Te Kopara 56
[3] Te Kopara, Number 56, Gisborne, 20 June, 1918.
‘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]
A PAPER FOR THE MAORI PEOPLE
When the Hui was held at Te Kapu, Wairoa, in aid of the Trust Fund for Maori Soldiers, an hour was set aside for the discussion of other matters. There was discussion of Te Kopara and other Maori papers. Some people expressed a desire similar to that of Hutu Paaka in his letter that the paper should be published weekly; they were cool towards the idea of monthly editions. If the Maori people agreed to enthusiastically support a paper and the whole country supported it, then it could be done.
But it must be noted that not a single Maori paper has so far paid its way. There have been many Maori papers but they have all failed. Why? Because they have not paid. This why even the paper that lasted a long time ceased publication. But it lasted a long time because those who produced it were not paid; only the printer was paid. Secondly, it lasted a long time because it was fed by the people of the Church. Now the time is rapidly coming when Te Rau College, the school which trains young men for the ministry, will move to Auckland. When Te Rau College closes perhaps the printing press there will also shut down. But its Committee will not alow our bird to die. The Committee’s idea is to drag its nest here to Hastings.
At that Hui at Te Wairoa the Hon A T Ngata revealed a proposal by the Maori Members of Parliament and their Pakeha friends to produce a paper for Maori; it would be produced by the members of Parliament and printed by the Government Printer. It was found that the cost of printing alone would be £250 a year. That publication would be large – what the Pakeha call a ‘magazine’. That proposal by the members of Parliament has not been implemented because of the statement by the Government Printer who said, ‘such a paper cannot be printed until the war ends.’
As this is a very troubled time we can but continue to discuss amongst ourselves in these days what will happen to our paper in days to come. We would be able to print it every fortnight if all our subscribers agreed to increase
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the subscription to 10/- a year. In the event perhaps were the subscription increased there would still be only one copy taken by each village. This is a Maori problem – borrowing other people’s copies. If they were Pakeha each household would have its own copy. Perhaps if Maori thought the same and they valued their paper they would pay for it. Leave it for the Committee to discuss in coming days.
A LETTER RECEIVED.
To the Editor of Te Kopara.
Greetings to you and our bird and to all who support our bird. I write a few words to you concerning our bird. Please make every effort to help our bird appear four times a month. He gets cold when he is flying here. If he flew here every week there would be fewer articles about hui and funerals and other New Zealand news. And there would be more stories of the war and the things we hope to hear about what is happening to our lads on the other side of the world. I am very grateful to Peni Hakiwai for his letter in which he described things to us. Good news from a distant land cheers our hearts. Greetings to you all.
Huta Paaka.
[Sir, Huta, greetings to you, one of the leading supporters of our paper from the beginning up to today. Its first name was ‘Te Kupu Whakamarama, or, Te Pipiwharauroa.’ It came to birth on your marae and you were one of those who brought it into being. It grew, spread its wings and flew from your marae to the North Island, eventually arriving at Gisborne. In these days it has taken the name ‘Te Kopara.’ Therefore thank you for your greetings.
If you look at your Kopara for this year you will not see articles about funerals except for an account of the death of Hoeta Te Hata. That was an exceptional event. As for the Hui, we confined the accounts to the matters concluded. The accounts of the Hui dealt largely with the well-being of our young soldiers when they return from the battle fields. We who produce the paper seek out the important national matters for our bird to convey to every marae. During these months the important thing for us on the Tairawhiti has been the collection for the well-being of our young men.
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An indication of the strength of the concern about this matter is that the money collected on the Tairawhiti alone has reached twenty-five thousand pounds (£25,000) which will be to the praise of the tribes of the Tairawhiti for centuries to come. If the accounts of the war are brief it is because you can see them in the Pakeha papers. Some of the matters in Te Kopara are not covered by Pakeha papers. Your request that Te Kopara appear weekly is dealt with in another paragraph. Greetings, and thank you for your encouraging words. – The Editor]
THE HUI OF THE DIOCESE OF AUCKLAND, 1918.
