Te Kooti’s Fortifications National Historic Place

Press, Volume C, Issue 29443, 20 February 1961, Page 13

Te Kooti’s Fortifications National Historic Place

(New Zealand Preu Association)

NEW PLYMOUTH. Feb. 19. Nearly a century after forces of the Maori leader. Te Kooti, unsuccessfully fought Europeans and friendly Maoris at Te Porere. near Turangi. the Governor-Gen-eral (Viscount Cobham) yesterday declared the fortifications a national historic place. There were many distinguished persons, Maori and European, among the 300 who inspected the well-preserved fortifications and heard the Bishop of Aotearoa (the Rt Rev. W. N. Panapa) dedicate the graves of 37 of Te Kooti's followers who fell in the battle.

When one read the story of the Maori wars of last century. one could not but be struck by the close resemblance to those which the native British waged so bravely yet so hopelessly against the Roman invader in the first century A.D., said Lord Cobham.

Te Kooti, no less than Boadicea, was the victim of injustice, banished to the Chatham Islands without trial, ill treated and insulted. It was small wonder that he raised the standard of revolt when he escaped, and that other chiefs joined him, including those of Taranaki, Waikato, and Taupo. History might call them rebels, but it was Sir Winston Churchill who wrote: “It is the primary right of men to die and kill for the land they live in and to punish, with exceptional severity all members of their own race who have warmed their hands at the hearth of the invader.” "Today we can honour the memory of a man and a prophet who fought for his rights against odds which ul-

timately proved to be hopeless,” Lord Cobham said. “Today we can also say that his struggles, and those of other Maori patriots, were not in vain, for out of them arose the men of both races, now bearing the proud name of New Zealanders.” Lord Cobham then unveiled a notice giving details of the history of the redoubt and fortifications. He lifted a flag covering the board, one of two flags flown by Te Kooti on the redoubt and lent by the Dominion Museum.