A MAORI "AMAZON."

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 17428, 12 April 1922, Page 2

A MAORI "AMAZON."

HOLDS UP BUILDING OF SCHOOL CARPENTERS AND THEIR WORRIES. (special to "the press.") AUCKLAND, April 11. A peculiar position has arisen in connexion with the acquisition of a native reserve at Piopio by the Education Department for a school site. The action of the Department has roused the ire of some of the Maoris who claim the pro- - perty as sacred, and at least one wahine has made it very plain that any timber carted on to the ground for a school building will have to pass over her dead body. About six months ago the Education Board, under the Pubiic Works Set, took eight acres of land from a native reserve of 120 acres in order to erect a school on it. The land was owned by Nui Ratimera. Nui was a seasoned old Maori, a war veteran, who had never quite got over his dislike for the Pakeha and his "taking" ways. ( He strenuously objected to the Board s action on the ground that.the eight acres was a sacred burying ground, and that it contained the remains of some mighty warrior ancestors. This aspect was brought under the notice of the Commissioner of Lands, who ordered a new survey to be made immediately. This was done, and it was found that all the graves were well outside the eightacre plot. Shortly after Nui crossed the "great divide." , . ! A wrinkled, vererable old wahine named Patupatu Tuhoro, who must he at least 80 years of age, then came forward and claimed Nui as her adopted son. She also claimed his lands. By this time carpenters had arrived and a start had been made with the school building. Timber was stacked and levelling pegs were put in. Patupatu, unable, owing to her advanced years, to take an active part in stopping the. carpenters from going on with the work, deputed a relative, Mrs Ngawharau Te Mura, to pull up the pegs, shift the timber, and annoy the carpenters generally. Mrs Ngawharau, a stalwart young amazon between 20 and 80 years of age, and a fighter to the backbone, with her imagination fired by her old relative's tales of Pakeha injustice, accordingly headed a small but trusty party for the scene of operations. In terms considerably more ; forcible than polite they called on the builders to "down tools" or look out for trouble. No notice being taken of their demands, that night all the pegs were pulled up and the day's work wrecked. The wrecking was repeated on the next The police being informed. Constable Sheahan went to Piopio on Wednesday Inst to make enquiries. Qn arrival he found Mrs Ngawharau, with a six weeks' old baby on her back, seated 1 on a pile of timber in the middle of tho section, and surrounded by a small party of Natives. They had apparently be6n watching for hi 3 arrival. He was immediately subjected to a violent 'harangue by Mib Ngawharau. The services of an interpreter were called in, and the constable endeavoured to explain the position. This had no effect. Mrs Ngawharau gradually worked herself up into a great pitch of excitement. 1 She said that as long as she was.able to stand (or something to that effect) she would not allow the building to go on. She would throw every stick of timber off the place. She did not car© if he>r bones rotted in gaol—the school would not bo built. She demanded t» knpw why she had not been paid for the land. The constable then explained the reason, which was tnat no application had been made for payment. (This appears to be thei cause of nil the trouble.) On the following day (Thursday) a motor-lorry load of timber arrived for the school, While the driver was endeavouring to get his cargo through a rather narrow gateway, Mrs Ngawharau, with a baby on her back, planted herself 'in the middle of the track, and dramatically informed the driver that he would" have to drive his load over her dead body before he would get through. Impressed, no doubt, by her fearless attitude, the driver abandoned the attempt to get through the gateway, and dumped his load- on, the roadside. In face of tikis, the tmiUfers ceased operations. The Natives then passed the time by throwing all tho timber and the carpenters' gear out on to the road. '■'

k In the, meantime tho police had been m Communication with Senior-Sergeant Matthew, of Hamilton, who has a wide experience of the Natives. Accompanied by Constable Shealhan and an interpreter, Sergeant Statthew arrived on Thursday, while Natives wexe removing the timber and- gear. ~The sergeant spent two hours in endeavouring to put tho position before the Natives, hap noi headway could be 1 made. Finally,' Sergeant Matthews learned that the Natives would sell the land provided the whole block (120 acres) was purchased. . Aslced what price thoy might require, Mrs Ngawiiarau coyly insinuated that her chief, Patupatu Tuhoro, might consider selling at- £3OO an acre. T?his, of course, was impossible. ' Nothing more cou'M be done, and negotiations concluded. The police remained most of the nfternoon, and the carpenters were enabled almost to build a. shed fpr the storage of tools, paint, etc. That evening/Mrs Neawharau, without the aid of her trusty band, who apparently had boen somewhat'improsaed with the. police, again demolished most of the day's work. - The position now is that the builders (have definitely ceased operations, awaiting police advice and assistance. Sergeant Matthew considered the matter of sufficient importance to bring it to the attention of the Commissioner of Police A report will be presented to him; and the local police will act on his instructions.