Te Kopara 34
[3] Te Kopara, Number 34, Gisborne, 15 August, 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]
THE GREAT WAR (III)
One thing for which we must praise God now is that we live in a state of peace without disturbances when we are receiving accounts every day of distant battles in which two or three thousand are dying in a single day. We are now in the second year of the war and there have been fifteen ships full of men from here to take the places of those of us who have fallen.
Our minds search in vain for an answer to ‘When will this end?’ But we know that although it may take three or four years our enemies will be defeated. God will not permit the many nations of the world to be trampled down by treacherous nations with their works of violence.
But let us not forget our own violent acts when we are condemning those of the enemy. The teasing saying about a man is right:
He kete nei e takawe ana ki tona pakihiwi, kotahi ki tona tuara, kotahi ki tona aroaro.
He carries kits slung over his shoulder, one on his back and the other on his chest.
The provisions in the one on his back are his own violent deeds; those in the one on his chest are the violent deeds of his enemy. These latter are close enough for the hands to take hold of, they can be counted, one can see how wicked they are. The wickedness of the things on the back will not be remembered, there are no eyes in the back of the head to look down on them, and so they are forgotten. Let us not be like the Pharisee spoken of by Christ, let us not say the kind of thing he said to God: ‘O God, I thank you that I am not like other men.’ But let us pull the kit on the back around to the front so that we can see what is inside. Then you’ll be able to go about counting them. Some of the things in that kit will not be seen in this one; but very many of the things in this kit were not seen in the other one. So why do you count the sins of the other person? It is for him to take note of them and confess them to God. Remind yourself that you have promised to be a soldier of Christ, to fight continually under his banner against the devil, the world and the flesh, that is, against all that is not in accordance with God’s will. This indeed is the thing that is known as a sin, doing something that is offensive to God.
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‘For all of us make many mistakes,’ (James 3.2). Only one is free from sin, our Lord Jesus Christ. No other person is free from sin. This is what pleases Satan – seeing the soldier of Christ disobeying God’s commandments and turning instead to him, and not remembering the promise made by him at his baptism: ‘I renounce them all.’
A person uses many excuses for his sins but God cannot be deceived. One way is to belittle them, as Lot said of Zoar, ‘Is it not a small place?’ (Genesis 19.20). But God does not like sin and, although a person may say that it is a small matter, it is evil to God and the way to death for a person. ‘For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, his is guilty of all ‘ (James 2.10).
Another excuse is this kind of saying, ‘But what about So-and-so? He’s a sinner. I’m not like him. My sins are nothing.’ It is not for you to praise your deeds. Leave it to God to commend what you do. In fact what God says is, ‘There is none righteous, no, not one’ (Romans 3.10). All are sinners, you included. We have not been called by God to enumerate the sins of other people, rather it is our sins we are to count and confess to God each day, asking his forgiveness. ‘If we confess our sins he is faithful and just and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness’ (1 John 1.9).
W[illiam] L[eonard] W[illiams]
DIOCESE OF AUCKLAND.
A Hui in Northland at Otiria, 24th February, 1916.
The Bishop’s Address.
My brothers, younger and older, Ministers and Lay Representatives, we have gathered here to seek ways of growing our Church amongst the Maori people. Greetings.
I salute those new clergy who have entered the ranks of the ministers of the Church during the past year, Poihipi Tokoroa and Henare Paraone who have been ordained Deacons. I have sent Poihipi to work with Wiki Te Paa at Te Wairoa and Henare Paraone to work with Hori Raiti in the Waikato. May God bless them both.
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The following clergy will be moving soon: Makoare Taurere from Hokianga to Kaikohe, Hetekia Heke from the King Country to Hokianga, and Pene Topi from Kaikohe to Te Kuiti.