The Speech of the President.
My fellow-workers, ministers and representatives of the laity, greetings, as we meet to seek ways of strengthening our Church in this Diocese.
1. Archdeacon Hawkins. We rejoice at the return of the Archdeacon to our Hui now that he has returned from his service of the King and the Empire in the war. We were happy that he accompanied some of our young Maori overseas.
2. The War. We all rejoice at the eagerness, the swiftness of the tribes north of Auckland and in other parts of this Diocese to respond to our King’s call to go and fight against the atrocious practices and the wicked designs of the people of Germany. If it is thought to be appropriate to apply the law of reparations to some nations, I believe that it should not apply to place that have committed themselves to sending their men to war. We all hope that it will not be long before our young men, Maori and Pakeha, return, and we know that what they have done will have brought joy and strength to the Empire and will be an example to generations to come. My heart goes out to the parents and families of those men who have been killed or wounded.
3. Te Rau College. The number of Maori clergy in our Diocese is decreasing through deaths or the old age of some. We want the work to expand so let us seek out some good men for this work. It is important that those men going to Te Rau should be young and that they should have had a good education before going there. You will perhaps have heard that the Board has arranged that, when the war ends, Te Rau will be [?whakakapea - ?closed] and the men of the college will be sent to St John’s College in Auckland, thus fulfilling
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Bishop Selwyn’s vision in the old days that Maori and Pakeha be prepared for the work of ministry in the one college.
4. The Parishes. Because there are so few clergy it has been necessary to extend the boundaries of some of the districts to be covered by a single minister, and consequently the stipends of some ministers have been raised. This may happen in other districts – that the area is enlarged, and we hope that then the stipends will also be increased.
5. Clergy Stipends. Last year the Maori Lands Trust Board of the Church increased the stipends of all the Maori ministers of this Diocese and of other Dioceses in this country up to £100 a year for one year. Our hope is that that Board will help us in the coming year although perhaps they may not be able to give the same help as they did last year. If we wish to maintain the stipend for clergy at £100 it is for the Maori congregations to increase their offerings in every village on the first Sunday of every third month, that is, of each quarter, and to send the amount to the Office of the Diocese of Auckland for the Clergy Fund. This should be done whether or not the service on the first Sunday is Holy Communion. This is to be added to the amount that has been previously set for each village. Those Sundays are the first Sundays in January, April, July and October.
6. Building Insurance. I want churches and clergy houses to be insured against fire. You are aware that the Mangakahia church was burned down and, as it was not insured, there was no money to re-build it. The main Diocesan Synod has said that the insurance money should be sent to the Diocesan Pensions Board Fund and that Board will pay the insurance money if the church or clergy house is burned down. That Board has a large reserve of money, some of which is used to augment the pensions of the clergy and their widows and orphans. It is very important that the buildings are insured. This only involves paying a few shillings a year but it is of great benefit to you if the building is burned down.
7. Time-Table. I urge the clergy to arrange a time-table for all their visits to all the villages in their areas covering every Sunday of the year so that the congregations know the day and the hour their minister will arrive in the village to conduct a service. And you ministers should not fail to keep to that time-table. When a minister arrives to take a service he should announce to the congregation the day on which he will return to that village for a service. I want the minister to draw up his time-table covering six months, beginning
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on the first Sunday in June and to send me, your Bishop, a copy of your time-table for every six months.
8. The Marsden Cross. You will perhaps have heard that the cross we erected in memory of Mr Marsden’s first proclamation of the Gospel here in New Zealand has been broken – the top part – by a gale. I would like us to repair that cross soon and I hope that we, Pakeha and Maori, will co-operate in renewing it.
A final word. Let us make every effort, clergy, lay-readers, and congregations to hold strongly to the faith in these days of anxiety, of dread, of fierce fighting.
May God bless us all in our work and in our speaking, so that his Church grows, and may he strengthen us to do his will.
