Te Pipiwharauroa 142

Te Pipiwharauroa 142

No. 142

1910/02

(Maori Version at NZETC.)

[1] Te Pipiwharauroa, He Kupu Whakamarama, Number 142, Gisborne, February 1910.

‘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.]

A DISASTER.

On 28th January, the Parish of Turanga suffered a great blow, but it did not adversely affect Turanga only but also the Diocese of Waiapu, the whole Maori Church, and also the two peoples of New Zealand. The disaster was not ‘a totara from the great forest of Tane brought down by the wind’ [the death of a chief] but the destruction by fire of a church, a carved house, and a meeting house – the legacy of those who have passed on. The Manutuke Church has been burnt down.

This was a large and beautiful building, a building praised by the two peoples of this country. This building was an example of the carving skills of the elders and also an expression of their faith. The power of the God of Taumataakura was seen in the battle at Tokakuku and several tribes abandoned their ways and turned to the faith. The Turanga tribes erected the building, Hamokorau, which could hold a thousand people. Afterwards they built the first church, a large and beautiful building. A major job was hauling the posts down the river. These were the rhythmic chants [ngeri] used when those timbers were being dragged, the laments of the grey warbler and the cicada.

Te ngeenge ngeenge i aku tu
Te ngeenge ngeenge i aku tu
I te pikitanga nei, ti rori rori rori.
Tare whaata tu, tare whaata tu, tare whaata tu
Tare horeete tu, tare horeete tu, tare horeete tu
Kuta kitakita.

The carpenter who built the house was Aperahama Matawhaiti. There were many master carvers because of the keenness of the people but the leading carvers were Natanahira Toromata and Paratene Tutangi. This was in 1850. All the tribes of the Tai Rawhiti were involved with the erection of this building, those of Ngati Kahungunu from Te Wairoa to Heretaunga, and those as far as Ngati Porou were involved in helping the workers with food. The carving was not like today’s carving. It was an ancient carving known as Manaia. It was because of the first Bishop that this carving was used. He deprecated the use of protruding images in the church and had said to the experts, ‘Are there no other carvings?’ They answered, ‘This is one, a Manaia.’ They used that one and it is done beautifully. At the dedication of the building in 1863 crowds gathered, the land was covered. Ngati Porou sang a waiata composed by Kemara Hape, a Ngati Porou composer:

Maringiringi ai te wai i aku kamo
Ko tona hekenga tonu, na Maui tonu aua pokapokanga
He tini te kowhao.
Homai noa ra he mimiro mo te waka
E mau ai, koi ranga noa ra te taro a Kea
I taiporutu ra, i te tai whakaki na Whiringatau
Pokipoki whakaaro i.

Ka riro ra e te momo o te tangata ka menemene ki tawhiti

[2]

Te motu ra i a te Kori, te tangata ra e nana i ako mai ko anaha i titiro.
Hura rawa i raro ra tana hekenga mai keke ana te papa
To pai rangatira.

Te pa noa mai he Koraki te hau
He whiu i ahau, noho ana hoki au i te kei o te waka
Nou e Ropu hei tupiki noa, mau nei e Taiki
Ma te whakapuaroa.

From my eyes the water flows, ah me!

Continually.

Maui himself first pierced the holes, alas!

They are many.

The waka’s head we lash in vain, alas!

That it may hold.

Let no man uproot the plants of Kea which grew, alas!

At Taiporutu,

Where flows the tide of Iwingatau, alas!

Lest all be buried.

When the man of high repute is gone, alas!

Our Queen must guide us.

He was our teacher, our fathers sought him out, ah me!

They loved him well.

At his approach the earth trembled, ah me!

Such was his presence.

No sparks were carried on the wind, ah me!

To afflict me.

Then in the waka’s stern I sat, ah me!

Safe with you, Ropu.

Exultingly may Taiki dance; alas!

The grief remains.

[This translation, versified by George Wilson, comes from Te Waka Maori o Niu Tirani, 6/2/1877 p.36. It was sung by Eparaima Purei at the tangi for Sir Donald McLean. 

The following explanatory notes were appended:

The allusions to old legends and the imagery employed in this song are by poetic licence made to refer to the late Sir Donald McLean. We will point out the principal features of the poem in the order in which they occur.

‘Maui himself first pierced the holes’ in the sides of his canoe. This is figurative of life and its inevitable evils – it is idle to strive against death.

‘Let no man uproot the plants of Kea.’ Let no-one disturb the policy initiated by their late dear friend, lest his work should all be lost.

The concluding couplet refers very pointedly to certain who were the bitter opponents of the late Native Minister, men who promise or ‘dance exultingly’ but who fail to perform. The poet’s sorrow is his all-absorbing topic, and deaf to the blandishments of his would-be comforters, still – ‘the grief remains.’]