My heart goes out to the Maori soldiers who have gone to the war, also to those in Camp in Auckland, including our friend, Mr Hawkins, who is not at this Hui because he has gone as a father to them. I am proud of the many young men of our Church who are at the war. Of the 500 in the First Contingent, 400 belonged to the Anglican Church, of whom I confirmed 60 before they went. In the Second Contingent of 340, nearly 300 were Anglicans and I confirmed 40. We have heard of their bravery, how they have followed in the footsteps of their ancestors. Perhaps the Government will want to send further contingents. If so, we will help them in this matter.
The hope of my heart is that some of these soldiers who return from the war will go to Te Rau in order to be ordained as clergy. Perhaps this wish of mine will be fulfilled.
We have few men at Te Rau now but according to the Principal, one of them, Wiremu Panapa, is a young man who is very eager to learn. He is one of our young men.
Confirmation. In some of the parishes not many young people are coming to be confirmed. I would strongly encourage Ministers to see this as one of the most important jobs of a Minister, seeking out people and teaching them so that they are prepared for confirmation.
Holy Places. I am very happy that I have been able to consecrate three burial grounds on this journey. I would like all the burial grounds to be like that at Parawhenua which was tidied up appropriately before the consecration.
Financial Provision for Clergy. Some parishes have been indifferent or lzay when it comes to collecting money to provide stipends for the ministers. My friends, let us not go backwards in this matter. Although the money collected by the Pakeha for the Maori section is more than £1000, Maori have contributed only £100. This is not right. I have looked at the accounts for the past year and many parishes have large reserves and that money is lying idle in some of the parishes. The right thing is to use those reserves for good purposes.
I repeat what I said at the last Synod, that money from each place should be placed in the bank so that it gets interest and is well looked after, and that the bank has on its books two or three names of trustees, one of whom is the minister of the parish.
Concerning the Mormons. Their teaching is built on falsehood; it is not a teaching that a Christian can believe in. Their Christ is different. A person must
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choose whether to believe in Joseph Smith or in our Lord Jesus Christ.
A Word to the Clergy. The Pakeha proverb says, ‘Lazy minister, lazy people.’ Therefore be careful. Don’t urge the people on while you stay behind, but get up and go in front as an example and guide for the people in all aspects of the faith.
Lay Readers. My heartfelt gratitude to the Lay Readers for the effort they put into leading the services and teaching the children the Catechism. Use every effort to help the ministers and then all will be strengthened.
Such are my words. May God bless us all and protect us at all times and in all places.
ALL THE MAORI WHO HAVE GONE TO THE WAR.
The total number of Maori who have gone to the war is 1,217. Four Maori Contingents have gone and this is the table [?rotarotatanga] of the numbers in each contingent.
First Contingent – 518 men.
Second Contingent – 311 men.
Third Contingent – 314 men.
Fourth Contingent – 74 men.
Total – 1217 men.
There are 150 full Maori and 114 half-castes in training at present at Narrow Neck. At the Pakeha Camp at Featherstone there are 10 full Maori and 13 half-castes. At Trentham there are 8 full Maori and 16 half-castes. Most of the Maori have gone with Pakeha units.
WAR NEWS.
The Italian Offensive.
At last there has been a major Italian attack during the second week of this month. In this attack they took Carinthia [?Korihia], one of Austria’s strong fortresses. Before the war 40,000 people lived in this place. The Italians fought for a long time to take this fort and at last it fell. The number of Austrians captured by the Italians in this major offensive was 10,000.
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The Russians.
The enemy is taking flight before the Russians in all places and is being pursued by them. Three Russian Generals were responsible for punishing the Germans – Brusilov, Kerensky and Zakharov [?Hakaropa]. On 9th of this month news arrived of the defeat of Germany and Austria by General Kerensky. A total of 3,988 Austrians and 3,500 Germans have been captured. It is said that the enemy is running away before Russia. Many towns have been abandoned without a hand being raised to prevent the Russians taking them, such is the awesome progress of Russia. On Friday, 11th of this month news came that the Russians had taken an Austrian town called Stanislau. The number of people in this town before the war was 32,000, of whom 10,000 were Jews.
A Russian newspaper says that between 16th and 25th July General Zakharov took 34,000 prisoners.
