Te Pipiwharauroa 161

Te Pipiwharauroa 161

No. 161

1911/09

(Maori Version at NZETC.)

[1] Te Pipiwharauroa, He Kupu Whakamarama, Number 161, Gisborne, September 1911.

‘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.]

AN ANSWER TO PUHI KAIARIKI.

We are not going to join battle with the instructions of ‘Puhi Kaiariki’ [Puhi-kai-ariki, the little carved figure, facing the bow, at the base of the taurapa, or stern-post of a canoe. – Williams] in this Te Pipi. We believe that the things Puhi Kaiariki relate are all the thoughts of others about our attitude to liquor even though he has written them; they are ideas held by most of those who drink. We say that there can be no worse advice for anyone to give the people than this guidance.

The evil impact of liquor is known; no-one is ignorant of that. Only Puhi Kaiariki says that it is a good and healthy drink. But people are not united as to how to deal with this wicked thing, alcohol. The evil impact of liquor is known. It is a way to death, and that a person should advise the people to continue drinking amazes us. We think that what Puhi Kaiariki says is pure fiction and that he has not looked carefully at the evil that springs from the consumption of this ‘food’. If Puhi Kaiariki advises his own children to hasten to death, we may say in our hearts that that is alright; but if he says to the children of other people to hasten to death then we say that it is a wicked thing.

Puhi Kaiariki says that liquor is a healthy drink; had he said that it was a stinking drink that would have corresponded to the meaning of the Maori word. The Scriptures say of intoxicating wine: ‘[Their wine] is the poison of dragons, and the cruel venom of asps.’ [Deuteronomy 32.33] Where now is the life in it, that it should be called health-giving? If one looks at what we have written in Te Pipi for May, June, July, and August one sees the many afflictions caused by this ‘food’. It has no right to be called ‘health-giving’.

He says that it is drunk by the top people. We cannot contradict this statement; we are not privileged to live in the company of Dukes and other people of similar standing. But he makes the accusation that this is the drink of the Bishops and the Clergy, and this statement is wrong; he cannot support what he has said. The evil of alcohol is that it strikes men down, it degrades people, it does not just give them red noses. The Dukes are not seen staggering along the roads or falling off their horses, but that is the case with many Maori. So we say that we are the ones who are in a bad way, never mind those Dukes.

As for the soldiers, this was the cause of Russia’s defeat by the Japanese. The Russians are a drunken people; the Japanese are not. Lord Roberts and Lord Kitchener have said that the best soldiers are those who do not drink alcohol.

As for the poisonous foods of the Maori, such things are not eaten when they are poisonous but when they are not poisonous. A person is simply mad who would eat karaka berries [?werawera - ?raw i.e. unwashed and uncooked]. [2] Liquor is drunk even when it is poisonous, which is why people suffer and why we are mad. How then can liquor be consumed as a noble ‘food’? This is the difficult thing. Most people cannot do it. In the past people tried to consume liquor as a noble ‘food’ and they became the victims. Therefore it is said, ‘That’s enough of the lie that says that liquor can be consumed as a noble “food”, because it cannot be done.’ Generations have suffered while saying that it is a noble ‘food’; indeed it is still being said, and how does it affect a man? He falls into the water, he staggers on the streets, he even kills himself, leaving behind in the world his destitute children with their anger. These are the fruits of the noble ‘food’. What can we do? We can do away with the spirit that is striking us down. Those who have gone into the dark were deceived. Let us follow the remnant to life.

Statements to the effect that people were born like this are, we believe, blasphemous. No-one is able to say that a man is lazy because he was born that way. A man is seeking to avoid his guilt when he says that it is rather God who is responsible for his sin because he made him this way. God is not like man. If a man sins the fault does not lie with God for making him sin, rather it is his fault. This is terrible advice; it recommends a person to be lazy. Let us work out the end result of this kind of recommendation. A person is lazy and he says, ‘So what? I won’t go to work because I too was born lazy.’ A person has no money and he says, ‘What’s the point? I won’t bother to go to find myself some money because I too was born destitute.’ This kind of person ultimately suffers. This is not the character of us Maori; the Maori law is to do away with such afflictions. If someone is suffering we will set up a war party to avenge that suffering. Now that we are being afflicted by liquor, what has become of this ancestral law which requires us to avenge the death being inflicted on us? We are the descendants of our ancestors, or perhaps you are preaching a new custom.

It is good that you support Te Kahu’s call to farming. That is the right thing to do. But if there were no alcohol the farming would be far better, its fruits would return to our pockets. Farming and bending the elbow do not like each other for it is farming that suffers, not the liquor. The important thing for us to do now is to work our lands, and the one important thing that will strengthen us to do this is if we prohibit the sale of alcohol, so that we can devote our strength to working our lands and so that the fruits of our work will return to us. So friend, Puhi Kaiariki, do not be angry at these words. We are not speaking severely of your words, but we speak because we want the well-being of the people, not our own.