In 1877 that building collapsed and the one that has been burnt down was erected. The Bishop had put in place the man who zealously guarded the timbers of the first building, having designated those timbers for the second one. During 1889 the second one was completed. This was a much smaller building than the first but it was beautifully built. This was the finest building in all the Maori areas. Hirini Taiwhanga came to the dedication of the building. When he returned to his people, Ngapuhi, he spoke these words, ‘There is no building that compares with that erected at Turanga. I am a man who has travelled to Pakeha countries, even to England. I saw the Pakeha buildings and none was a glorious as this one. This was as strong as the stone buildings of the Pakeha.’ Taiwhanga also spoke about the crowds of people and the quantity of food. Ngapuhi were moved by his words and said to Taurau, ‘Tau, let us build a carved house.’ Taurau said, ‘Who indeed is going to carve it?’ The people replied, ‘Let us call upon Ngati Porou to carve it.’ Taurau said, ‘Take courage! Twenty or as many as thirty Ngati Porou could finish the job within a year.’ Neither the words of Taurau or the wishes of Ngapuhi were fulfilled. These words show the fame of this building. It has been burnt down. It was burnt in the middle of the night. Soon the flames were seen on the outside and it was not possible to extinguish them. The local people are weeping over this loss. It is right to weep, and not only as we remember the elders who built it, but also at the waste of this building. This beautiful treasure has been lost to Turanga and to the whole of New Zealand. No building like it will be erected in the future. The expert carvers have passed on; the Manaia carvings have been lost with the building; and the kinds of timber needed for such work are gone too. Here, people, is your waiata for you to sing as you lament the glory that has been lost to you at this time.

ANOTHER FIRE.

On the evening of Tuesday, 22nd February, the Pakeha church at Waerenga-a-hika, Turanga, was burnt down. By the time the fire was discovered it had taken hold outside. Nothing was left. This was a very wicked thing to do: it is possible that some person is setting fire to the churches. What happened to this building shows that the church at Manutuke was deliberately set on fire. People have been making allegations and this building confirms that charge. Who did this wicked thing is not known. However in time he will be found; he is after all a man.

THE COMET.

We have seen the great comet which we wrote about in the last edition of our bird. This comet appears in the morning and can be seen in the area of the rising sun, but it can only be seen with binoculars. On 20th April it will appear as a flaming star; when the sun is setting it will be visible. At present it is 14,000,000 miles from the sun. It travels at nearly 2,500,000 miles a day. The scientists believe that on 18th May it will go behind the sun. The length of its tail is between 20 and 35 million miles. When it is close to us, that is, when it leaves this world we will be surrounded by its tail. One man says that we do not know what the earth will be like when we are inside the tail. One man says that perhaps the earth will be destroyed, but we think we will not perish because there have been many visits by this comet and the earth has not been destroyed. It is only the head of this comet that is to be feared because that is solid whereas the tail is just air, gas. But the thing that causes anxiety is if the gas of that tail engulfs the gas of this world so that we die, just as happens when a person is lost in smoke. This is a major appearance of the comet so wait patiently and we shall see this rare visitor.

♣♣♣♣♣♣♣

Under the law the company that owned the Waratah has made payment to the 115 family members of the sailors on the Waratah of £14,500.

[3]

THE BISHOP OF WAIAPU.

On 16th January, Averill was consecrated as fourth Bishop of the Diocese of Waiapu. The service was held in Napier. All the Bishops of New Zealand arrived there; Melanesia was the only one missing. Many of the clergy of the diocese were present. The Maori clergy were Matene Keepa, Te Katene Pukerua, Henare Wainohu, Tuahangata Pereiha, and Paraone Turei. The church was full of those from Napier and also of those who had brought the new Bishop from Christchurch. The first part of the service was the Lord’s Supper. After that, Bishop Julius from Christchurch preached the sermon. His text was Luke 22.27: ‘I am among you as one who serves.’ His delivery of his sermon was remarkable. When he finished a hymn was sung. After the hymn, Averill was led by Bishop Mules of Nelson [text has Christchurch] and Bishop Williams of Waiapu before the Presiding Bishop. When he arrived before him he asked that the mandate for consecrating that man as Bishop be read. The Chancellor stood to read the mandate. When that was done the new Bishop took the oaths. The Litany was read and it was followed by the hymn: [‘The good things provided in abundance’ – Nga pai katoa e ranea nei Maori Prayer Book, Number 157] ‘O Lord of heaven and earth and sea.’ The hymn ended and the Bishop was then questioned. After that he went to another room to put on his remaining episcopal clothing. On his return he knelt and the hymn in the service for ‘The Consecration of Bishops’ was sung: [‘O Creator Spirit’ – E te Wairua, Kai-hanga.] ‘Come, Holy Ghost, our souls inspire.’ While this was being sung all the bishops placed their hands on the head of the Bishop, and the Presiding Bishop gave him a Bible, reminding him to hold to the teaching within that book. The service ended here. At the service in the evening the new Bishop preached on a text from 1 Peter 1.3. His delivery of his speech was excellent. After his consecration he went with some of the other bishops to the General Synod in Wellington.

HUI OF THE MAORI CHURCH.

The Bishop gives notice of a Hui of the Maori Church to be held at Te Araroa on 20th March.

THE CHURCH IN NEW ZEALAND.

Chapter VII

From 1850 to 1860 the main issue being considered was the Church Constitution. It had become clear that this presented difficulties. The position of the Church in New Zealand was as follows. This was a branch of the parent Church of England. That Church was under the authority of the sovereign who was its Head. In 1552 this power was given to the King. At that time the Church of England was a discrete body, the people had not yet been scattered to the many islands of the ocean, and so this law could be seen as applying to England only. Subsequently America was settled by the English and a branch of the Church of England was also established there. With the splitting up of the Church the difficulties now facing New Zealand became apparent. The Church had not yet been able to find a way to clear away the obstacles. When troubles arose between America and England, England was defeated and America became a separate nation. When America withdrew from English rule, the people also were free from the King’s authority. That Church was free to make its own rules for carrying on its work.

