of his clergy was left behind ill. He set up a school at Te Waimate and made Mr Cotton the teacher. He sailed to Auckland. The main church in Auckland (St Paul’s) was built at that time. He sailed from there to Wellington where he left W Evans as minister, and then sailed to Nelson. He left a minister in Nelson [Mr Reay] and returned to Wellington. When he reached Wellington he found Evans ill with fever. He stayed there a long time caring for the sick man but was unable to save him. He went from Wellington to Waikanae to see the work of Hadfield. From there he went to Whanganui. He arrived there on 18th October having rested on 17th on the way just outside Whanganui. It was a time to recall the day he was consecrated as bishop. On that day he wrote to his mother in England telling her of his activities. His mother did not see that letter; on the day he was writing it his mother died at home. Leaving Whanganui he visited Taranaki. He came upon Judge Martin there. The two of them chose a site for the erection of a church and then sailed for Wellington. The Bishop left Judge Martin in Wellington and went by way of the Manawatu to Napier. There he boarded a ship for Gisborne. Just before he arrived in Gisborne there was a tempest which brought down the church. Having made Williams ‘the Brother’ [William Williams] the Archdeacon of Waiapu, he went to Waiapu. For a short time he stayed at Rangitukia before going to Opotiki, amongst the Whanau-a-Apanui. The teacher at Rangitukia at the time was Mr Tucker, while Mr Wilson was at Opotiki. He went from there to Mr Brown at Tauranga, to Mr Chapman at Rotorua, to Mr Morgan at Otawhao on the Waipa River, to Mr Ashwell at Kaitohe, to Mr Maunsell at Maraetai at the Waikato Heads, and also to Mr Hamlin at Manukau. On 3rd January, 1843, he arrived in Auckland. He did this journey on foot and his companion was Rota Waitoa. On his return to Paihia he met the one of his clergy [T Whytehead] he had left ill in Australia. This man did not recover. The Bishop was greatly saddened at his death for he was the outstanding person amongst those he brought. Had he lived he would have been the teacher at the Bishop’s School for Minister, St John’s. Before his death he handed over his money to the Bishop to help the Church in New Zealand. That money, £681, was given by the Bishop to support the school.

On 22nd March there was a dispute at Kaitaia. Through the Bishop’s efforts the quarrel was subdued and did not become a cause for a major battle within Ngapuhi. When he returned from dealing with that trouble he held a confirmation service at Paihia at which he confirmed 325 Maori. At that time he ordained some of his students whom he had brought and also appointed Mr Brown as Archdeacon of Tauranga.

A SHIP LOST AT SEA.

A large steamer was lost at sea off the coast of Africa. That steamer had sailed from Port Jackson and was going to London. The name of the steamer was Waratah, the name of a beautiful flower found only in Australia. On 26th July that steamer sailed from Natal, a place in Africa, and then it disappeared. Some large steamers which were at sea in that area [10] at that time say that the sea was extremely rough. People surmise that one of the iron plates on the [?kuru - ?propeller (screw)] broke so that the ship travelled rapidly and uncontrolled through the sea. According to the captains it did not sink because it was so large. But the propeller precipitated its demise, and it was being battered by the sea. It was 10,000 tons, 480 feet long, with a beam of 59¼ feet and a depth of 39⅛ feet. This was a very fine ship. It was able to carry 130 people in First Class and more than 300 in Second Class. All the cabins of the First Class were on deck and not inside the ship. There were 300 people on board. The owners say that it carried food for the 300 for a single month according to the measures currently in use. Since it disappeared it has been searched for right up to the present. Some of the search vessels have returned. The owners continue to believe that it has not been wrecked. This was a new steamship. It was completed last year and carried 800 people on its journey to Australia. People are hoping for the best. The steamer cost £175,000, its cargo was valued at £200,000 – a total of £375,000, besides the people on whom one cannot place a value.

THE HUI OF TE RANGIHIROA AT TAKIWARA.

Dr Te Rangihiroa MP arrived at Dargaville by the steamer on Thursday, 8th July. Twenty of us were waiting for him on the wharf. The welcoming call went out, we touched noses, went to the meeting house and sat. We stood and called our welcome to our special guest. After the greetings we spoke to him. Dr Horton is our Pakeha doctor and we said that we wanted this doctor dismissed, and we gave our reasons why we were critical of the doctor.