ABOUT ALCOHOL.

To the Editor of Te Pipiwharauroa.

Greetings. The two Pakeha and the lone, single Maori woman, spoke threatening words before the gathering of people at Te Kuiti, saying that liquor is an evil ‘food’, a ‘food’ that reddens the noses of people, a ‘food’ that cripples the legs of people who drink it, a drink that consigns a race to poverty. But the words I have written above I did not hear in person. However most of the articles advocating the prohibition of alcohol are contained in the Maori and English language newspapers, but, Maori tribes, I say that it is untrue to say that alcohol has made us poor, that alcohol causes red noses, and that alcohol destroys the race. If you think that what I say is mistaken, that is alright, but allow me to have my own thoughts. Now, friends in other parts of Aotearoa, ignore the activities of the Temperance Union. Let us not swear falsely. They say that liquor is evil, yet next day they are drinking that liquor. I have heard that these drinks which we know as liquor originate in England, Scotland, Ireland and France, while these peoples who make them call them the Water of Life. My friends, why should be prohibit the water of life, the drink of leaders, of Dukes, of Lords, of Kings, of Bishops, of the clergy of each Church? It is the drink of the soldiers, of Generals, of Colonels, of Majors, of Officers and of the military personnel who fight on land and sea. It must be good if it is drunk by such nobility. Maori had poisonous foods in the past such as the karaka berry and the [?waiongata], if a person was foolish enough to eat the karaka berry [?werawera - ?raw i.e. unwashed and uncooked] or drank [?waiongata] in ignorance. Likewise with alcohol, it is the person who makes himself stagger. But I have seen many become bankrupt and destitute for reasons other than liquor, while I have seen people who drink who are neither bankrupt nor destitute. My friends, Christ was not killed by drunk people but by people of faith. My friends, the person born to destitution will be destitute, the person born to be foolish will be foolish, the person born to compose will compose, [3] the person born to be a thief, a robber, will steal, the person born to be lazy will be lazy, the person born to sleep will sleep for a long time, the person born to be insignificant will be insignificant, the person born to be without words will be without words, the person born to be silly will be silly, the person born to speak the truth will speak the truth, the person born to be peaceful and honourable will be peaceful and honourable, the person born to work hard will really labour, the person born to be keen will be keen, the person born to wear the right clothes on his back will dress properly, the person born to be a speaker will speak. What person does not want money? What person does not seek a way of making money? Now, Te Kahu is the Whanganui man, of Ngatiapa, who has worked hard for the prohibition of alcohol and to prevent it coming inland of the Whanganui River, to defeat it. He has freely given his money for the lawyers of the Temperance Union without thinking whether or not he was only helping a small part. If a real battle is stirred up in this colony, who is going to stop it, the people who want to prohibit alcohol or the people who drink it? Enough of these words. Now let me speak about some of the things I keep hearing about Te Kahu. He says that the way the Maori people will grow, will prosper and will increase in numbers is through farming, the work which exercises the body, which makes sweat pour down, perspiration that each day warms the body well, which makes food sweet, which makes for sound sleep, which makes the heart rejoice, which strengthens every part of the body, and makes for long life. Such are the statements of that man. So much for this subject. If the whole world was to believe of what use would be ministers, judges, constables and lawyers? If there was no sickness what would be the use of prophets and doctors?

From your friend,

Puhi Kaiariki.

Karioi.

19/1/11

THE PEOPLE’S PLAYING FIELDS.

The number of playing fields for the people of New Zealand is 512; the total acreage of these places is 81,265. The following figures show us the distribution of these places:

Number Acres

Auckland 145 19795

Hawkes Bay 33 918

Taranaki 46 1470

Wellington 68 37974

Nelson 19 3316

Marlborough 9 763

Canterbury 98 8671

Otago 57 6830

Southland 25 1163

AN INVITATION TO QUEEN ALEXANDRA.

While Mr Ward was in England he invited Queen Alexandra to come to New Zealand. We print here his letter to the Queen and the Queen’s reply.

Hotel Cecil,

5th July 1911.

To Lewis Harcourt.

My friend, greetings. Please convey to Queen Alexandra the invitation of the Government and all the people of New Zealand to come to New Zealand as the guest of the people. This is something greatly desired by all the women of New Zealand. I have spoken to the King about this matter and he approves of my invitation to his mother.

Yours faithfully,

Ward (J G Ward)

Marlborough House,

Pall Mall, SW.

10th July, 1911.

To Sir Joseph Ward.

Greetings. Lewis Harcourt has sent me the letter you sent to him on 5th. I have taken it to the Queen and she has instructed me to send you her response. The invitation from the people of New Zealand to visit them as their guest brought joy and love to Queen Alexandra’s heart. It would give her great happiness to accept this invitation if she were able to do so because the Queen knows how much the people of New Zealand have done to show love and loyalty to the Mother Country of England. It was a cause of great sadness that she was not able to visit the great Dominions dispersed in the oceans when her beloved husband was alive. But now she is unable to undertake such journeys in the absence of her travelling companion of 47 years. The Queen believes that the compassionate people of New Zealand will understand and will not be upset that she is unable to accept their kind invitation.