The law that governed the Church under the authority of the King said that lay people were not permitted to take part in Church assemblies. This law applied to the Church of England. The people of England were accustomed to this and they saw it as being good. The reason they liked it was because all the dioceses and parishes in England had been well established. Churches had been built in all the parishes. And so the problems and the administration of these had been dealt with long ago. Stipends for the clergy had been settled long ago. The finance to deal with problems in each parish had been arranged long ago. Consequently there were no problems with running the Church of England. The Church there was at rest.

The Church of New Zealand was a new Church. How it was to be internally governed had not yet been determined, the dioceses had not yet been divided up nor had the parishes in each diocese, and there was not yet provision for stipends for the clergy. [4] The Church of England was not able to provide money to support the ministers. Where was support for the clergy to come from? One part of the stipend could be collected by the people each year. And if the people were providing for the clergy it was only right that representative of the people should be part of the assembly which ran the Church. Some land had been acquired by the Church and Selwyn was trustee of those lands. One large section of the Church was the Maori Church. These were the things that the Church here in New Zealand had to deal with. Who was going to deal with these things? Who was going to lay down a procedure for providing stipends for the clergy? Who would be trustee for the possessions of the Maori Church? From such questions we see how right Selwyn was in wanting what he did.

But he was not the only one who wanted this. In 1850 he received a letter signed by the Governor (George Grey) and others asking the Bishop to find a way of providing a constitution for the Church in New Zealand. When the Bishop went to Australia he took the letter with him to see whether that meeting could find a way of dealing with the matter. They could do nothing because they did not know the extent of the authority of the Sovereign. In 1852 the Bishop wrote his letter to all the people of the Church about this matter. This is a shortened version of that letter. [For the full text see John H Evans Churchman Militant pp.139ff.] ‘The time has come when it is right to ask the Queen as Head of the Church to authorise us to devise a constitution for the management of the work of the Church in Mew Zealand. There are two reasons why it is right for us to ask for this. (1) The New Zealand Church is not established by law and therefore most of the laws of the Church of England do not apply to the Church in New Zealand. (2) The Church in New Zealand is supported by the voluntary contributions of the people, unlike the Church of England. Because of this it is not appropriate to leave it to the Church of England to produce regulations for our Church because the Convocation of the Church of England has been suspended. It cannot be done by the Government because it is no longer composed only of members of this Church. Nor can it be done by the government of New Zealand for the same reason that disbars the government of England. For these reasons there are two paths open to us, to remain without laws for the running of this Church, or to request the Head of the Church and the Head of the Realm to give us power such as is ‘granted to all incorporated bodies’ to frame by-laws whereby we can manage our own business, that is, those things that apply to our peculiar situation rather than to another Church, reserving to the Queen and to the Head of the Church such powers as will maintain the Queen’s Headship over the Church and the unity of the Church.’

This was the letter sent by the Bishop, and with the letter he sent these matters for discussion by the people, the things the Bishop thought necessary in a constitution for the Church. He asked that each area should make known their thoughts on these matters.

1. The Bishops, clergy, and laity shall be three distinct orders. The consent of all three is needed before an act is binding on the whole New Zealand Church.

2. If this first principle is accepted, the three orders have the right to gather together or to meet separately when they are considering their business.

3. For the time being, while the law is uncertain as to whether a person is a member of this Church, a person may affirm that he is a member of this church by declaring this in a letter to the minister of his parish or area.

4. All members of the Church who have duly registered are entitled to vote for lay representatives to the General Convention.

5. ‘It shall rest with the General Convention to decide how and by whom all patronages of the Church shall be exercised,’ and how a person may be removed from a Church office given to him, and who shall determine the amount of stipends for the clergy and other fees payable in the Church.

6. It is necessary that the General Convention of the Church spoken of above be legally incorporated, and that all sites of churches, burial grounds, schools, all lands for the endowment of the Church, and other Church property be vested in the General Convention.

7. In order to maintain the Queen’s standing as leader of the Church, and to show that we are united with the mother Church in England, a copy of this constitution shall be sent to the Archbishop and the Secretary of State for the Colonies through the hands of the Metropolitan Bishop of Sydney, along with a petition asking the Queen to authorise the proposal of this part of the Church of England to make by-laws for the furtherance of its works – that authorisation to be given either by the Queen [Royal Charter] or by the passing by the Government of an Act.

8. This body will not have power to make decisions affecting the teachings and the rituals of the Church of England or the Authorised Version of the Bible.

[5]

9. That these motions be put into the form of a petition by the Bishop and that he does the things he perceives as necessary to expedite the fulfilment of the wishes of the memorialists.

While the Bishop was writing this letter a meeting of the Church Committee of the Canterbury was being held. These were the main things they discussed.

They advised the Bishop that they thought it good that the New Zealand Parliament gave legal backing to what the Church desired.

The constitution of the Church was for this Church to lay down, and it was for Parliament to give legal backing to what the Church decided. The Committee thought that it was not right to leave it to Parliament to decide on a constitution for the Church.