At the Hui at Mataitai the Bishop added these words to his address.
In these days our hearts are saddened by the news that the Rev H T Heke, the minister of Hokianga, has died. The Archdeacon and I visited his district in March and saw the fruit of his work and the good he was doing there. The death of that minister is a great tragedy for us of this Diocese, and we grieve with his wife and children as well as his tribe their loss, and we pray to the Father to comfort their hearts.
Another tragedy that has come upon us is the death of Tipina Raiti, the wife of the Rev Hori Raiti. We know how strongly she supported the work of the Church and how she kept the Faith. Our love goes out to Hori and the children at this time. We are sad because Tipina and Heke have been taken from our presence, but we know that they have arrived in the world of light and are at rest.
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These are the names of the Waikato Maori who have not responded after being balloted in the Maori Conscription Law: Te Rauangaanga Mahuta, Hugh McKinnon, Tame Wiremu, Teira Paora, Riki Karaka, Kori Maiti, and Mohi Tana.
It is thought that soon Germany will unleash all its fighting ships. If that happens there will be a huge sea battle. If this is the case, then, should they be doing well on land, they will use all their ships, no matter how difficult the battle.
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WAR NEWS.
The Western Front.
During the last days of last month, May, we received bad news of the fighting on the Western Front. From information received we know that apparently Germany has subdued Russia. Therefore, the enemy is able to deploy all its strength to get victory in the West by defeating England and France. On 29th May, Germany attacked the major towns which England and France had taken during the fighting in 1917. In these circumstances the Kaiser has said that this is the final attack, that he will be victorious, that peace will be made, that the Kingdom of Germany will triumph over all nations, and that he will make of all these nations his stamping ground. The troops, the guns, and all the other German equipment in the East are being brought over to confront the English and French. It is known that the number of German divisions here is 210. The number of soldiers in a single division is 15,000. The total number of German soldiers is three million, fifteen hundred thousand [sic].
During the first days of the attack the German assault was unrestrained. The French and English retreated thirteen miles. We had a broad knowledge of the fighting equipment of the enemy. But the most devastating were the gas guns and the very large guns of the enemy. The news was that the shells of the very large guns could fly sixty miles. Some of the shells from those guns reached Paris, the French capital. Only a few people were killed. The enemy attack led people to believe that they wanted to break through the English and French lines in the middle; only by doing so could they hope to get close to descending on Paris. But they said that when they arrived at that town they would certainly negotiate a peace settlement. They took many towns and our side had to retreat. In this battle there were five Germans to each one on our side. The important thing for the English and the French was to save men. It was not so for the enemy who kept sending men to die. The number of deaths in the second week of that assault is unrepeatable. Nearly 80,000 of the enemy died and 20,000 on this side. On 1st June news arrived that the Germans were just 59 miles from Paris. Our side was still being driven back. Because they were only forty miles from Parish the English General Haig gave the order not to retreat but to hold them there. From that time up to the present they have not retreated. But the significant thing now
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is that sll the English and French offensives are now in the hands of General Foch, the French General. He is regarded as a man who knows the ground well and who can command soldiers.
During June the fighting has died down. It is as if the strength of both sides has been exhausted. But since this respite the Allies have retaken some of the towns.
The War in the East.
We all know that, as a result of the treacherous dealings of the Germans, Russia has withdrawn from the fighting. Since the fighting with Russia ended up to the present day several treaties have been concluded between Russia and Germany. Now we find that large areas of Russian interest at sea and on land have been taken under German rule. This is why Germany is keen to make peace because the area of land in its possession has doubled as have the parts of the sea available as anchorages for its fighting ships and cargo vessels. If Russia is unable to suppress German influence the situation will be as when the camel came at night to its master who was asleep in his tent. This camel said, ‘My friend, permit me to put my head inside your tent until morning.’ The master agreed. But when dawn arrived the man saw that the whole body of that beast was inside their tent. Then the beast decided to maltreat his master. He kicked him repeatedly and his master fled outside. Russia will be in the same predicament if the authority of Germany is not overthrown. Russia is reconsidering now that it has seen the greed of Germany and it is calling upon the Allies to help it. On 17th June we received information that Russia is alerted to the situation now. It has begun to gather together again all its divisions of soldiers and to condemn the activities of Germany, but it is not yet fighting.