Yours faithfully,

S M Probyn

Personal Assistant to Queen Alexandra.

●●●●●

The Dominion’s expenditure on alcohol for 1910 was £3,893,438, i.e. £3 13s 1¼d per person. The increase of expenditure over the previous year was £175,303, i.e. 2s 3¾d per person.

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OUR INHERITANCE IN THE CHURCH.

Chapter VII - The Lord’s Supper.

We have pointed out above that there are two main purposes of this Sacrament, the Communion. First, it serves to strengthen and encourage the faithful people since the Sacrament makes them one with the Lord, with Jesus. It also serves to remind the Church of the death of Christ. We completed the explanation of the first part in the previous edition of our bird; the following words explain the second.

One purpose of the Lord’s Supper is to be a reminder. What he said was, ‘Do this in remembrance of me.’ Some people say that the words used, ‘do this’, do not giver the true significance and that it should rather be ‘re-enact’ [?whakarite]. Re-enactment is the real meaning of that word. The word ‘remember’ is used frequently throughout the Old Testament of some of the Jewish practices. Some of those practices are intended to be observed by them as reminders, like the incense placed on the Bread of the Presence (Leviticus 24.7), and also like the trumpets sounded on days of celebration (Numbers 10.10). Likewise Christ arranged his supper as his memorial.

Let us not think of this as a repetition of the death of Christ. His death cannot be repeated. Once only he humbled himself and died, and now he lives in the place of the glory of God; he cannot repeat his death, just as he cannot repeat again his forgiveness of the sins of the world. The purpose of our remembrance of Christ in the Communion is not to recall his death only but also to remember his dwelling in heaven ‘as a Priest in the order of Melchizedek’ [Hebrews 6.20], as one who intercedes for us with God, and who in his great love will take us, the Church, to live there with him. Paul also says in Ephesians 2.6: ‘And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.’ What Christ says about his blood being poured out supports the idea explained above. The reference of the words ‘poured out’ in the Old Testament is not just to the blood of the beasts being poured out but also to that blood being sprinkled on the altar. This understanding is also supported by the Apostles. Paul also says, ‘For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim [?whakarite] the Lord’s death until he comes.’ [1 Corinthians 11.26] He also says in Hebrews 10.19-22, ‘Since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain (that is, through his flesh), … let us approach with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.’ The significance of Christ’s words is clear to us – ‘In remembrance of me.’ He is not saying that we are just to remember [something in the past] but to remember his death, his resurrection, his ascension into heaven where he sits at the right hand of God to make intercession for us.

This is the teaching of the Church Fathers after the Apostles, of Ignatius, of Justin Martyr, of Irenaeus, and of the book called ‘The Teaching of the Apostles’. This understanding is also taught in the liturgies of the ancient Church, in the prayer books of Jerusalem, of Alexandria, of Rome, of Ephesus and other similar books. Although there was no decree issued by a General Synod about this matter, the agreement of the teaching of the Fathers and their writings is the same as a declaration of a General Synod. This was the understanding of the Early Church and it is also the understanding of the Church of England. What does the branch of the Church in New Zealand teach its people about this Sacrament? Its teaching is very clear.

First, it says in the Catechism ‘The body and blood of Christ … are verily and indeed taken and received by the faithful in the Lord’s Supper.’

Secondly, it says in the first Exhortation in the Communion Service, Let us give thanks to God the Father ‘for that he hath given his Son our Saviour Jesus Christ, not only to die for us, but also to be our spiritual food and sustenance in that Holy Sacrament.’

Thirdly, it says in the third Exhortation in the Communion Service, ‘then we dwell in Christ, and Christ in us.’

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Fourthly, it says in the prayer before the Consecration of the Bread and the Wine, ‘[Grant us therefore, gracious Lord] so to eat the flesh of thy dear Son Jesus Christ, and to drink his blood, that our sinful bodies may be made clean by his body, and our souls washed through his most precious blood, and that we may evermore dwell in him and he in us.’

Fifthly, it says after the taking of the Supper, ‘We most heartily thank thee, for that thou dost vouchsafe to feed us, who have duly received these holy mysteries, with the spiritual food of the most precious Body and Blood of the Son our Saviour Jesus Christ’ to be taken into our hearts.

This is the teaching of the Church here in New Zealand and also of the Mother Church in England as to the true understanding of our taking of the Lord’s Supper. We are not just offering our praise to God, but we are also reminding him of the death, the resurrection, and the ascension of his Son, and offering our bodies and souls as a sacrificial offering acceptable to him in our Lord Jesus Christ. The Church also makes clear the blessings received by the person who partakes of that Sacrament. The Catechism speaks of, ‘the strengthening and refreshing of our souls by the Body and Blood of Christ, as our bodies are by the Bread and Wine.’ The second thanksgiving after Communion says also, ‘[thou] dost assure us thereby of thy favour and goodness towards us; and that we are very members incorporate in the mystical body of thy dear Son.’

