HUNDREDTH YEAR

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 5, Issue 10, 30 January 1942, Page 5

HUNDREDTH YEAR

DEATH OF VALENTINE SAVAGE

WELL-KNOWN OPOTIKI

IDENTITY

The death occurred at the residence of his daughter, Mrs E. Harp, Franklin Road, Ponsonby, Auckland of Valentine Savage, an old O'potiki resident, in his hundredth year. Since leaving O'potiki some years ago to reside with members of his family in Auckland and the Waikato, Mr Savage's health failed fairly quickly and his condition had been very frail for some time. Mr Savage celc (jrated his 99th birthday on November 23 last, there being a small gathering of relatives and friends, including Mr J. T. Merry, of Opotj.ki. Mir Savage expressed the wish that he should be buried at Opotiki cemetery, where his wife Avas buried and the funeral'took place last Thursday afternoon. The funeral left from St. Stephen's Church, which historic building Mr Savage helped to build.

Deceased is survived by three sons and four daughters.

The late Mr Savage was born, in 1542 at the Wade, now known as Silverdale. At the age of two* his parents went to Matata, in the Bay of Plenty and the family resided at that place for some time. When a youth, deceased went to Auckland and there learnt the trade of boatbuilding. After conducting his own yard at St.. George's Bay feir a number of years, he l left for Thames, vtfhere he established a shipbuilding business that was well known during the gold rush years. Mr Savage .was known for his interest in aquatic sports and while at Thames built numerous whaleboats including the Jubilee and Hauraki. He trained crews for the whaleboat races and under the colours of the Hauraki Club and steered whaleboats at some 30' Auckland . regattas. His win over the well known Waitemata crew is still remembered by , many of the older people in the province.

Mr Savage was for a time at Whakatane, where he also carried on shipbuilding. After coming to Opotiki Mr Savage carried on his boatbuilding business over a lengthy period, not retiring until he was nearly 90 years of age. He always took a great pride in _his work and the finished boats were always beautifully built with splendid lines.

After retiring from his trade, Mr Savage whent to live on his estate at Hawai, to the east of Opotiki.

Deceased lived in Opotiki through the troublous days of the Maori War in the Opotiki district and had many exciting experiences. His father married a member of the tribe Whanau Apanui, his people living at HawaL In 1859 Mr Savage went to Hawai as there was trouble between his people and the ISTgatai hapu. This was some years before the military arrived in the Opotiki district. Later the Hauhau trouble started to brew in the district and Mr Savage, who had been in the western end of the Bay, visited Opotiki.. While here he met the Rev. Carl Volkner, who not very long afterwards was killed by the fanatical Hauhaus. Mr Volkner at the time Avas busily engaged in building a church, which in later years was fortified, being provided with loopholes and a moat wasi dug around it. Here the settlers used to gather for shelter in times of threatened trouble. Mr Savage did not see Mr Volkner alive again. He left for Hawai the next day reached Tunapahore, where there was great excitement among the Maoris as the Hauhaus were trying to stir up the people. He was warmly welcomed by his tribe, and he urged them to have nothing to do with the Hauhaus, who, he said, would do them no good. The Hauhaus had erected a pole at Whituare, near the Hawai stream, and around this they danced until they were frenzied for war. Mr Savage, however, persuaded his tribe to remain peaceful.

Patara had arrived frc-rn Taranaki with a large number of followers early in 1865.

In the meantime Mr Volkner took his wife to Auckland and during his absence the trouble amongst the Maoris reached its height. On Patara's, arrival in Opotiki he was greeted by about 8(10 natives, who- had assembled from various parts of the district. A large encampment had been prepared and a great review was held, the natives going through every manoeuvre known< to tfyem in warfare. Patara boasted that they fully intended to take the heads of all ministers, soldiers and Englishmen, and to carry them as trophies to their great prophet Horopapera tit Taranaki. The rebels had fully I (Continued in next column)