The Italians.
There has been activity in the Italian sector now. Sixty Austrian divisions launched an attack on Italy; close to 900,000 were in that army. The battle began on 16th June. All Austria’s strength is committed to defeating Italy. It appears that this German offensive is like that on the
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Western Front. The Italians have not been moved. They have taken nearly 3000 prisoners and have brought down 31 aircraft. On 18th June Austria concentrated its forces on crossing the River Piave. By crossing the river they would be in a good position to attack one of the large Italian cities, Venice. There were three ways of crossing but when the enemy came to cross they were met with a volley of gunfire from the Italians. Many Austrians fell in that attack. However we have not yet heard the outcome of that attack. Perhaps it is ongoing so that the Austrians can get to that city of Venice. It is thought that Italy’s strength will enable it to put down this large Austrian attack.
THE HUI AT TE HOUHANGA.
Here are a few words to load onto the wings of our bird. On 20th April the Hui was held at Te Houhanga. This is one of the important Hui that draw together the small and the great who live in the valleys of Te Wairoa. The main reason for this Hui was the coming of the Bishop of Auckland to confirm children and also elders in the parish of Te Wairoa. On the evening of the 20th the people gathered on the marae. After Evening Prayer the confirmation candidates met in one of the houses for some final instructions in preparation for their being set apart in this holy calling. The meeting House was left for the tribes to pay their respects and to lament over the dead of the marae including those who have died on the field of battle. Because the Takuiria Church was too small for the two tribes who had come, Maori and Pakeha, the Bishop arranged to take Morning Prayer for the Pakeha at 11 a.m. The Maori stayed on the marae in Rahiri for worship. At Evening Prayer there was a service of Confirmation for Maori only in the church. When the time came for the Maori service the church was full to overflowing. The Kaihu choir was seated in the place arranged for them and the hymns had been chosen for that occasion. After this Archdeacon Hawkins called out the names of those to be confirmed. This service started at 3.15 p.m. This is one of the Confirmation services that amazed the Pakeha folk and the Pakeha papers in Te Wairoa wrote about it. The think that struck people in the heart, even the Bishop, was the number of men and women between forty and sixty years of age who came to kneel before the Bishop –
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to confirm the calling that they should have confirmed years before. This fact brought tears to the eyes on many thoughtful people in the congregation as they saw these elders coming to be confirmed. Secondly, there were many from some of the other canoes who turned to our Church and were confirmed that day. On this day also the Rev Hamiora Kingi, a Wesleyan minister, was confirmed. He hopes in his heart soon to become a leader in the vineyard of our Lord. Along with him the family of Haimona Pirika was confirmed on this day and his marae is now open to the oversight of our ministers. To God be the praise for all these good things that brought blessings to all who arranged this day.
Finally, Te Kopara, carry our thanks and those of the tribes who came to the marae where the hui was held to Pauaka Parore and Haimona Pirika and their families for their efforts in helping with this hui right up to the time the peoples went their own ways.
Henare Paraone.
Kaihu, Northern Wairoa.
AMERICA AND THE WAR.
We are all aware that this is one of the nations helping the Allies. From the time they committed themselves to the theatre of battle their army has numbered nearly one million. Therefore this is a great help to the Allies. They have now heard the guns roaring like thunder. They have shed their bodies’ blood and have seen for themselves that this is indeed a great battle that they have encountered. In the recent German offensive they have experienced pain. However, they have not sought to avoid that pain. But the same cry is heard from the mouths of the soldiers, ‘bring down the sword and the flaming spears of the evil spirit.’ The American soldiers have not been shifted by the Germans. Many of them have died in that conflict but despite this loss they have not given way to the enemy. We have heard that Germany has launched intense attacks on them.