As the Church makes clear the many blessings that come to those who take this Sacrament it urges people of faith not to take this Sacrament infrequently. See the Exhortation in the Communion Service and the Rubric before the Communion of the Sick. Although the Church points out very clearly the benefits that come to a person he should not be ignorant that these are spiritual blessings. Those partaking must draw near with a faithful heart, and we discover that all that the New Testament says about this Sacrament applies to us as do the teachings of the Early Church Fathers, so that we abide in hope and we also pray to God to bring back to this service those around us so that we may be one. This is a service for the whole Church. Let us also believe in the rightness of these blessings and let us frequently partake of this Sacrament to strengthen our souls.

AN ASSASSINATION.

The papers tell of a terrible murder, the assassination of the Prime Minister of Russia, Stolypin. The place in which that Prime Minister was shot was a playhouse. It was a day of celebration. A memorial stone to one of the relations of the Tsar of Russia had been unveiled and the people had gone to see a play at the theatre. The Tsar was also there. Only the leaders of the people were in the building. During the interval of the play the Tsar and Stolypin went to a place in the aisle to talk. At that point his assassin got up from his seat and went to where they were standing as if he were going outside. When he arrived beside Stolypin he bowed, took his pistol from his pocket and shot the Prime Minister. When he had used up the ammunition in his gun he ran only to be seized by the strong hand of the law when he got to the door. He was arrested. When the rascal’s gun went off the place where the Tsar and the Prime Minister were standing was hidden in smoke so that it was not known by most of the people which of them had been injured; the thought was that it was the Tsar. The man having been seized by the police, the Tsar went and stood in his box and ordered the band to play the people’s anthem for the king. Stolypin was lying down when he heard the people singing that anthem. He stood up and made the sign of the cross to the Tsar before lying down again. When the singing finished a request was made that the murderer be handed over to the people to be killed there and then, but permission was not given. That Prime Minister did not die at that time. The doctors removed the bullet from his backbone but thereafter his condition deteriorated and he died. His assassin was tried and sentenced to death. The man was a lawyer, the son of one of the leading people.

A TRAGEDY IN AUCKLAND.

A bad accident occurred in Auckland on Monday the eighteenth of this month. Some tramcars collided. One person was killed. Five others suffered serious injuries,[6] while many suffered abrasions. The newspapers did not make clear where this accident happened. There were two trams, the one in front was number 76, the one behind was number 80. The two were heading down the hill towards the railway bridge but they were not going together, one was in front and the other behind. There was also a laden cart drawn by two horses travelling on the road down the hill; this cart was the cause of the trouble. When tram 76 passed by, the cart went onto the rails and followed it. The man on the cart did not know that there was another tram coming behind. Tram 80 did not know that there was a cart on its rails because it did not see a light. Eventually the tram struck the rear of the cart. The front of the tram was concertinaed in. The driver of the tram stayed in place but his controls had all been damaged. The tram did not stop but continued to push the cart along. The horses fell and were pushed along the line. The cart was pushed along for a long way before falling off to the side of the tram-line. One of the horses broke a leg. When the way forward was clear the tram gathered speed. The driver of the tram behind was working on the hand brakes but they would not work. While it was heading down the boom came off the electric wires and the lights went out so that it travelled in darkness. Below, tram 76 had stopped and passengers were getting down, unaware of the runaway tram. It was the impact that made them aware that they had been caught in a tragedy. Number 76 was pushed along by number 80 until they stopped on the railway bridge having travelled for fifty yards. The injuries to some were the result of being thrown about by the runaway tram. The man died because he was standing there, about to descend, when the trams collided and were crunched together. Because he was close to the handrail he was killed. The inquest into the cause of this accident has not been concluded and so it is not yet known who is responsible.

LAND TAX.

The Land Tax collected is £628,723. Last year the tax realised £642,220. The tax has decreased by £13,457 this year. The reason for the decrease is that Mr Ward has clarified the areas of land designated for dwellings.

MORE STORIES.

A man left his home and went to the hotel where he got drunk. When he came out he met another man whom he attacked. He was arrested and taken to the gaol for his assault. When his wife heard of it she summonsed the owner of the hotel for providing her husband with liquor so that he got drunk. The woman’s case was upheld and the hotel owner fined £800. This incident occurred in America. Were the people who manufacture liquor and also the people in the hotels to be fined for the tragedies that result from their work as this man was, all the money in the world would not be sufficient for them to pay their fines.