The Committee thought that it was for the Bishop or the Bishops only to prepare a constitution and it was for the lay people and the ministers to assent to what the Bishops proposed.

The Committee believed that distinct power should be given to this part of the Church to make decisions appropriate to its situation. It criticised the statement that this part of the Church should not have power to diverge from the authorised doctrines and rituals and the Authorised Version of the Bible. Its thinking was that this Church is very different from the mother Church and that it was right that it had the power to decide upon the practices of worship that were appropriate given those difference.

In 1853 the Bishop sent a letter to the people of the New Zealand Church about this matter. He reminded the people of two things in this letter.

He reminded them of the importance of what they were wanting, namely, that the Archbishop and the Queen give authority to this part of the Church to draw up a Constitution to facilitate its work. The reason he reminded them of this was the death of the Archbishop of Sydney, Bishop Broughton. It was that man he wanted to take this petition to England. He did not approve of the idea of the Canterbury Committee that he should draw up a Constitution to be accepted by the clergy and laity. Therefore he wrote asking the people to let him have their ideas as quickly as possible so that he could soon set down clearly the petition.

The second purpose was that he wished to bring an end to the long dispute over the division of New Zealand into appropriate dioceses.

Meetings on this matter were held in all parts of New Zealand. The Auckland meeting agreed with the Bishop’s paper, stressing the fourth objective. They said that all adults who had made known that they belonged to the Church of England could vote for lay representatives for the General Convention. The people elected to that Convention must be communicants. Most of the towns accepted the Bishop’s proposals; some added a few words.

Canterbury was the place that did not approve of most of the ideas in the Bishop’s proposal but it was clear that they approved of the essential ideas. The main proposals they brought forward were these:

The Bishop, clergy and laity should form the three sections of all the synods or area meetings, and if they all agreed on something it should apply in their area.

All people qualified to vote for lay representatives of the Convention and the laity elected should be communicants and should declare that they are not members of another Church.

All the property and other possessions of each diocese should be vested in the synod of the diocese, but the removal of a person from his office in the Church should be the responsibility of the General Convention. One thing that is very clear to us from these statements is that the people as a whole were very keen to find a means of settling this matter. It was not the Bishop only or the clergy only who carried it through but the people as a whole. We see in this matter the wisdom and thoughtfulness of Selwyn. He did not want this to be carried through by a single person or a single committee. The Canterbury committee said that the Bishop alone should implement this thing and that the people as a whole should agree to what he presented. The Bishop did not follow this path.

SUPPLEJACK SEEDS FOR OUR BIRD.

A Shand, 5/-; Waiheke Tureia, 5/-; Te Paea Kingi, £1; Pine Tuhaka, 5/-; Rev T te Paerata, 10/-;George Hansard, 5/-; H Buddle, 5/-; Huta Paaka, 10/-; Hemara Moana, 5/-; Karipa te Pipi, 5/-; Nikau Rewa, 5/-; Hunia Paaka, 5/-; H Tuterangi, 10/-;Renata Pereto, 5/-; Renata Tamepo, 5/-; Waiheke Puha, 5/-; Tuhere Tautihi, 5/-; Wiremu Hoerara, 5/-.

[6]

THANKS.

This is to thank everyone who came to the ‘Christmas’ at Te Pakihi last year – Te Houkamau and other chiefs – the boys and girls, the ‘Frenchies.’ We are particularly grateful because, although the weather was stormy and the roads terrible, people were stout-hearted enough to come. We thank all those who gave money for the ‘Christmas’ – those who came and those who were missing but who sent their contributions. Eventually the amount given will be announced but the line from Waiapu to Te Pakihi will be completed with the remaining money. This district is buoyant and the projects are buoyant - this name, Waimahuru, is going around below Te Pakihi, the work of the Parish of Te Kawakawa is buoyant, indeed the ministers of all the parishes of Ngati Porou are negotiating and they are now know as the ‘corporation ministers’. Enough for the thanks, most of them I have to leave in my heart.

From Reweti T Kohere

And the whole Committee.

THE WORK OF THE REV F A PENETI IN THE NGATI POROU AREA.

Peneti has visited all the parishes of Ngati Porou. The people in all the places he visited were eager to help with all the projects he laid before them. When he returned and reached Tokomaru his child became seriously ill and he had to stay at Tokomaru. When Ngati Porou heard whispers of the news people asked questions and their love went out to him on his being afflicted in this different place. While he was staying in Tokomaru he found time to write his report and to set up some new practices in that place. Now the people of Tokomaru are doing the services very well. The best thing is the hymn singing. The choir of that village is excellent, largely because of the keenness of the children. He has taken his choir to various places of Ngati Porou, and people are full of praise for their work, and some of the villages have set up choirs. Ngati Porou are grateful for Peneti’s work, and he is in turn grateful for their eagerness to respond to his requests concerning the stipends of the clergy. This is his report:

