Te Kopara 62
[3] Te Kopara, Number 62, Gisborne, 12 February, 1919.
‘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 VOTE ON ALCOHOL.
On 10th April the whole of New Zealand will vote on whether to support or to do away with providing licences to sell alcoholic drink throughout the Dominion. This is a separate vote from that which takes place when Members of Parliament are elected. This vote is concerned with one matter only, alcoholic drink.
What is new about this vote is that those who want the sale of alcohol prohibited have agreed that four and a half million pounds (£4,500,000) be paid in compensation to those who have hotels if this vote results in the defeat of those who support the sale of alcoholic drink. If the alcohol side are defeated in this vote then all the hotels and the breweries will close on 30th June. That is, two and a half months after the vote all places that sell liquor will close. It was to speed up the closure that the prohibition side agreed to the payment of that money. The Licensing Amendment Act (1910) stated that were the hotels to be closed as a result of a vote they would not have to close until four and a half years after the vote. But there is no money with which to pay those who sell liquor. Many of those who want to prohibit the sale of alcohol are critical of the £4½ million payment. They are asking why that money should be paid to the hotels. Most are agreed that the sale of alcoholic drink should come to an end rapidly. In previous votes those supporting prohibition have defeated those supporting alcohol by three votes to two. That is 3/5 of the votes. In the vote in April it has been arranged that the result will be determined by a simple majority [ma te pooti riterite e whakatau]. Each vote will have the same value. If it is passed by only one vote, that side will have won. It is thought that the sale of alcohol will be defeated in this vote. Even some of the hotel owners will vote on the prohibition side in order to get the compensation money. If [alcohol] is not defeated in this vote but it is defeated when the members of Parliament vote on it then there will be no compensation for them at that time.
We Maori are not able to take part in this vote except for those whose names are on the Pakeha rolls.
Many Maori agree with prohibiting alcohol if it is done away with at the source.
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On 10th April then the axe will be laid to the base of the tree. That Maori have not been given the vote dies not mean that we take no interest in this matter. Let us help our friends who are working so that benefit will come to us all. There are three ways in which we can help.
(1) Money is needed if we are to accomplish all great things. The Prohibition Movement has many expenses. There is the financing of those people who have come to help from Canada and America. There is the printing of explanatory literature and brochures to promote this project. There is the cost of advertisements in the papers. There is a Pakeha in Auckland who feels so strongly about this matter that he has given £5,000 to the Prohibition Movement. Some have given a thousand pounds, some one hundred, and there have been smaller gifts from most people. My noble Maori friends, does your compassion not extend to those who are seeking our well-being as well? We know that those promoting alcohol have money. It is said that their fund for fighting their cause in this vote has reached a quarter of a million pounds (£250,000). They are shrewd and powerful people.
(2) Another way in which we can help is by making available our cars, our buggies, and our horses to the prohibition group on the day of the vote. Many people will not come to vote but if they are fetched they will come.
(3) One way in which we can all help is to pray to our Father in secret to help us on that day. It is right that we pray about this matter that we may be guided by him in all that we do on that day. Such, my people, is my explanation of the matter that will be decided upon by the whole country on 10th April. It is an important matter that affects us all. If the ideas of the prohibition group are fulfilled and there is a united vote then the spring of this treacherous thing will dry up, the thing which has ensnared such a large part of Maori life and which has made the way easy for some to swiftly succumb to death.
F[rederick] A[ugustus] B[ennett]
•••••••••
The total number of medals won during the war by New Zealand soldiers was 4,389, and 8 Victoria Crosses.
Thirty-four Australians were awarded the DCM and eighteen New Zealanders; and 310 Australians were awarded the MSM and 64 New Zealanders.
In 1917 the amount spent on alcohol in all parts of England reached £259,000,000.
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THE HUI OF LOVE.
The Peace Hui. The Hui to Welcome the Maori Soldiers.
To be held at Gisborne in April, 1919.
This notice is to inform the tribes that a hui has been called this coming April at Te Hapara, Gisborne, and this is an invitation to attend that hui. The purposes of this hui are:
1. To unveil the memorial to our elder, Wi Pere. The Government helped with this memorial stone and one of the Government Ministers will unveil it.