Andrew Carnegie is one of the rich men in the world. He is one of those men called millionaires because of their wealth. He has given money to all parts of the world to help with good projects. He is a famous man. When he and his friends were having a dinner to celebrate his birthday he spoke of something that happened to him while he was in England. He travelled from a certain town to London by train. ‘When we got to a small station a labourer got on puffing on his pipe. The man came and sat in my carriage smoking his pipe. I said to him, “My friend, smoking is not permitted in this carriage.” He replied, “Alright. Just let me finish this pipe here.” When it was finished he filled up another. I said, “My friend, I told you that smoking is not permitted in this carriage. If you take no notice I will speak to the Guard.” After I had spoken I gave him my card. He looked at it and stuffed it in his pocket and proceeded to light his pipe again. When we arrived at another station he went to a different carriage. I, for my part, spoke to the guard asking him to write down the man’s name and address. The guard agreed and went away. Soon afterwards he returned looking frightened. When he got to me he leant over close to my face and whispered as if he were afraid that our conversation might be heard by that man. He said to me, ”My friend, if I were you I would not prosecute that man. When I asked him his name he gave me his card. Here’s his name. It is Andrew Carnegie.”’

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TE KUITI HUI.

On Saturday, 9th September, at 10 a.m. the hui opened. The first words were a salutation to those who have departed; the second were greetings to the remnant on this island; the third concerned the issue of the day and comprised the first motion:

‘That this hui agrees that the right time has come for all the Maori of these islands to give consideration to coming together for a single sacred purpose, on the basis of their distinctive Maori culture, and that those purposes should not be in competition with the Law or the Churches or the separate customs of each people.’

This statement was agreed by the hui.

Second Motion: ‘A committee of the Maori People is to be elected to be a rallying point for the fulfillment of the objectives set out by Sir Timi Kara and Mahuta. The hui elected the following people: The Hon. A T Ngata, Major H R Taihoa Tunuiarangi, Te Kanu Pukoro, Hira Te Kakakura, Rere Nikitini, Hue Te Huri, Tutanga Tahuata, Doctor Pomare, Pepene Eketone, Taui Wetere, Hekemaru Mataitaua, Otene Haora, Eruera Te Kahu, Wharara, Taira Kima, Te Rawhiti, Tawhirimatea. There are nineteen members with the power to add others.’

These names were agreed by the hui of the people.

Third Motion: ‘The proposal passed by this hui is to be send to those in high positions, Sir Timi Kara and King Mahuta, for them to complete a plan which will benefit the Maori People and enable them to retain their Maori dignity.’

This was passed by the hui.

This was then passed on to Sir Timi Kara at 12 o’clock at night. Sir Timi Kara stood and greeted the people. After the greeting he commended the purpose of the meeting of the people. He said, ‘I and my son, Mahuta, will choose a group for ourselves to further the objectives of these matters which we have laid before the people and to explain them to the people. The people can convey them to those chosen as a rallying-point who can pass them on to their tribes in these islands.’

These words began his farewell and at two o’clock he left for Wellington.

Tribes, these are my words of greeting to you, wishing you well in the midst of our many sorrowful happenings. As the saying has it, ‘He gave and he has taken away; blessed be his name.’ The second saying is, ‘Many people depart for the afterlife; few are left in the world, so bless them, bring them together.’ Therefore I have thought to end these words I have written above, along the lines of this saying. Gather together the remnant of the people to work for the good of the body and the soul.

Some further words. I attended the Maniapoto Hui. The Hui was excellent for the number of people who attended from all parts – it appeared to me that there were almost a thousand present, for the fine building in which we met, and for the good tents in which the tribes ate. There was no way of entry for those illnesses which are said to afflict hui – fevers and flu. There descended upon the tribes who came, peace, and upon Maniapoto, honour. Lord, let your Holy Spirit dwell in fullness amongst all the tribes. Amen.

Timi Tunuiarangi.

From Te Puke ki Hikurangi.

HARNESSING THE POWER OF WATER.

The Government is thinking at present of setting to work the powerful but wasted large torrents of New Zealand. However providing this way to prosperity cannot be done quickly because it is a new technology. The first scheme for which plans have been laid down for implementation is on the waterfall at Christchurch. The strength of that torrent will turn the generating machines to provide electricity for the lights for the town of Christchurch and other nearby towns. If this project is found to be successful some other rivers will be similarly developed. The Prime Minister said that large industries will be driven by electricity, over and above the lighting of towns, therefore the Government is determined to do this work.

SWIMMING RACES.

The English papers tell that English women have started swimming races. The length of the race was fifteen [word missing]. Two of the women from Maggie Papakura’s group entered that race; their names are Hara Poata and Mere Wiari. The race was held on 5th August, but we have not yet heard whether these contestants were able to compete with the English champions. When they spoke they said that they had not yet swum such a long race but they were putting in a lot of work, spending nine hours in the water. However they are very conscious of how cold the water is; the water at home is warm.

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THE EXPORTS OF THE DOMINION.