‘The stipends of the clergy of the Tai Rawhiti are between £60 and £70 a year. It is said to be £60, and £10 from the Williams Fund raises the amount to £70. Of the £70, £30 comes from the Clergy Fund of the Tai Rawhiti provided by the Maori and £30 from the Pakeha. The Maori have agreed to refuse the Pakeha help. They themselves will collect £60 for each minister in the Ngati Porou district, to which will be added £30 from the Clergy Stipend Fund and £10 from the Williams Fund, making a total of £100 a year for each minister. The people are eager to collect money for the clergy but because the uses of the money in the past were unclear there was little enthusiasm. Formerly, all the Ngati Porou parishes as far as Mohaka collected the Stipend Fund mentioned above, £400 from one parish. The total amount was £6000, but part of that was collected from outside. Heretaunga has a stipend fund of £6000 together with some small funds. This is the state of money for clergy stipends at present:

Stipend Money

From the Pakeha

Donations £856 15 5

Williams Fund 200 0 0

Total £1056 15 5

From the Maori

Tai Rawhiti Fund 783 1 4

Heretaunga & some small funds 615 15 2

Total 1398 16 6

Grand Total £2455 11 11

Expenditure

Maori Clergy (18) 926 5 0

Pension Payments 260 0 0

Clerical Robes 11 3 6

For the Inspectors 500 0 0

Pensions 20 0 0

Sundries 207 14 10

Returned to the Tukaha Account 117 9 5

Remainder 435 15 9

Total £2478 8 6

One sees from the above accounts that Maori provided around £340 for the clergy stipends more than the Pakeha. It is good to know this because it is often said in places where Pakeha gather together [7] that Maori do not go about raising money for the stipends of their clergy. One problem for the Maori Church in this area is housing for the ministers. Some of the ministers are living in tents; some are living in substandard houses; and some are living in their own houses. The right thing is for the Church to be responsible for all clergy housing. The churches have been erected in all parishes, many of them good. But there are some that have been left uncared for and are used as storage rooms and are falling to pieces. But the main problem with the churches is a lack of all the appropriate furnishings inside; only the building is standing but there are no fittings inside – they have all be used.

As for the state of the faith of the tribe, they are very committed – that is, the elders are. They carry out their rituals as did the elders in the past. Such practices please the elders, those who saw the strength of those practices in former days. But the children are not so inclined and they think that those are dying practices. The strength of the tribe is farming, to which they are strongly committed. The thing to be feared is that they abandon the things of the spirit in their concern for the things of the flesh. The people are eager to listen to teachings and guidance and the best place for such instruction is the meeting house. What the ministers lack most of all are things to improve the work in their parishes. It would be a good thing to translate into Maori some books explaining the Scriptures to help them increase their knowledge. There are many people going to look at the boundaries of this Diocese. It would be best if there were just one or two. If this was the case then there would be a single policy throughout the Diocese and less money would be expended on salaries. It would be a good thing if possible to give the Maori the post of Inspector. One thing to be investigated is the cost of sending ministers to the Parishes. I think that the practice of sending a minister to work in his own area is not good. Those in this situation are not having much success. It is good to send different people to the Parishes. Another good thing would be for ministers coming out of Te Rau to be assigned to work under some ministers who have been long in the work, in order to learn how to run the Parishes. After a year doing this they can be sent as ministers for other Parishes. One thing which is bad for the minister’s work is interest in land. It is good for the minister’s work if he does not end up in the Land Court building. That is a place where people stand up to dispute with each other, and if the minister argues with some of the people of his parish, even though he is in the right, that is when his work in his parish will fail. I believe that spiritual work will not survive if the clergy are involved in land disputes.’

This is a condensed version of Peneti’s report which he wrote for the Synod to see. These things were also written so that the people can see the ways in which the work of the faith can grow,

THE STEAMSHIP KAIPARA.

On Friday, 15th January, the Kaipara went onto rocks or something in Auckland harbour. The steamer was going to London. When it left its berth in Auckland it did not appear to be sailing correctly; many people criticised its sailing. Not long after it passed the headland it veered to the side of Rangitoto where it was wrecked. The captain was still at the wheel when he heard the steamer groaning and going down as if the keel had been slashed from bow to stern. The water had also flowed into the machine room and into two holds into which cargo had been loaded. It had also stopped moving. The crew of another steamer which was sailing to the Ngapuhi area took the people from the Kaipara to the wharf at Auckland. Now all the cargo has been brought to shore and the water from the two holds has been pumped out. Divers say that the length of the tear from the bow to the middle is 70 feet. No-one is sure what caused this. The waterline of the laden Kaipara is 28 feet while the shallowest part of the place where the disaster occurred is 31 feet at ebb tide. This is the first time there has been an accident like this in that place. Larger ships than the Kaipara have sailed over that place and have not had an accident. This steamship is still aground, According to people it did not come to grief at the place where it is now aground but perhaps closer to shore.

The Kaipara was launched in 1903. It was built in England. It is 460 feet long, it take 34 feet of water, and weighs 7596 tons. It has made twelve voyages from New Zealand to England. The value of its cargoes is £135,000. When the enquiry take place into the cause of the trouble it will be known whether the captain was at fault or something else happened.

[8]

CHRISTMAS AT TE PAKIHI.