The English and French.
Both the English and the French are causing the Germans to retreat. The English have taken a town called [Pohia]. The bravery of the ‘Anzacs’ was seen here and it remarked on by the English soldiers who at last have seen the ‘Anzacs’ fighting. Without hesitation one can say that those who have really made their names on the Western Front are the Australian soldiers.
Egypt.
The English have soundly defeated the Turks at the Suez Canal, in the area of the Red Sea. They have run and are being chased now by the English.
4th August, 1916.
This day marks the end of the second year of fighting in this great war. On this day also the motion promoted at the conclusion of the first year of fighting was re-affirmed. We all remember the purpose of that motion, that this war will be brought to a close only when the jaws of the enemy are crushed. There was no difficulty in passing this motion in all parts of the Empire. It was not difficult because the strength of the Allies is now increasing.
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In the past year the fighting appeared to be at a standstill, but it has to be said that greater strength was shown by the enemy as they confronted the Allies. If we look carefully at the encounters during last year it is as if, as I say, now the Allies have problems; however, according to observers of those times, now the days are coming when the tide will turn. Last year we saw Germany advancing on Russia as if, as I say, the power of Russia had been crushed.
At the Dardanelles countless men of the Allies fell and the outcome of that battle was the withdrawal of the Allied soldiers from there. The Allies were in difficulties. Last year there was no restraining of Austria in its pressure on Serbia. On the Western Front it was, as I say, as if the English and French would be driven by Germany to the sea. These were the things that were going on last year when that motion was first passed. But these situations did not dishearten the Empire and it was untroubled. Rather, one thought was paramount at that time and that was the objective declared in the motion, which we have explained above. But in these days the tide has turned and the situation is like that which the knowledgeable people dreamt of. However it is not something they just dreamt of, rather they are aware that although the war may be continued for a long time the adult must persevere in the work he is doing now. There is not much purpose in laying out the present situation as most of the accounts have been published. However we must give a brief explanation of how the Allies are on top and the enemy below. Germany is being pursued by the English and the French; Austria is being pursued by the Italians; and the Turks are being thrashed by the Russians and the English. It is these situations that give pleasure to the whole Empire and assure them that the motion spoken of is not being disregarded. And our hearts are moved by the eagerness of the Maori People to support that motion. That obligation is laid upon a suffering heart. But what are we to do, people? We will achieve that which will avenge our sufferings in this war in which we fight alongside our Pakeha friends – Russians, Belgians, Serbians, French – to overcome the Germans. Yes, although Lord Kitchener is no longer with us, we see just how right he was when he said, ‘This war will end in three years.’ This is the third year and it is as if it is the beginning of the end.
The Numbers of New Zealand Soldiers who have suffered and the nature of those sufferings.
The total number of those who have been casualties from the beginning of the war until the 7th of this month is
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over 10,000, let us say 10,603. Of this number 3,441 have died; 1,605 have been killed in battle; 764 died of wounds; 369 died of illnesses; 666 died but we do not know how they died; and 37 were drowned in water. Of the remainder, 20 were lost and it is not known where they are; 22 were taken prisoner; and 7,120 were wounded. The following table shows the numbers of officers and men about whom we have information and what they suffered.
Nature of Casualty Officers Men Total
Died in battle 96 1509 1605
Died of wounds 37 727 764
Died of sickness 11 358 369
Cause unknown 4 662 666
Drowned 10 27 37
Lost 3 17 20
Captured - 22 22
Wounded 285 6835 7120
Total 446 10,157 10,603
Before the New Zealand soldiers went from Egypt to France the number of casualties was 8,300. Therefore the number remaining to fight on the Western Front was 2,300. Of the Maori Contingents 12 officers and 266 men have been casualties, a total of 278.
THE JUDGEMENT ON RUA.
