Te Kopara 31
[3] Te Kopara, Number 31, Gisborne, 15 May, 1916.
‘Iti te Kopara, kai takirikiri ana i runga i te Kahikatea.’
Although the Bellbird is small, he plucks at the Kahikatea. [cf Nga Pepeha 908]
NEWS OF THE WAR.
In the West.
Germany
is seeking to take possession of two hills in order to have control of
the Verdun area, on is Hill 304 and the other is Hill 287. These are the
places from which Germany is being attacked by the French. A newspaper
agency, the Press Bureau, says that the number of Germans casualties in
the month of April alone was 91.162 – 17,455 were killed or died of
wounds, 2495 died of sickness, 1221 were taken prisoner, 6217 are
missing, 14557 were seriously wounded, 4001 were wounded, 39,679
suffered light injuries, and there were 5637 other injuries. At Hill
304 the Germans suffered greatly in the French attack.
In the East.
You
have heard of the courage of Russia in the East, and it appears that
there is no diminution of its strength because a Russian army has come
to the West to help the English and the French. In the East the Russians
are drawing near to Baghdad, the place General Townshend sought to take
and where he and his troops had serious problems as you have heard.
The German Airforce.
When
the German Zeppelins attacked England on the night of March 31st
[several lines of text are missing] in the River Thames and it sank. A
man who is conversant with this kind of work says that it would take
three months to complete.
When the fleet of airships
was seen [text missing] the English went to follow them and to shoot at
them with their land-based guns. Amongst those who
[4]
pursued
the Germans in his aeroplane was a New Zealander. When he saw the
Germans he flew above them and dropped three bombs on the Germans but
hit none of them. His name is Sub-Lieutenant Brandon. He was highly
praised. Twenty-three of the Germans were lost. The number of people who
were killed that night was 43 and the number injured, 66. Two hundred
shells were fired.
One group of German aircraft went to
attack Scotland, but one of the group was seen by the crew of a Danish
fishing trawler. As it was returning it came down in the North Sea and
was sinking.
The Lord Mayor of London said last year
that he would give £500 to the person or persons who destroyed a German
aircraft over England. There is discussion as to whether the German
aircraft needs to be brought down by Sub-Lieut Brandon dropping three
bombs onto it, or by land-based artillery, or by another British
aircraft shooting it down. But the courage of New Zealand is being
celebrated.
A MARVELLOUS HONOUR.
News
has gone out to all parts of the country that Sir Timi Kara, one of the
members of the New Zealand Parliament has been chosen to go to England.
The Mother Parliament has asked that a representative be sent from each
Parliament under England. There they are to discuss together and lay
down proposals for all aspects of the prosecution of the war. This is a
marvellous honour that has been bestowed upon Sir Timi Kara, but it is s
credit not only to him but also to all his Maori People. This journey
will at last see Sir Timi setting his feet abroad, but we have our
saying:
E kore te taniwha e maunu noa i tona rua, engari ma te take nui rawa rāno katahi ka maunu ai.
The taniwha will not be drawn out of his cave; but for an important matter then he will be drawn out.
The
purpose of this journey has been mentioned above, and the discussions
at this gathering when it meets will not be concerned only with England
but with all the nations of the world. On the night of Thursday, 11th
May, Timi was farewelled by the people of Gisborne. The one theme of the
speeches was joy and pride that Timi had joined the list of leading
people of this side of the world who have gone
[5]
abroad.
One of the speakers said, ‘It is right that Timi should go because his
path has been cleared by his young Maori whose fame has resounded to all
parts of the world. Maori and Pakeha are now united by those young men
who brought them together.’ Timi stood to reply to the speeches to him
and he was grateful to those who had spoken to him. After his greetings,
Timi spoke of the weightiness of the work they had to do which would
occupy the meeting for whole of July. Timi also said that when they went
his main concern was to see the great English leaders. He cannot be
criticised for saying this because there indeed are the great leaders,
the mature leaders. In his heart his great hope was that he would
receive many blessings from being close to such people. But, Timi said,
they may perhaps get some good from being close to us. And perhaps we
will get explanations of some of the things that are concerning them. If
that happens it will be very good. Timi’s last words were about his
idea of going to France , the land of the French, to see his young New
Zealanders who are fighting there.
