AFTER 31 YEARS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 90, 16 April 1940, Page 9

AFTER 31 YEARS.

AWARD FOR BRAVERY. WOMAN RESCUER NOW DEAD. CERTIFICATE MISLAID. (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) GISBORNE, this day. The posthumous presentation of the certificate of merit of the New Zealand Royal Humane Society to the son of the late Mrs. Ilenerieta Temapara, of Tolaga Bay, for an act of bravery performed by his mother 31 years ago, formed a unique ceremony in the Native Land Court at Tolaga Bay.

The certificate was awarded to Mrs. Temapara in February, 1909, following her rescue of an elderly Maori, Pore Kapa, from drowning in the Uawa River at Tolaga Bay. Members of her family recollect that on January 1, 1909, their mother heard calls from the Tolaga Bay side of the river at 8 p.m. and plunged into the wide stream to swim across and seize. Pore Kapa, who was struggling in deep water and in imminent danger of drowning. When she heard the calls Mrs. Temapara feared that one of her own family had encountered difficulties, and lost no time in going to the. rescue. The unusual character of her exploit was heightened by the circumstance that she was the mother of a baby of not more than a fortnight old.

The late Mr. H. P. de Montalk, of Tolaga Bay, represented the bravery shown by Mrs. Temapara to the Royal Humane Society, which made the award of its certificate of me.rit. The certificate was forwarded to the corresponding secretary of the society in Gisborne for presentation, but it was lost sijjht of and did not again see the light until recently, when a search of the municipal archives in Gisborne revealed its presence in a pigeon-hole. Mr. W. M. Jenkins consulted with Native Land Court officials, who arranged for the presentation of the certificate to Mrs. Temapara's eldest son. The incident made a considerable impression upon the Maoris, who gathered for the presentation. Deep regret was expressed that Mrs. Temapara did not receive her award during her lifetime, but her son stated that the certificate would be a treasured possession of the family.