‘I have attended many hui, but this is the best hui I have attended.’ These are the words of Te Houkamau on the Monday morning when he returned from Te Pakihi to Te Araroa after the Christmas at Te Pakihi. It was good, according to Te Houkamau, because of the organisation of the hui and the plentiful entertainments – he was entertained from the beginning to the end. This hui would have been even better had there not been the storm – indeed for a whole week the southerly blew, and on the Friday, the day the visitors arrived, there was a terrific storm with much wind and rain. The local people were thinking that the human spirit would not venture out on that day, but while they were having such thoughts the first party of boys and girls charged on like a sudden blast of wind. The local people stood to perform their haka with the rain streaming down. The venue for the hui had timber sides and a corrugated iron roof so there was nothing to fear when a fire was lit to dry the clothes, apart from those cared for by the young people for when they stood on the marae, and which were carefully wrapped up in the tarpaulin. In the evening the children gathered for a dance. The building was completely decorated with nikau palms, tree ferns, kiekie leaves, cabbage-tree fronds, olive tree branches, and toetoe flowers. Fires were burning amongst the tree leaves – wonderful! Some were dancing, some were talking, while this elder looked on. The most entertaining night, when there were many people, was the second. There were many waiata – all kinds of waiata – and barn dances, [?tahitahi], and a ceremonial haka called ‘the Te Pakihi Dance’ because this kind of dance was first done at Te Pakihi. Ten people took part in this dance, five women and five men. This dance was applauded by everyone – it was similar to a Maori dance, to a haka, without the dilating of the eyes and the poking out of the tongue.

The weather blessed Christmas Day – it was a fine day but because the sea was rough it was not possible to go to the island to see the light, but once again there was plenty of entertainment. The marae was enclosed with trees and the people lay about under the trees with the piano and the gramophone in the middle. A child would be called upon to play the piano or to sing - the piano playing was excellent and the singing also was sweet, but the thing the elders like best was the gramophone. There were two tables for dinner. This was a different sort of marae in the forest. The Maori food was served on the ground – meat cooked in a hangi, puha, sea eggs, crayfish steeped in fresh water, and eels. When the Maori food was finished we sat at the tables – no Pakeha food was missing, the only Pakeha food that was missing was alcohol. There was much favourable comment on the table and on the separation of the Maori and Pakeha foods. A man had been designated to look after the saddles and bridles; he slept in the saddle shed and he alone brought out the saddles.

There were speeches at this hui. A motion was passed urging the committee responsible for the telephone wires to sort out the connections because many people were complaining. There were also speeches about ministers’ salaries, and Te Houkamau had much to say when he criticised those in high places responsible for missing hui money, money belonging to the people as a whole.

Most of those attending this hui were young people but all said the same, that had it not been for the storm the local people would have been overwhelmed by the visiting parties. However the contributions by the young people were unstinted and the telephone line to Te Pakihi will be completed. In fact had there not been a storm, most of the money would have gone to Potaka. The Ngati Porou money had been divided up with part going to Potaka, while the Te Whanau-a-Apanui money was not split up but all went to Potaka, even though the Ngati Porou collection was given for their building at Potaka. And some people out of jealousy of the Te Pakihi Hui tried to stop money being given to that Christmas, and indeed belittled and spoke badly of the hui. ‘If a man humbles himself he will exalted and if a man exalts himself he will be humbled.’ [Matthew 23.12]

‘Haere noa anu taku mea i Hautai
Hei nga ngutu e kainga mai ana e au.’

? Mine came cold from Hautai.

And I am burning it with my lips. ?

Best wishes,

Tahingaroa-a-hau.

◊◊◊◊◊◊◊

In the Secretary’s speech about England’s warships he said that the numbers of warships of England and Germany in 1912 will be as follows.

England Germany

New large warships 20 13

Old large warships 40 20

Small steamships 25 13

Totals 95 46

[9]

A LETTER FROM THE MAORI GROUP IN NEW YORK.

To the Editor of Te Pipiwharauroa.

New York,

January 7th, 1910.

Friend, greetings. I am sending a few words for our Bird to carry to the places in Aotearoa, floating there in the sea.

One major thing I’ve noticed, as regards night and day, no-one knows when it is night or when it is day because the lights shine making it as light as day, and people work day and night, and the streets are as full of people, buses, motor cars, horse buggies, bicycles, wagons and other things in the night as they are during the day, and noise is the thing at night. For us at home there are six days for working and the seventh day is a day of rest and for worshipping our Lord Jesus Christ. These people, the Americans, work seven days and seven nights and there is no day of rest to celebrate the Day of the Lord. Six of us who are working at the Hippodrome rest on Sundays.

Many wonderful things are done at the Hippodrome. I must tell you of the most remarkable thing. This man flies down from above for 80 feet, diving head-first onto a flat surface in that place – he flies to that surface which bends below, then he slides down from above to the fenced floor at the bottom without suffering any damage to his body.

From half-past four on the evening of Saturday, 26th December, it snowed. By eleven o’clock at night it was three feet seven inches deep. It stopped falling before dinner on Sunday 27th when it was seven feet nine inches deep.

We have received three requests to go to England, to which we have not yet replied. We have also received a request from our boss at the Hippodrome who would like us, after our nine months at the Hippodrome is up, to spend two and a half months going around all parts of America ending at San Francisco. We may agree to that.

On 24th December at night we gathered together some Maori treasures – a korowai cloak, taniko weaving, a kiwi cloak, a piupiu, and two carved tiki, as ‘Merry Christmas’ gifts to our bosses at the Hippodrome, Mrs Lee and R H Burnside, the stage manager, and Patrick. They were very grateful that we had thought of them in this way and Burnside stood to express his gratitude for these new year things which had been set before them. ‘Because these are the kinds of gifts I have longed for over recent years, and now my desire has been fulfilled. Therefore I am very happy and joyful now that I have these treasures.’