SIR TIMI KARA’S FAREWELL TO HIS CONSTITUENCY.
The
suddenness of my departure for England means that I am unable
personally to convey my greetings to the people of my constituency. It
is right that I should express my gratitude to them for their loyalty to
me, for the support they have given me in all my projects from the time
they elected me as their member of Parliament to the present day. It
distresses me that I am unable to travel throughout my constituency to
say goodbye to my electors and to explain to them why I am going to
England – why? because I have no time, this visit to England being
unexpected. However I am sure that the Gisborne newspapers will come to
my aid, and I can leave them to scatter my greetings to all the marae of
my constituency. This is my farewell address to you, and not to just
one section but to all, the small, the great, the poor, the rich – to
all the people who support me in my many tasks. I am not able to express
adequately the sadness I feel at leaving
[6]
you,
as I know this is the last time we shall see each other, perhaps not
for many days to come. A time of parting is a time of pain, but be
assured that, although I am separated from you, you will be always in my
thoughts. Now I send my thanks and greetings to the Mayor of Gisborne,
the head of my constituency. Such are my greetings to you. Goodbye.
Blessings on you for your kindness to me in times past and right up to
the present time of parting.
DEATH OF THE WIFE OF THE REV MATENE KEEPA OF MANUTUKE.
We
who are alive grieve and feel pity for this woman who has been taken
from us, who has entered upon the long sleep. This woman was a chiefly
woman from the Chatham Islands with family links with Taranaki and
Ngatikahungunu. She died on 24th April in the Main Hospital in Gisborne.
She was brought from there by the people of Te Rau College where she
spent one night before being carried to Manutuke. The people of this
Parish experienced great sadness for their friend who has been taken
from them. Wonderful tributes were paid to her by her hapu, including
tributes from Matehaere Halbert and Te Kani Pere. The work this woman
did in the Parish she served with her husband is well known. If there
was work to be done on the marae she was there helping. Whatever work
had to be done she was there working. But let us rejoice that her death
took place at the time when we remembered the resurrection of our Lord
Jesus Christ. Therefore, she has passed from death to life. As Paul the
Apostle says: Death, where is your sting? Grave, where is your victory?
[1Corinthians 15.55]
◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊
More than £511 has been collected in Auckland to build two of the latest aeroplanes. The total to be collected is £5000.
The
army sent to help General Townshend and his army, surrounded by the
Turks on the eastern side of Kut-el-Amara, is now within seven miles.
[7]
THE TROUBLES OF RUA KENANA.
In
May last year Rua was put in prison in Auckland fro three months for
selling liquor. Rua was summoned to appear in court in Whakatane in
November to face five more charges. Then Rua sent a letter to the judge
(R W Dwyer) saying that he was busy making hay and could not attend. A
fine of £50 was imposed on Rua with costs of £2 17 0 for the two
occasions on which he had been caught providing Maori with liquor, along
with six months in prison, and for taking liquor to a Maori pa, one
month; for selling liquor in his house, another month; and for enticing
some Maori to sell liquor, one month. Rua has to spend nine months in
prison. This is the trouble that led the law to Rua at Maungapohatu, his
wrongdoing, but the outcome was the shedding of people’s blood. This is
something very sad for us Maori. It is enough that Germany is killing
us without us turning on one another.
STORIES OF THE PROPHET RUA.
My
friends, it is a cause of shame, a cause of sorrow, that Rua has
engaged in these dreadful activities. Some of us have met Rua face to
face, others have not seen him. Some have followed the works of this man
from the beginning when he announced that he was the man designated by
Te Kooti. Because Te Kooti said, ‘It will be someone who is at present
just a child who will lead the people; he will emerge in twenty-five
years and will manifest strength and stout-heartedness.’ In part of one
speech Te Kooti said, ‘Between Nga Kuri a Whāre and Tikirau that man is
found.’ These words of Te Kooti bolstered the work of Rua from the
beginning to the end. When this man first emerged as a prophet the
enlightened people said that a tree is known by its fruits. But people
who were in darkness did not take to heart this saying and turned to
following Rua in his activities. Rua’s first saying was, ‘Let us go to
Gisborne, for it is there that you will see my glory and power, it is
there that I will see King Edward VII.’ Many of Tuhoe believed Rua’s
words, and some of Whakatohea. ‘Ka tere Rauā, ka tere Pipiwhakao.’ ‘Rauwa and Pīpīwhākao are afloat.’ [cf Nga Pepeha
1146] Rua and his people travelled through the land expecting King
Edward VII and Wi Pere to be waiting for them when they arrived in
Gisborne.