Te Rangihiroa said in his reply to us, ‘Well and good. But you must make clear the reasons for wanting him dismissed. Write to Apirana Ngata and also to me.’ So much for that. On the Friday morning at 9 o’clock we boarded the train to Kaihu. The large marae which had been prepared for our hui was there. When we arrived most of the people had assembled. We, as visitors, were challenged. Altogether we numbered 30. We were charged, and then they stopped and performed the haka of Te Wiwi and Te Weku [?Distant Places and The Bush]. When they ended the distinguished visitor was welcomed. A few chiefs addressed the visitor. When they finished the distinguished visitor stood and said many words of greeting and made other good statements. He finished and then, after offering handshakes and noses to each other, they sat. In the evening the main welcome from the tribes was concluded on this marae. At this hui Te Rangihiroa’s name was associated by all of us with that of Hone Heke. During the night there were many speeches and other matters addressed to him. Te Rangihiroa spoke of many things and of everything, of new things and of lost things; he spoke at length. As we recalled him, it seemed that he had become an elder since entering Parliament, he had eaten the food of maturity. We asked him what progress the petitions of the Ngapuhi people were making, which sought approval for their having representation in the Upper House of Parliament. He replied that he did not know, however he understood that that Room of the Lords’ House was full at the moment. However the Honourable Wi Pere and the Honourable Mahuta were there. But, when there was a vacancy then perhaps it could be occupied by someone from Ngapuhi, Te Rarawa, Te Aupouri or Ngati Whatua, that is, someone from the Tai Tokerau area.

On Saturday the Rev Wiki te Paa was chosen as Chairman for the hui and Waaka te Huia as Secretary. The hui was constituted and the Chairman prayed those with matters for consideration to bring forth their matters. Those with issues stood – twenty-one people. Most of the matters concerned land though some had other issues. One matter brought forward was that of building a Guest House in the town of Dargaville. The idea came from this district council and it should not be allocated to other council areas. The Member agreed with this proposal.

Most of the matters were loaded on the back of the Member for Tai Tokerau and the sitting of the hui was suspended. In the evening the Member spoke again about some of his visions. A committee should be set up in this council area. The committee should be given a suitable name in order to embrace the great treasure of Ngapuhi. It was said that its name should be the Association. The hui agreed. The committee would be called the Association of the Te Wairoa Council. This committee was firmly supported by all the people and they chose the committee members. Seven were appointed by this hui but the committee membership was open so that others could join if they wished, and the committee was established.

The Chairman of the Council was to edit everything done by the Council and its committees; and the Chairman would be going to the many marae of that Council to preach; and as he went about he would inspect the marae too bearing in mind the work of the Department of Health and its concern for people’s health.

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That committee of the Association of the Te Wairoa Council would act as a receptacle [a mooring place for canoes] for ideas which would advance the people, for craft work and other things. The committee would summarize ideas to send them out to the members, along with those things thought of by the Member which he wished to send to the people as a whole.

One important matter was agreed by that Hui. It wants the old cultural activities of the ancestors to be widely practised in these days lest they be lost. An important matter that was agreed to by the meeting was that the activities of the ancestors of former times should be used widely today: the aphorisms, Māori songs, tribal sayings and the customary practices of everything, the songs to unite people in a common purpose, war dances and songs for presenting food, all the customs around the things we have learned, and the things we do not know well.

It has been arranged by the Chairman of the Te Wairoa Council that he will teach the people the songs and war dances. The Chairman has also set down in a book all the words of three of the songs and they have been printed and are being sold for sixpence a copy. The things it contains are the three songs – Te Wiwi, Te Weku and Waikurekure, and two welcoming songs. They are all complete. If anyone else wants a copy of those printed books of songs he should request them of the editor, the Chairman of W M Council. The people within the Te Wairoa Council area have already begun to learn the action songs. The teacher has arranged that the timing should be the same as for Pakeha things. The chairman has spent two weeks going around his area teaching people, men and women. As he goes he is also writing down Maori things from the past, gathering them together so that there is a complete record within the area of the Wairoa Council.