This is a lifeline for England and France, the help America is giving them. Therefore America has announced that it will be providing three million soldiers on 1st August. It is sending the food, clothing, money and other things the Government of England needs for the soldiers.
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SITTINGS OF THE MAORI LAND COURT, 1918.
Aotearoa (the North Island)
Tokerau ( Auckland)
Whangarei, Thursday, 20th June
Dargaville, Tuesday, 16th July
Auckland, Monday, 29th July
Russell, Wednesday, 28th August
Kohukohu, Wednesday, 11th September.
Waikato-Maniapoto
Te Kuiti, Tuesday, 9th July
Auckland, Tuesday, 27th August
Thames, Tuesday, 10th September
Waiariki (Rotorua)
Whakatane, Thursday, 11th July
Rotorua, Thursday, 8th August
Te Kaha, Monday, 2nd September
Opotiki, Monday 16th September
Tairawhiti (Gisborne)
Gisborne, Wednesday, 26th June
Uawa, Wednesday, 10th July
Tokomaru, Wednesday, 31st July
Manutahi, Wednesday, 21st August
Tikitiki, Wednesday, 4th September
Aotea (Whanganui)
Normanby, Tuesday, 2nd July
Whanganui, Tuesday, 23rd July
Patea, Tuesday, 13th August
Whanganui, Tuesday, 3rd September
Marton, Tuesday, 17th September
Ikaroa (Wellington)
Greytown, Tuesday, 30th July
Hastings, Tuesday, 6th August
Palmerston, Levin & Otaki, Tuesday, 27th August
Wellington, Tuesday, 10th September
Te Waipounamu (the South Island)
Puketeraki, Tuesday, 25th June
Invercargill, Tuesday, 2nd July
Picton & Nelson, Tuesday, 24th September
VARIOUS ITEMS.
You will all have heard or seen in all the Pakeha papers of New Zealand that the ballot of Waikato-Maniapoto men has been completed and the number of men taken in the ballot is 420. The most prominent name on the list is that of the young man, the grandson of King Tawhiao, Te Rauangaanga Mahuta Tawhiao Potatau Te Wherowero.
The Rev T T Poihipi has returned to Te Rau school to prepare for his Priesting. He will be there for six months.
On 11th June Hohaia Taurau was ordained Deacon. His ordination took place at Whangarei.
Hohaia has been installed in the parish of the Rev Keina Poata at Paihia. Poata has been moved to the parish of Rev H Heke at Hokianga.
There is news of a statement from the Kaiser. He said that all Germany’s fighting- ships should be made ready. When the German flag is raised over Paris then the sea will be filled by all the fighting-ships of Germany. All people will know that Germany is the Tangaroa [the Neptune] of the sea, and not the English.
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TUHOE HUI.
Arrangements have been finalised for the honourable members, Timi Kara and Apirana Ngata, to visit all Tuhoe. The Hui will be held on 25th July at Ruatoki, Whakatane. This Hui will deal with two matters. First, the Kereru Stone. Second, the Fund for the Benefit of the Soldiers of the Tairawhiti. But the most important of these two is the Trust Fund for our soldiers.
SHORT ITEMS OF WAR NEWS.
During the second week of this month police from Auckland arrived to search for the Waikato Maori chosen in the ballot under the conscription law for the Maori. Those seven men were found at the hui at Te Paina (Mercer). Amongst the seven was Te Rauangaanga Mahuta, a son of Mahuta. The Maori asked, ‘What do the police want?’ The answer was that ‘they came to collect the seven and therefore those men were to come with them.’ Those men did not obey the police. Then the police ran to seize Te Rauangaanga. Whereupon a few women ran to Te Rauangaanga to keep off the police. But the police persisted and that man was carried off on their shoulders. These seven men were all taken to the Maori soldiers’ camp in Auckland.