The value of the produce of the Dominion exported in the month of July was £1,053,877. The value in July last year was £1,295,487. One can see that the value of goods this month is £240,000 less than in the same month last year. The distribution of that money is as follows.

£

Butter 3,806

Cheese 4,164

Frozen Beef 30,453

Frozen Mutton 112,571

Frozen Lamb 162,853

Wheat 16,719

Oats 958

Potatoes 640

Flax Fibre 17,885

Rabbit 9,436

Flax 1,792

Kauri Gum 34,616

Corn & suchlike 599

Hops 2,014

Cowskin 17,868

Sheepskin & suchlike 65,347

Oil 52,407

Timber 53,260

Wool 257,099

Gold 199,073

If one looks at these figures one finds that more than half of the money comes from sheep, insofar as sheep alone count for £600,000.

THE PROBLEMS OF ITALY.

Last week we received information about the explosion of a mountain in the land of Italy, like the eruption of Tarawera here. It is said that lava was flowing from 85 craters on that mountain. This was a major eruption. One town was buried and many people were killed. This mountain is known for its activity; it has been erupting for a long time. From former times up to this present eruption thousands and thousands of people have been buried by it under the earth. The base of this mountain stretches 90 miles and it is 10,850 feet high. It is said that it has erupted 100 times. In the eruption in 1169 one town was buried and 15,000 people died. In a major eruption in 1537 two towns were buried and thousands died. Another major eruption occurred in 1666 when there were three volcanic craters on the mountain. But it is said that a worse eruption occurred in 1661 when a large part of the mountain split off; the fracture was twelve miles long. In 1853 the mountain was active for nine months. That year it exploded again and two towns were buried and some thousands of people died.

DEATH IN THE WATER.

In one part of Italy its people are being struck down by the lava of the mountain spoke of above; in another part of Italy are being killed by water. It is as if the powers of the earth have a plan to seize the land of Italy and its people. There are heavy rains in some parts of that land at present, but it is not like rain, rather it is as if the clouds have poured out their waters on some parts of that land. Indeed, the water is flowing down the sides of the mountains like large rivers, carrying along the huge rocks from the mountain, and the large trees, and on some parts of those mountains the towns on level places have been buried in mud and the houses battered by rocks. Some towns have disappeared completely and some have been buried in up to six feet of mud. Many people have died but it will not be soon known what the number is, not until the mud has been removed. It is a pitiful thing to see women and children wading through mud and fleeing to places of safety.

♣♣♣♣

News has come that Italy and Turkey are at loggerheads and it is thought that they will fight. The trouble between France and Germany has been settled; negotiations between them have ended. This is indeed how to settle troubles, not by the mouth of the gun and the edge of the sword.

♣♣♣♣

On 11th of this month the Supreme Court sat in Masterton. Sir Robert Stout came as Judge. On the day of the Court sitting the Judge was given a White Glove because there was not a single criminal case. The Judge was full of praise for the good conduct of Masterton.

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NEWS ITEMS.

Thirty-eight new owls have been brought to Hawkes Bay. These owls are white and they eat small birds. These owls have been brought for a reason – so that they can eat the birds that are eating the wheat, oats, fruit and other things people are growing. The thing that distresses me is that it is not our native birds that are coming to steal the food people are growing, because they are like the people who have become a remnant on the face of their land. But given the large cost to the people who are hiring these predatory birds brought here by the Pakeha, we are not permitted to lament for the innocent local birds that are being killed by these nocturnal-feeding ghostly hooting owls. When these owls arrived in Hawkes Bay one died because of the strange environment – the warmth and cold of this land. Four have departed from their cages and have flown to find resting places for their talons. Those remaining are staying in their cage until it is known that they are accustomed to the nature of this land and then they will be released. The small birds are being put into their cage and it is easy for them to kill them. The myna is the bird that puts up a long fight before it is killed.

Germany has found a garment that will prevent a person drowning in the water. The appearance of this garment and how it is made has been kept secret. But it is said that if a person puts it over him he can go and stay in the water without drowning.

On 18th the Supreme Court sat in Gisborne. Mr Chapman was the Judge. There were 20 issues on the programme for the Court to deal with, 13 of these were criminal offences. Gisborne is a town which retains the sale of liquor while Masterton has done away with it. We see the difference between a town where drinking is allowed and one where it is not. It is a remarkable thing that [such is the case] with towns like Masterton that have prohibited the sale of alcohol. This shows us the extent of the troubles that spring from alcohol.

One day two men were walking together, an Englishman and a Chief. As they were walking and talking the Englishman said, ‘Pari, you should be aware that liquor is both a food and a drink.’ When the Englishman was returning home he fell into a water-filled ditch and lay there. Seeing his friend lying in the water [the Chief] called out, ‘Sir, you told me that liquor is a food and a drink. Now I know that it also serves as a bath and a bed.’

When a man was advocating the prohibition of liquor, a person at the gathering called out, ‘When I drink what I like I become strong so that I can pull down a house.’ The speaker replied, ‘By not drinking liquor I become strong so that I am able to build two houses.’