2. To celebrate the peace which brought the fighting to an end.
3 To pay our respects to our deceased ones who fell in the war.
4. To lament for our deceased ones who died in the pandemic shortly afterwards and to seek a way in which to minimize the effects of similar epidemics in the future.
5. To welcome our young men who have returned from the war. The Government has agreed that they can come to Gisborne in April.
The firm date for the Hui has not been published in this notice but we are waiting for the Government to inform us when the ships bringing back the Maori Contingent will arrive. What is clear at the time of this notice is that this month they are crossing from France to England and that there they will embark on ships which will arrive here in Aotearoa in April. Since this Hui has been contemplated for a long time amongst the year’s gatherings, it is thought that as the war has ended, and as we have learned that the remnant of our young men are returning together, we Maori should welcome them on a single marae and that the marae should be in Gisborne.
The contributions for the above Hui will come from the tribes of the Tai-Rawhiti, of Te Arawa, of Matatua, of Horouta, of Takitimu, of Kahungunu, of Tamatea, and or Rongokako. It is hoped to raise £250,000 to add to the £250,000 that has been raised over the past two years by the tribes of the Tai Rawhiti as a Fund for the Maori Soldiers. Therefore
Come! Come! Come!
We are together in the days of suffering and contention.
We are together in the days of peace and peace-making.
From the Organising Committee of the Hui of Love
and all the tribes of the Tai-Rawhiti.
W Tutepuaki Pitt, Secretary.
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THE MAORI CONTINGENT.
Information we received said that the Maori Contingent would land at Gisborne at the time of the Hui, but the wire from the Minister for War to A Rupene of Auckland tells us that he does not know where they will be arriving. A Rupene was a member of the Maori Contingent but because of injuries to his body he had to come home. When information arrived that the Maori Contingent would arrive at Gisborne at the time of the Hui in March he and his friends objected. Their criticism and the reason for their objection was laid out by them to Gunn, the Mayor of Auckland. One of their objections was that the Gisborne harbour was unsuitable as a landing-place for the Maori soldiers. He and his friends thought that Auckland was a good and right place for the Maori to land. He and his friends sent a wire to the Minister for War and received a reply from the Minister saying that their proposal would be carefully considered.
SNIPPETS.
Fifteen thousand New Zealand soldiers have sailed from England on board the Te Horouta. These men belong to the first group who went to the war.
Just before they sailed, Sir Thomas McKenzie spoke to them at Tilbury. It was a farewell speech in which he told them of his happiness and his gratitude for the bravery and stout-heartedness and other qualities shown by them to the King and the Empire from the fighting in Gallipoli right up to the end of this war. All the soldiers appreciated and warmed to the words of Sir Thomas. Here is more of what he said:
‘In all places in which you fought you carried with you the fighting blood of our ancestors and all their skills in the art of war.’
‘All that you did, your skills, and your conduct during this war will remain as something to be talked about at all times by the generations to come and will also be part of the historical records of England. They will not be forgotten. You have secured a status for New Zealand during this war, now put behind you this war which has caused such grief to the whole world.’
‘May God protect you and guide you as you travel across the Pacific and bring you to New Zealand.’
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A MAN AND HIS WIFE ESCAPE FROM A CHARGING BULL.