[8]
Rua’s prophecy concerning King Edward
VII was not fulfilled. Although Rua worked many miracles which his
people saw, because his words were not fulfilled his people began to
desert him. But the people from Te Waimana to Maungapohatu remained
loyal to him. Rua declared to his people that the confiscated lands
would be retaken, God would return them. The well-being of the land was
in the hands of God, not of the Government. But he did not keep to his
prophetic word. Subsequently he arranged in Wellington for the opening
up of land in the Sovereign Territory of Tuhoe for sale. The outcome was
that nearly 70,000 acres of the Sovereign Territory were taken by the
Government. Although that sale brought benefits, opening up the land for
settlement, the tribe as a whole did not consent to the sale.
After
these activities Rua began to sell alcohol. Everyone is aware of this
crime and everyone knows how his last infringement got him into trouble.
But, my friends, the really sad thing, as this bird, Te Kopara, sees it
is the death of the son, Toko, as payment for the father, Rua. And Te
Maipa was also one of the dead, and a chief, Paora Kingi, was one of the
wounded, along with others. But, as we see it, had the one who did
these things died, that would have been justice. But what can be done
now that the disaster has happened? But that is enough by way of
explanation of these activities.
Now the voice of Te Kopara turns
to ask a question of the tribes of Aotearoa and Te Waipounamu. Tribes
and hapu, should we not seek what is life-enhancing in the work and the
life of Rua for the benefit of our bodies and spirits? Indeed, Rua based
his works on the Scriptures. Therefore let us give careful
consideration to our prophetic work in these times. We see broad ways
stretching before us – the way of right and the way of wrongdoing.
Everything in Scripture tells us to seek to do what is right. Although
our friend has done these wrong things our Maori side requires us to
have compassion on him. Therefore we are very sad and we feel for him
and for all those caught up in this trouble. Best wishes to you all.
●●●●●●●●●
In the choosing of the four New Zealand Members to go to England, Sir Timi Kara was one of the Members chosen.
[9]
MORE ITEMS
Eighty-three [mate
?dead, ?sick] soldiers have now been returned to New Zealand. Among the
eighty-three were three Maori – Kaipara, T Huihui and H Merimana.
It
will take £30,000,000 to restore the appearance of Dublin, Ireland’s
chief town, to what it was previously. The damage caused by the civil
war in this town was extensive. The leaders of that uprising have been
tried and executed. When the news reached Germany that Ireland was
engaged in civil war they dropped pamphlets over the trenches for the
Irish to see. These were the words on those pamphlets: ‘Ireland is
fighting against itself. Your families are being shot by the English.
Throw away your rifles. We, like you, are [?hakona - ?Saxons]. If
you stop shooting we will stop shooting.’ The response of the Irish
soldiers to these statements was to sing their Irish songs and songs to
encourage the English such as ‘Rule Britannia’ and other English songs.
The
remnant of the ‘Anzacs’, those who fought in the Dardanelles, have
arrived at the Western Front and have been fighting alongside the
English and the French. It appears that some Maori have arrived there.
The Anzacs and the Germans have engaged on the Western Front. However
these Anzac survivors are from Australia. On 7th of this month the
Germans sent out their spies and their explosive experts to investigate
how the Anzacs were deployed in their trenches. Such expeditions seek to
do two things, to determine how well the people are settled into their
trenches and how they could easily evacuate anyone wounded or get out if
they were they to retreat or if they needed to pass information to
their allies. When the German spies came they did something new for they
learned that the enemy was so close that they could come out of their
dugouts, head forwards and immediately engage with the enemy. When the
Germans returned they immediately did this but soon realised they were
being defeated and began to call for re-inforcements; such were the
Anzacs. But it was not long before the Germans were defeated by the
Anzacs.