On 3rd of this month, Judge Chapman gave his judgement on the crime of Rua. He said to Rua:
‘You have despised the law by failing to comply with the order of the police and so I am sentencing you. The sentence is that you are to spend twelve months in prison and in addition you are to do hard labour. After these twelve months you are to spend another twelve months in gaol so that it can be determined whether you have turned from your extraordinary ways or not.’
THE JUDGEMENT ON ROGER CASEMENT.
This is the man who stirred up the Irish in Ireland and caused the fighting which has been put down. He is the leader of the Irish Rebels. At his trial he was sentenced to death. He has now been put to death by hanging.
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SIR TIMI KARA.
Sir Timi Kara is now in Ireland. The friends of Sir Timi in New Zealand have sent a wire to the English Government asking that he, Sir Timi, be sent to pacify the Irish. He would use his sweet voice in speaking to them. Were this desire to be fulfilled and the Irish were pacified, it would be a very wonderful thing, something that would exalt New Zealand and the Maori people as well.
FIELD-MARSHAL LORD KITCHENER.
The Ladder by which he Ascended to Greatness.
The summits reached by great people
Were not reached by flying like a bird,
But, while their friends were overcome by sleep,
They strode ever upwards
During the watches of the night.
[The heights by great men reached and kept
Were not attained by sudden flight,
But they, while their companions slept,
Were toiling upward in the night.]
St Augustine’s Ladder – Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
His task in India was the same as his task in Egypt and Africa, to raise the standards of the army. In 1902 he arrived in India and stayed there as head of the military there. He was in India for seven years from 1902 until 1909. In 1910 he came here to New Zealand, the object of his coming was to raise the standards of the military here. New Zealand made much of him.
Governor of Egypt.
When Lord Kitchener returned from New Zealand, Egypt was without a Governor and he was appointed Governor. He was very happy to return to Egypt, the land where he had embarked on his major triumphs. He arrived in Cairo, the capital of Egypt, in 1911. The state of the people on his arrival was bad but he set about making improvements and before long it was like a calm sea. In 1914, on 21st June, he was made an Earl and became known as Earl Kitchener of Khartoum. In that same year on 29th July he entered the House of Lords of the English Parliament. He was conducted to his place by Earl Roberts.
Minister of War.
Lord Kitchener was in England when the present war broke out. He was to return to Egypt on 4th August but two days before he was due to return he decided to delay his departure,
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being overtaken by the outbreak of the war there. [Hangai tonu] 4th July was the day that England decided it would fight. On 5th August the Prime Minister announced that he wanted to appoint Earl Kitchener as Minister of War and that the King had agreed to his proposal. His post as Governor of Egypt would remain open. The British Empire was delighted at hearing that Lord Kitchener was Minister of War while continuing as Field-Marshal of all the King’s troops. So he climbed to the peak he had set out for from the base. More honours were given to him in addition to those already mentioned: KG, GCIE, GCSI, GCB, GCMG, KP, OM, PC. You will not know the significance of these titles, but they show you his greatness, his elevation. Now this great man, this important man of the Empire, has fallen, the bravest of all the brave.
MORE NEWS.
At the meeting of all the Turanga clergy on Tuesday, 25th July, one of the important subjects dealt with was the consumption of alcohol in the Maori hapu of the Tairawhiti. All those attending the meeting thought that the Maori Councils were not using their powers to suppress this ‘food’. Therefore this is the motion passed by the meeting and sent to the Maori Councils, that they use their authority to do away with this wicked ‘food’, which is oppressing and striking down all the tribes. This was the motion:
‘This meeting of the Ministers of Turanga is greatly saddened and distressed at the news we hear of the strength of the consumption of alcohol amongst the Maori of the Tairawhiti. We are also very sad at the ineffectiveness of the Maori Councils; and this is our hope, that you would be watchful and that you implement the rules for which you are legally responsible, that you make every effort to prevent alcohol being brought into Maori villages.’
FOOD FOR TE KOPARA.
August. Rewi Tamihana, 10/-; Apirana Waimotu, 5/-; Tuhaka Pakihi, 5/-; Taniora T Poihipi, 5/-.
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