On 16th June news arrived that people groups of Austria are distressed. Those groups that have family connections with Russia are saying that peace should be made. However, the Government does not agree. The result of this situation is that fighting has broken out amongst themselves. Many German leaders have been killed.
Although Japan has not yet entered the war it is thought that it will join to help Russia. However, all its war materiel is assembled on Russian soil. It share the thinking of the Allies in that it wishes to put down all the murderous and evil activities of Germany of which we hear.
The strength of the enemy cannot be estimated. Indeed many of the cargo ships travelling between England and America have been destroyed by their submarines. Nearly twenty of those ships have been destroyed this month. Germany says that this will prevent food getting to the Allied soldiers.
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On 12th June an important man in England was arrested. The man’s name is Sir Joseph Jonas, the Lord-Mayor of one of the main English cities, Sheffield. The wrong-doing that man is charged with is revealing all of England’s activities to the enemy from 1913 to the present day. This man has not yet been brought to trial.
Now it is known that from the start of the war up until the time the Tsar of Russia, the Russian King, was arrested, that king was revealing all of Russia’s doings to the Kaiser. They had sworn to each other to share knowledge of the plans for the defeat of Germany by the Allies. We see the seriousness of the deceitful activities of the enemy.
A woman, a daughter of the owner of the factory in Germany which makes the huge guns, says that the manufacture of the large guns did not start at the beginning of the war but long before. These are the guns we hear about with a range of sixty miles. That woman says that after 25 shells have been fired the guns begin to fall to pieces. They cost £250,000.
The Hon A T Ngata has started teaching haka, waiata, and other activities amongst the hapu in Turanga. This is in preparation for the big hui to be held in Turanga in March next year. The purpose of that hui is well-known – the collection of money for the Trust Fund for the Tairawhiti soldiers. The Turanga hapu are eager to help with those activities. The hope is that the money collected at that hui will reach £25,000.
Some bombs have been washed ashore to the north of Auckland, that is, on the hilly coasts of Ngapuhi. It would appear that the enemy has ventured close to our shores.
Four captured German officers and their aides escaped from the place where they were being held prisoner in England, Stratford Camp. It was found that those people had dug an escape tunnel under the soil. They had gone 70 miles before they were caught.
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FOOD FOR TE KOPARA.
Name / Address / Payment / Subcription Ends
May
Rev T Rawansley / Patutahi / 5/- / June 1919
Ngamoti Maniapoto / Waipahihi, Paupo / 5/- / May 1919
Paora Rokino / Waipahihi, Taupo / 5/- / May 1919
Hoani Taare / P O Rangitukia / 5/- / May 1919
June
Materoa Parata / Waipiro Bay / £1 / November 1920
Mohi Makau / Rangitukia / 5/- / June 1919
Maaka Rapana / Tapuaeroa E C / June 1919
Hirini Tuahine / Ruatoria E C / June 1919
Hakopa Haerewa / Tuparoa / 5/- / June 1919
Petuere Awatere / Tuparoa / 5/- / June 1919
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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 to
Te Kopara,
Te Rau Press,
Gisborne.
4. All items you want printed in Te Kopara should be sent to the Editor,
Rev F A Bennett,
Kohupatiki,
Clive, Hawkes Bay.
A NOTICE
The Church Book Shop has been moved from Te Rau College to Napier. Those wishing to purchase Prayer Books, Hymn Books of Testaments should send their request to
The Secretary, Diocesan Office, Napier.
The prices are:
Large, soft cover 2/6
Large, red cover 3/-
Large, hard cover 4/-
Large, superior cover 5/6
Prayer Book with Hymns, soft cover 1/6
Prayer Book with Hymns, red cover 2/-
Prayer Book, New Testament and Hymns, superior cover, 5/6
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 Testaments with Psalms, 2/-, 2/6, 3/-, 3/6, 4/-. Enclose a postage stamp for 3d.
People wanting to buy a Bible for themselves should write to the Rev F Spencer, Whanganui. He has Bibles and New Testaments of all qualities from soft covers to superior bindings.
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