We would point out to all the hapu that there are now
thirty boys at Waerenga-a-hika School. The boys think that their Master,
Mr A J Coombes, is very good. He is like a father to the boys. There
should be a great increase in the number of people seeking a place for
their child.
[10]
The Governor has been informed that
some New Zealand and Australian soldiers have arrived in France and
have been assigned to protect part of the land the Germans are fighting
for.
Friends it is a cause of anguish that the Turks are
surrounding the English army in the place called Mesopotamia. Here is
the place called the Garden of Eden where Eve and Adam lived. The
General commanding that force is General Townshend. It is said that
because of a lack of food and the use of all their ammunition it is like
being in prison.
WAR NEWS.
Russia and Turkey.
Russia
is advancing steadily. It is now very close to Baghdad, the place
General Townshend was seeking to take when he and his army were
captured. The number of Turkish prisoners taken by Russia during the
fighting here is 37,000.
General Townshend.
We have received
news that General Townshend has arrived in Constantinople. Turkey has
returned to him his sword. Turkey has said that it bears no ill-will to
General Townshend or his men.
The Irish Uprising.
It is
terrible that some of the Irish have declared themselves to be enemies
of England in the time of the great war. Perhaps it is understandable
that Rua should do such a thing as stirring up a fight because Rua has
limited understanding, but the Irish are a very intelligent people and
such behaviour was out of character. But it was their cause and some of
their leaders have been executed. Many of the buildings in Dublin, the
capital city of the Irish, have been burned or destroyed. The amount it
will take to restore Dublin to its former state is £30,000,000.This is a
real waste, the loss of this money because of the misguided actions of
the Irish.
[11]
A LAW PASSED BY THE FRENCH.
The
French have passed a more severe law than that passed by the English in
that it requires all men to fight. The law passed by the French says:
‘If a man refuses to go to fight his lands will be confiscated and when
the war if finished those lands will be sold and the money will go to
alleviate the burdens imposed by the war.’
AN EMINENT WOMAN HAS DIED.
On
21st May news arrived of the death of Mrs Howie, known to us Maori as
Te Rangipai. She was a chiefly woman from the Tairawhiti, a daughter of
Colonel Porter and Herewaka. She had a beautiful singing voice and
through her work as a singer she became known in all parts of the world.
She sang before the King and Queen. Her singing career was ended by
illness. After recovering she spent her last years at Maungaroa in the
Bay of Plenty where her home was. This place is devastated by her
untimely death; she was still a young person. She leaves behind her
sorrowing husband, father, and Maori family. What is to be made of it,
young woman, that many of your brothers have died before you in this
great war? Go to your forebears, to your ancestors in the world to
come.
WAERENGA-A-HIKA SCHOOL.
This school is now progressing
well under the new Master, Mr Coombes. There are thirty children
attending. The Master wants to increase the number of pupils after the
holiday, that is, the end of June. If there are some children who are
thinking of attending then tell Mr Coombes and he will send the
application forms to be completed by the child or his parents.
FOOD FOR TE KOPARA.
Raniera
Mitingare, 10/; Kopae Ihakara, 5/-; Takuta Terangi, 5/-; Tame Ike, 2/6;
Rev M Manihera, %/-; Hemi Porou, 5/-: H H Popata, 5/-; Hekiera Whenua,
5/-; Erika Akuhata, %/-;Peta Potini, 5/-; Hunia Rae, 5/-; Hohipuha
Kareanui, 5/-.
[12]
RULES OF THE PAPER.
1. Te Kopara is published monthly.
2. The subscription for the paper is five shillings (5/-) a year paid by postal note or stamps.
3. Anyone wishing to take Te Kopara should send the money with the covering letter.
4.
Articles are welcome from all parts of the country, but the Editor
reserves the right to decide on what to print. Write clearly.
5. Address all letters to:
Te Kopara,
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 1/-
Prayer Book with Hymns, hard cover 3/-
Prayer Book with Hymns, superior cover 4/-
Prayer Book, New Testament and Hymns, red cover, 3/6
Prayer Book, New Testament and Hymns, superior cover, 5/6
Hymns 6d
Words for the Prayerful Heart 3d
I will pay the postage to send the books to you
H W Williams,
Naurea, 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 the 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.
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