MAORI LANDS.

By 31st of last March the Native Land Court had dealt with 186,679½ acres of land without a title. The cases subdivided numbered 833, a total acreage of 503,820. An additional 49 cases were exchanged, involving 21,628 acres. Twenty-four leases were authorized, involving 5086 acres.

During the proceedings of the Maori Land Board 435 leases were authorized, involving 116,498 acres. The titles exchanged numbered 660, a total of 78,346 acres.

Under the provisions of the Native Land Act 1909, 52 titles were exchanged involving 98,921 acres. The total number of acres dealt with by these was 395,766. This year the Board gave instructions for the surveying of lands covering a total of 112,685 acres, which, having been surveyed, were to be available for purchase.

The Board for the Sale of Native Lands held twelve meetings and 602,074 acres were spoken of as available for sale The acres sold were 75,437 and those being considered are 430,560.

LAND SETTLEMENT

The Land Settlement Board operating under Rule 18 comprises 107 members. The Board manages 14,965 acres valued at £209,577. The Government has purchased a large amount of land for settlement under the Settlement Act. All together14,399 acres were purchased in this fashion to the value of £158,796.

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THE DOMINION’S DEBT.

Mr Ward says that compared with other nations the Dominion’s debt is not so large as to cause concern. The various parts of that debt are as follows.

The railways - £25,602,948. The railways are in a strong position to pay off this debt.

Settlers on the land and labour - £7,939,200. This money is on the welfare side.

New land for settlement - £6,303,485. This brings in a healthy return.

Telegraph and telephone - £1,431,647. This investment, like others, has the ability to pay the interest.

Bank of New Zealand - £500,000.

The District Boards - £4,882,000.

Held in the hands of the Government - £800,000.

All told, the indebtedness of the Dominion is £81,078,122.

Of this money, interest is paid on £66,625,364, while £25,452,758 is interest free. In 1891 the interest paid was £4/10/3 on £100, now it is £3/14/6.

WIDOW’S PENSIONS.

This is a new proposal laid before the House by the Prime Minister for its approval or rejection. The plan is to help widowers or widows over the age of 90 [sic] with children to support and who do not have much income. He thinks that this provision would mean setting aside £10,000 a year.

THE DOMINION’S WEALTH.

On 8th of this month the Prime Minister laid before the House of Parliament his Bill, a report on how the Government managed the affairs of the people during the past year and pointing out how it will manage this year. There was a positive tone to the Prime Minister’s voice as he delivered his long report, one of joy and happiness at the way all the Dominion’s projects were advancing. The revenue that came to the Dominion from its many enterprises was £10,297,023. The revenue that was carried over from the previous year, after the deduction of expenses, was £432,316, plus an extra amount of £250 – making a total revenue for this year of £10, 297,273 [sic]. Expenditure was £9,343,106, leaving a surplus in the revenue of £954,167. If one adds this surplus to the surplus from last year there is a starter of £1,386,483 for this year’s projects. The surplus from this year is £521,851 more than the surplus last year, that is, the surplus this year is more than twice that of last year.

THE COST OF RUNNING THE RAILWAYS.

To encourage people to make long journeys by train the Government is bringing down the cost of journeys of more than 200 miles. The present price is 1½d a mile in First Class and 1d in Second. For long journeys, those over 200 miles, the cost will be reduced to 1¼d a mile for First Class and ¾d for Second.

THE POST OFFICE AND THE TELEGRAPH.

This has been a year of much increased activities for these two departments according to the statement by the Prime Minister. For the first time the revenue brought in by these departments has exceeded a million pounds. After the payment of the costs of these departments there remains of the revenue, £123,196. The total amount banked with the Post Office is now £10,708,938.

PANEKARA.

This is a man who tried to follow the example of Pauereka. He escaped from the gaol in Gisborne and ran off, but after only two days outside he was recaptured. This man was tried by the Supreme Court here in Gisborne. His crimes were assault and theft. The man assaulted by Panekara was someone returning from Matawai where he was working on the railway line. When he arrived in Gisborne