Patrick also stood to speak similar things to Burnside. He also said, ‘Many groups have come to work at the Hippodrome. But there have been none like you. Best wishes.’

Mrs Lee stood: ‘My friends, only once have I stood to speak to a group as large as this. I am embarrassed lest you laugh at me. But I am indeed happy that I have been given these gifts. I shall treasure these gifts as reminders of you in the days to come.’

We also had requests from the city fathers here in New York to go to their hall to show them the remarkable New Zealand performances, the chants, the [?kowiri] haka, and the poi. We visited the home of the Episcopal minister and performed for him and his family, and he was very grateful. He said, ‘I know that my family and I will not be able to accomplish anything for at least two weeks because our minds will be occupied with the remarkable performance that has been laid before us.’ We have subsequently had four requests to go and perform.

To my two people, Pakeha and Maori, living in Aotearoa, I would point out that the Hippodrome is the first call for people who are travelling around the parts of the world that are not troubled. All the peoples of the world have gathered to perform in this building in recent years, the Maori people of New Zealand being the last, and the New Zealand artistic performances are the only new performances seen in this building, the Hippodrome. Our bosses are amazed at the quality of the performances we give, and they have been very kind to us.

The programme that we brought is performed twice a day and each lasts for half an hour. We also do separate five-minute performances by ourselves. So there are two main performances a day and two five-minute performances.

All the peoples who came from far places to perform at the Hippodrome have returned home, [10] only the New Zealand Maori have stayed on and are working as colleagues of the permanent performers until the end of May.

It remains just to wish you all well as we here are fine. May God protect us in this new year.

From your loving friend,

H M Amohau.

THE PRESIDENT’S ADDRESS.

[This is the speech given by the spokesman for the Diocese of Waiapu at the Synod held at Kahanui-a-tiki in 1906. This speech was lost and has only just been found, which explains why it appears in this edition of our Bird.]

My friends, my clergy friends, lay representatives, greetings.

We are all sad at the absence of our elder, the Bishop, today. Although he is not here he is praying that God will expedite our work.

A great failing of the Maori Church in this area is its lack of concern for the Church members, their Maori friends who are living in darkness.

This failing is not on the part of Maori only, but also of the Pakeha.

Were it just a human occupation then we may be excused for getting weary, however, this is Christ’s work and it is not right to get weary. It is for us, his Church in this land, to carry the Gospel to every person. God has given you the light for you to pass on the light to all your friends, and if it is not spread abroad then the light in you will be darkened.

Perhaps you have heard of the great blessings God has given to some parts of the world.

There is a place to the west of England called Wales. More than sixty thousand people of this land have turned to God. Formerly the hearts of those people were devoted to the pleasures of the world and other different occupations. They gave little thought to God, but now they are occupied with praying to God, and the churches are filled with people. Similar things have happened in other parts of the world.

I believe that God wishes to give that sort of blessing to the Maori Church in this area. What was the source of this gift to them? It came about because of the prayers of a Christian man. The Holy Spirit came into his heart with power and afterwards to the whole nation. We are mistaken if we think that God will send angels or some thing or other to awaken a sleeping people. The way in which God’s blessing comes to people needs people to act. Perhaps this will not happen to us because we lack faith, we lack a desire to pray.

It is good that we remind ourselves that we are weak, so that we put our trust in Christ to strengthen us, and then the Church will grow strongly in this part of our Diocese. Christ says: ‘I am your companion until the end of the world.’ [Matthew 28.20] We are part of the body of Christ: let us be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might. [Ephesians 6.10]

I have something more to say to all of us. One of the great failings in this archdeaconry is the lack of churches in some of the Christian villages. One evidence of the lively faith of a people is that they set about building churches. My friends, let us put every effort into this.

I have a last word for us all, and it is this: Do not forget the things that improve people’s lives. Don’t do away with teaching our children the things which will save their souls. When the children grow up do not let them sleep together secretly but let them marry and commit themselves to each other. One of the things that troubles the people of the Church is the Maori practice of marriage. God gave marriage in the time of people’s innocence for the benefit of people and so that husband and wife should be lifelong companions with each other.

But if, rather, the gifts that God has laid out for us are seen as evil, we have great problems. God is not going to pour out his blessings on the person who behaves in this way. May God help and guide us on our way so that we discover what things bring him glory and will benefit this part of his Church.

●●●●●●●

There is a dispute between Turkey and Crete. The people of Crete are Greeks but they are under Turkish rule. The two of them are at loggerheads. Crete wishes to place itself under Greek rule but Turkey will not agree. Notice has been given that Crete has placed itself under Greece. It is not known what will be the outcome.

[11]

NEWS CLIPS.

The enquiry into the cause of the wreck of the Waikare has concluded. The court decreed that it was not only the fault of the captain. His certificate has not been taken away. For the bravery of the second mate in going on board the motor boat he was made a first mate while his companions were given money. Others praised by the company were the two stewardesses.