This is a true story. A group of men and women went for a picnic in a place in Australia. Among the group was a man named Pearce and his wife. When they arrived at the picnic spot most of the group went to fish for trout but these two went into a paddock to walk about. They had not been long in the paddock when they were seen by a bull a little way away. When the beast saw them it lowered its head and began to paw the ground and to grunt and it was not long before it began to run straight towards where they were. As the beast was running towards them it was foaming at the mouth as if it realised that he had to kill these people for food. Pearce and his wife escaped because Pearce knew about working with cattle having worked with them as a young man. Near them was a fallen tree and it lay between them and the bull. As the bull came closer Pearce called to his wife to lie flat on the ground beside that tree. Pearce climbed over the tree and ran directly at the bull. When he was near the bull’s nose he lay flat on the ground as if he was dead. The beast stopped as if it was wondering what this thing was doing. For a long time the woman held her breath but then she threw her hat at the beast. But it was not disturbed or frightened and did not run away. It seized the hat, stabbed it with its horns and trampled it with its hoofs. After this the bull went up to Mrs Pearce’s side and walked around her. At this point Pearce called to his wife saying, ‘Be strong! We can survive if we lie flat without moving or anything.’ Meanwhile the cow was nudging Mrs Pearce with its nose and head and that woman let the animal do as it was doing to her. Pearce decided to go and help his wife. When he stood up the beast ran to butt him and Pearce flung himself down again as if he was dead. Now the beast came and began to roll Pearce’s body over with its horns. Pearce went along with this – the bull’s horns
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rolling him and Pearce rolling himself. The beast did not realise that Pearce was rolling himself over; it had no idea. The two of them had been like this for one hour and ten minutes when they were seen by a woman who was convinced that they were dead. The woman went to the home of a Pakeha called A Lee. Lee came on his horse carrying his stock whip. When he arrived he drove the beast beyond the fence and escorted Pearce and his wife to their picnic place.
THE PLACES ON THE FIELDS OF TU WHERE NEW ZEALAND SOLDIERS FOUGHT.
Gallipoli – April 25 – December 19, 1915
Armentieres – May-August, 1916
The Somme – September 15 – October 7, 1916
Arras – April, 1917
Messines – June, 1917
Las Basseville, July 31, 1917
Passchendaele – October 4-12, 1917
The Tuki Germans –March 26, 1918
Lys – April 13-15, 1918
Champagne – May, 1918.
The Tuki English, August 21 – November 11, 1918.
LORD JELLICOE.
On 20th February HMS New Zealand sailed from England. It is bringing Lord Jellicoe to inspect the Australian fleet. Lord Jellicoe will be away for perhaps 18 months.
●●●●●●●●●
The number of people who died from the influenza epidemic which is afflicting people in the main towns, from 1st October until 6th December, was:
Auckland 967
Wellington 383
Christchurch 443
Dunedin 241
Total 2034 [Alas!]
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A CALENDAR OF THE EVENTS OF THE WAR OVER THE PAST TIMES.
On 28th June, 1914, Archduke Ferdinand of Austria was assassinated.
July 28 Serbia receives an ultimatum from Austria.
„ Austria declares war on Serbia.
August 1st Germany declares war on Russia.
„ 2nd Germany invades Belgium and France.
„ 4th The mouth of the Lion roars – England.
„ 9th The first English army arrives in France.
„ 23rd The battle of Mons. The Japanese announce that they will fight.
August 24th to September 3rd. The Allies retreat to the River Marne.
September 26th The battle at Tannenberg (Russia).
„ 27th Togoland surrenders.
„ 28th First sea battle off Heligoland.
„ 30th New Zealand takes Samoa.
September 3rd Russia reaches Lemberg.
„ 6th – 10th The Battle of the Marne.
„ 12th Australia takes New Britain.
„ 13th – 18th The Battle of Aisne.
October 9th Germany reaches Antwerp.
„ 16th The First New Zealand Division sails from Wellington to the battlefront.
„ 16th – 31st The Belgian Army holds Yser.
„ 19th The movement of English troops to Flanders is completed.
October 21st to November 17th The First Battle of Ypres.
November 1st The sea battle off South America. Two English ships were sunk with all their companies. Turkey enters the war.
November 7th Kiao-hau, a German base in China is handed over.
„ 8th HMS Sydney sinks the German raider Emden.
December 3rd to 6th Austria and Serbia engage in the Battle of the Ridges.
„ 6th Germany enters Lodz.
„ 8th Sea battle off the Falkland Islands off South America. Four German warships sunk.
1915
January 19th The first German aircraft arrive over England.
„ 24th Battle in the North Sea. The German ship Blucher sunk.
February 2nd-3rd Turkey attacks the Suez Canal.
„ 18th The German blockade of England begins.
February 18th to March 18th The Allied ships attack the Dardanelles.
March 1st The Allies declare their intention to besiege Germany.