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he took his money to the office of a man he knew. On the Saturday evening he went to town to wander about looking for a friend of his. He spotted one of his friends ahead of him walking with Panekara. He joined them as companions. He took them for a drink and to eat, for which he paid. He had found a job for himself before spotting his companions. Because they were wandering along drunkenly he said that they should return to his boat to sleep. While they were going he told his friend to go and fetch some money for him from the office. He brought £7. As they neared the place where the boats were his companions lagged behind. He knew that they were planning to steal his money. As he neared the boat Panekara followed him and climbing on board the boat he grabbed him. He was thrown down, punched in the eye, strangled and blood flowed from his nose and mouth. The other man was on the shore watching. When the captain came out he saw the man on land and asked him what the trouble was. He called out that everything was fine. At which the captain thought that perhaps his cook was drunk and was being helped back to the boat by his friends, and went back in. It was not long before the captain heard talking and thought that there was trouble. He went to take a careful look and came upon Panekara searching all over the deck of the ship for his hat before he and his mate departed. They went straight to the hotel to change the five pound note belonging to the man he had struck, for he had hurt that man and stolen his money, the £7. The barman of the hotel recognized the man who had changed the five pounds there. Not long afterwards Panekara was captured. He was not able to hide himself because it was known that previously he had no money; he had asked a man to give him sixpence to buy himself a glass of beer. At the sitting of the Supreme Court he was tried and sentenced to a year in prison and when he had completed that year he was to comply with a good conduct order for four years: so only after four years had passed would he be free. After Panekara had been in gaol for one day, word came that he had got out and run away. This gaol is completely new. It had only just been finished. It was some distance from the town of Gisborne, by the shore. When the Judge gave instructions to the jury about Panekara’s crime he spoke of that man’s former offences – fourteen of them – and said that he was a very wicked man and had changed his name many times. He had been one day in the gaol when the schemer [?kai tiki sic] saw the broom lying in the yard. When the Guard went to his office to sign a warrant, Panekura seized his broom and ran to the surrounding wall where he jumped up and hooked the broom on the wall. Then he clambered up using that broom, climbed to the top and escaped to the sand. The wall is 15 feet high but that was nothing to this man. The Guard was not gone for long in coming back but when he returned his prisoner was gone. He looked for where he had hidden himself but did not find him. He did not know how he could have got out of the prison. The prisoner ran to Awapuni Lake and hid in the water. While he was sitting there the Policeman came. As he drew near, [the prisoner] dived under the water and, because he knew the Officer of the Law was close by, he lay there. The Policeman was only five yards from him. At night he ran off. His thought was to get to Te Wairoa and he followed the path of the tramcar. At Matawhero he turned aside to a hut but, hearing someone inside, he ran on. He saw a man travelling on a cart and asked the way to Te Wairoa. The man gave him directions. He put him on the cart and said that he could go with him to his home to sleep, then after breakfast he could go on his way. The man agreed. When they were nearly there he said that he would go on. In the morning the cook at the man’s home got up. When he went to get the meat he had cooked for the morning it was gone. Then the man realized that the man he had found was the prisoner. He told the police who now knew the direction in which he was going. This was on the Friday. One of the police was sent to Waerenga-o-Kuri to wait for him. When the prisoner arrived at Waerenga-o-Kuri he was met by a man who took him to his home for a meal. When they got to the house the man realised who he was and wired the policeman to come to the house. After the prisoner had eaten he left. The man of the house went to work; he did not like sitting around for long. Soon afterwards the policeman arrived at the house and was told that he had gone. He pursued him and it was not long before he saw him walking along. When the prisoner saw the policeman coming he knew that he had been caught, and so he sat down – it was no good him running. When the policeman came he put the handcuffs on him and took him back to town. At two o’clock on the afternoon of the Thursday he had escaped and by the Saturday evening he had been captured.

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CALENDAR : October 1911

Day 8 o 3h 41m p.m. Day 22 ● 3h 39m p.m.

1 S Sixteenth Sunday after Trinity

Morning Evening

2 Chronicles 35 Nehemiah 1 – 2.9

Ephesians 2 Luke 5.1-17

2 M

3 T

4 W

5 Th

6 F Fast

7 S

8 S Seventeenth Sunday after Trinity

Jeremiah 5 Jeremiah 22

Philippians 2 Luke 8.1-26

9 M

10 T

11 W

12 Th

13 F Fast

14 S

15 S Eighteenth Sunday after Trinity

Jeremiah 36 Ezekiel 2

Colossians 3.18-25 & 4 Luke 12.1-35

16 M

17 T

18 W Luke, Evangelist.

Isaiah 53 1 Thessalonians 3

Ecclesiasticus 38.1-15 Luke 13.1-18

19 Th

20 F Fast

21 S

22 S Nineteenth Sunday after Trinity

Ezekiel 14 Ezekiel 18

2 Thessalonians 2 Luke 16

23 M

24 T

25 W

26 Th

27 F Vigil, Fast

28 S Simon and Jude, Apostles Fast

Athanasian Creed

Isaiah 28.9-17 Jeremiah 3.12-19

1 Timothy 5 Luke 19.1-28

29 S Twentieth Sunday after Trinity

Ezekiel 34 Ezekiel 37

1 Timothy 5 Luke 20.1-27

30 M

31 T Vigil, Fast

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A NOTICE

To those wanting a Prayer Book or Hymn Book. I now have plenty of books. The prices are:

Large, soft cover 2/6

Large, red cover 3/-

Large, hard cover 4/-

Large, superior cover 5/6

Small, soft cover 1/-

Small, red cover 1/6

Small, hard cover 2/6

Small, superior cover 3/6

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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/-.

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