The elections to the English Parliament are being held. It is a very important election and all parts are awaiting the outcome of this vote. If the Government side wins then the House of Lords will be abolished or reduced in size. The Opposition side supports the House of Lords. The main plank of the Opposition is increasing the number of warships. The Opposition says that Germany is close to attacking England. The Government says that Germany is not antagonistic towards England. Indications from England are that the Opposition has won; nineteen members on the Government side have been defeated by the Opposition.

On Christmas Day a Rotorua man tried to kill himself. He shot himself with a gun but did not die. He was taken to hospital and is now well. The place where that man was wounded was his head and part of his brain has been destroyed. The part of his brain which was destroyed is, according to the doctors, the part that is used for thinking and that which controls the working of the legs. However the man has left hospital and his brain is functioning clearly. The doctors are amazed at this case and they acknowledge that what they said was wrong.

An important visitor visited Porourangi. When the visitor was replying to the speeches a girl was called upon to sing. She said, ‘Don’t laugh if I make mistakes!’ One of the boys replied, ‘Laughing is good and a sign of affection!’

Formerly his hoe was a ‘ko’ and it was used for planting, and when some large wheat farms completed the harvest the Maori would charter a ship, and they would put down their contributions to the support of the clergy, an amount of £12,000. But now, in the era of the plough with two shares, what happens?

The Pipiwharauroa told of how a prisoner from Australia went to Africa on board the Waratah. The man got off when the steamship arrived in Africa. When the Waratah continued its journey from there it was lost. The thought comes that that man was destined to be put to death.

There has been a large flood in part of Australia. It is said, indeed, that this is the worst flood to hit this place. We have not received information about the number of deaths. One town was completely engulfed by the water; only the tops of the houses could be seen and people were sitting on the housetops and also in the tops of trees. The railway line had been washed out by the water and the bridges too were washed away. The sheep, cattle and horses suffered most and the rivers were full of the animals.

A dispute has broken out in Philadelphia in America. The trouble has been caused by the railway workers who have stopped working. They gathered with some other workers to cause trouble on the streets of the town. Seven thousand police were not able to suppress the trouble, the soldiers were called in, and there was a battle between the soldiers and the workers. Women were caught and unable to escape from the streets of the town. The number of dead now stands at 1000.

THE LOVE OF THE PAKEHA.

A party of Maori went with a Pakeha money-making company. These Maori were perhaps employed to do haka. These Maori were from Rangiura, a village near Tauranga according to the Pakeha newspapers. When the company reached Dunedin the Maori were abandoned. They may or may not have been paid. However they had problems in that they had insufficient money to get them home. That Pakeha had made every effort to promote his business and the Maori wanted to make money. It was only Tauranga Maori who were involved in these proceedings if the newspapers are right in saying that those people came from Tauranga. They were at fault but the trouble will affect those sitting comfortably at home. The headlines of the papers say, ‘A party of Maori have been left derelict in Dunedin.’ It is not a nice description for us to be labelled with, ‘derelict’.

[12] 

CALENDAR : MARCH 1910

Day 11 ● 11h 42m p.m. Day 26 o 7h 52m a.m.

1 T

2 W

3 Th

4 F

5 S

6 S Fourth Sunday of Lent

Morning Evening

Genesis 42 Genesis 43

Mark 7.1-24 Romans 15.1-8

7 M

8 T

9 W

10 Th

11 F

12 S

13 S Fifth Sunday of Lent

Exodus 3 Exodus 5

Mark 11.1-27 1 Corinthians 6

14 M

15 T

16 W

17 Th

18 F

19 S

20 S Sixth Sunday of Lent

Exodus 9 Exodus 10

Matthew 26 Luke 19.1-28

21 M Monday before Easter

Lamentations 1.1-15 Lamentation 2.1-13

John 14.1-15 John 14.15-end

22 T Tuesday before Easter

Lamentations 3.1-34 Lamentations 3.34-end

John 15.1-14 John 15.14-end

23 W Wednesday before Easter

Lamentations 4.1-21 Daniel 9.1-20

John 16.1-16 John 16.16-end

24 Th Thursday before Easter

Hosea 13.1-15 Hosea14

John 17 John 13.1-36

25 F GOOD FRIDAY Psalms: Morning 22, 40, 54

Annunciation Evening 69, 88

Genesis 22.1-20 Isaiah 52.13 & 53

John 18 1 Peter 2

26 S Easter Eve Vigil

Zechariah 9 Hosea 5.3 – 6.4

Luke 23.1-50 Romans 6.1-14

27 S EASTER DAY Psalms: Morning 2, 57, 111

Evening 113, 114, 118 Athanasian Creed

Exodus 12.1-29 Exodus 12.29-end

Revelation 1.10-19 John 20.11-19

28 M Monday of Easter

Exodus 15.1-22 Song of Songs 2.1-10

Luke 24.1-13 Matthew 28.1-10

29 T Tuesday of Easter

2 Kings 13.14-22 Ezekiel 37.1-15

John 21.1-15 John 21 15-end

30 W

31 Th

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. If a person wishes to take Te Pipiwharauroa he should send the money in the letter which notifies us of this. We also point out to those who take the paper that when the money you have sent runs out your paper will be wrapped in red. Be quick to send your supplejack seeds; if you do not do so quickly we will stop sending it. The price is 5/- a year, payable at the start.

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

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 -/6

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, at Te Rau Printing Works, Berry Street, Gisborne, New Zealand.