„ 4th The Battle of Neuve Chapelle.
„ 22nd Russia takes Przemsyl.
„ 22nd Turkey attacks the Suez Cana and is defeated.
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April 14th The English take Basra.
„ to May 8th Second Battle of Ypres.
„ 25th The English, Australians and New Zealanders land at Gallipoli (Anzac).
(To be continued.)
THE MAORI CONTINGENTS.
The soldiers from the Maori People who went to fight for their King and the Empire, from the beginning of the war until 12th November, 1918.
2,178 soldiers; 49 officers; total 2,227.
Group / Soldiers / Officers / Total / Departed
1 /502 / 16 / 518 / September 14, 1915
2 / 301 / 10 /311 / September 19, 1915
3 / 108 / 3 / 11 / February 6, 1916
4 / 72 / 2 / 74 / May 6, 1916
5 / 57 / 1 / 58 /June 26, 1916
6 / 87 / 2 / 89 / July 29, 1916
7 / 71 / 1 / 72 / August 20, 1916
8 / 63 / 1/ 64 / September 24, 1916
9 / 61 / 1/ 62 / October 14,1916
10 / 70 / 1 / 71 / November 15, 1916
11 / 70 / - / 70 / January 2, 1917
12 / 60 / 1 / 61 / January 19, 1917
13 / 60 / 1 / 61 /February 16, 1917
14 / 39 / 1 / 40 / April 3, 1917
15 / 29 / - / 29 / April 26, 1917
16 / 30 / - / 30 / April 26, 1917
17 / 30 / 1 / 31 / June 12, 1917
18 / 49 / 1 / 50 / July 16, 1917
19 / 50 / 1 / 51 / July 26, 1917
20 / 49 / 1 / 50 /August 15, 1917
21 / 30 / - / 30 / October 13, 1917
22 / 60 / 2 / 62 /November 17 & 22, 1917
23 / 30 / - / 30 / December 31, 1917
24 / 54 / 1 / 55 / February 8, 1918
25 / 14 / - / 14 / March 3, 1918
26 / 12 / - / 12 /April 23, 1918
27 / 7 / - / 7 / May 9, 1918
28 / 16 / - / 16 / June 13, 1918
29 / 57 / 1 / 58 / August 13, 1918
30 / 40 / - / 40 / October 3, 1918
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MORE ITEMS
The Archbishop of Canterbury has bestowed upon the Bishop of Nelson, Bishop Sadlier, the Lambeth Degree of Doctor of Divinity. He went to be a chaplain after the war had been going on for a long time, and was one of the senior Church of England chaplains on the battlefields.
On 15th February the Rev Matene Keepa was married to Pura Winiata in the Moteo church.
The American parliament has passed a bill which closes all hotels and places where alcoholic drinks are made throughout the USA. The total number of citizens of the country is 113 million. The number of people in New Zealand is just over one million.
On 11th February the hapu of Tamatea met at Te Hauke to lament for those who died during the epidemic. It is thought that as many as 70 people died in the Hawkes Bay area from Tangoio to Tahoraiti in the epidemic.
The Hastings Hui Topu met at Te Hauke on 12th February. The matters dealt with were the raising of money by each Committee for the Maori Soldiers’ Fund, the inspection of the Committee’s accounts, and the choosing of a memorial to commemorate the peace. It was arranged that this memorial should be erected in Hastings. A Committee had been set up to further that matter.
The total amount expended by the Allies is close to £24,000,000,000 (twenty-four thousand million pounds). It is no small burden to be borne by Germany.
The total number of officers and soldiers from New Zealand who were killed, or who are missing, taken prisoner, or wounded is:
Officers Soldiers
Died 755 15,549
Missing 39 1,344
Prisoners 6 373
Wounded 1,722 39,640
2,522 56,906
This is a reminder to all of you who support Te Kopara in all parts of the islands that you are not be afraid or anxious about sending important stories from your areas, even if they are only brief or it is not something you usually do, and by doing so you will feed our bird with stories to carry to your marae and to all the places he flies to. It is good that we all have a share in sending stories to our paper.
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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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