My friends of the Councils to the north of Auckland forming the Tai Tokerau district, my heart’s desire is that we take up together both the things of this new world and the things our ancestors did, and do them peacefully and properly in the context of faith. It is not that we should totally adopt the ways of the ancestors, no, but our focus has to be otherwise for now is the time to be involved with the work of the new world for our own good and so that our Pakeha friends may look upon us favourably. On Sunday 11th the Member returned. These are some of the things he said. ‘My body is joined to my people in Te Tai Tokerau.’ And when Parliament is summoned his body will in spirit be travelling within the area. We spoke to him in this fashion: ‘Wi Rikihana should be in the Upper House. We remember that the lot should fall upon the tribes of Waka Nene, or on Ngati Whatua. A blessing! The morning and the evening will reveal it.’ One important thing was said to him by the people of Waimamaku who came to the hui, which is that he should spend Christmas at Waimamaku this year, 1909. He was not able to confirm this but said that if he is free it is a possibility. Whether he spends Christmas in the east or the north or the west or in the middle, it doesn’t matter; they are all part of Waimamaku. But the important thing that we achieved at this hui was that small and great heard many things, and new things, which were pointed out to us and which have not yet been done. The heart is convinced that if his friends fought over this position which our friends and my friends wanted it would be to no avail. My daydream is like this, that although the sweat pours down if we turn around to speak in the presence of the Minister of Maori Affairs, the Minister will turn around on his swivel chair. Nothing will happen. Best wishes to the Prime Minister; best wishes to all the Maori Members; best wishes to the Government and its Ministers; best wishes to the Opposition and all its Ministers; best wishes to the Dominion of New Zealand; long live the King.

That’s what I had to say.

Waaka Te Huia

Chairman, W M Council

Dargaville,

3/8/1909.

A DEATH

On 25th July, Honehana te Mauparaoa died at Karetu, Bay of Islands. This man was a son of Te Mauparaoa, a leader of Ngati Kahungunu of Mohaka. Formerly Te Mauparaoa went to fight as an ally of Pomare, a Ngapuhi chief, against Waikato. On their journey Pomare died and Te Mauparaoa returned to the Bay of Islands to lead the tribe of Pomare. When Heke’s wars started, he was involved. Before Heke’s wars, his son, Honehana, was born. After the fighting Te Mauparaoa went to Karetu and built his pa there. On his death, Honehana became the leader of the tribe. When he died he has very old. Te Honehana had not a single child but he still had four nephews living, grandchildren of Te Mauparaoa.

SUPPLEJACK SEEDS OF OUR BIRD

5/- Ruka Haenga, A M Jones, Rapaera Haora, Taurau Toi, Rev Timutimu Tawhai, Ihaka Pera, Mariao Taongaiti, K Ihaka, Miss Brereton, Ngakete Tutoko, Wiremu Rokena, Ramahona Puha, Rev A Compton. 10/- Tamaranga Taua, Mere Patariki, D MacFarlane. 2/6 Waaka te Ranui, Te Tamairoha, Hohepa Rihari.

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CALENDAR : SEPTEMBER 1909

Day 15 ● 2h 39m a.m. Day 30 o 0h 35m a.m.

Morning Evening

1 W

2 Th

3 F

4 S Fast

5 S Thirteenth Sunday after Trinity

2 Kings 5 2 Kings 6.1-24

1 Corinthians 14.1-20 Mark 17.1-24

6 M

7 T

8 W

9 Th

10 F Fast

11 S

12 S Fourteenth Sunday after Trinity Use the Collect for Ember Week
every day this week

2 Kings 9 2 Kings 10.1-32

2 Corinthians 4 Mark 11.1-27

13 M

14 T

15 W Ember Day Fast

16 Th

17 F Ember Day Fast

18 S Ember Day Fast

19 S Fifteenth Sunday after Trinity

2 Kings 18 2 Kings 19

2 Corinthians 11.1-30 Mark 14.1-53

20 M Vigil, Fast

21 T Matthew, Apostle Athanasian Creed.

1 Kings 19.1-15 1 Chronicles 29.1-20

2 Corinthians 12.14 & 13 Mark 15.42 & 16

22 W

23 Th

24 F Fast

25 S

26 S Sixteenth Sunday after Trinity

2 Chronicles 36 Nehemiah 1 – 2.9 Galatians 4.21 – 5.13 Luke 2.1-21

27 M

28 T

29 W Michael and All Angels.

Genesis 32 Daniel 10.1-4

Acts 12.5-18 Revelation 14.1-14

30 Th

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1. Te Pipiwharauroa is published monthly.

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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.

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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

Prayer Book with Hymns, soft cover 1/6

Prayer Book with Hymns, red cover 2/-

Prayer Book with Hymns, hard cover 3/-

Prayer Book with Hymns, superior cover 4/-

Hymns 6d

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.

Printed and Published by H W Williams, Te Rau Printing Works, Berry Street, Gisborne, New Zealand.