PATRIOTIC MAORIS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3131, 9 July 1917, Page 8

PATRIOTIC MAORIS

DESCENDANT OP FAMOUS CHIEFS GOING INTO CAMP. Kangi Marumaru,' of Rata, oldest ison of tho- lato T. U. Maramaru, chief of ■tlio JSgatiapa tribo, joes into camp in a few days. Mr. Jlarumaru was- ainonj tho first to offer his services to the Umpire whcnwar- broke out, but owing to an .attack.of appendicitis a low days before tho niain body of tho Maori Ilciuforccments "mobilised ho was unablo 'lo proceed to camp at.that time. Mr. Martiiniiru is a full-blooded Maori, and comes from a great*'lighting stock, and of families welt known'among tho Natives throughout the Dominion. On his mother's 'eido he is a great-grandson of that well-known chief MetckiDgi l'aetaki, of Wangajiui, and Kawana" Hunia, of l'arcwanui, lower Rangitikoi; and on hie father's side ho is a groat-grandeon of Hakaraia To Rangipouri, of l'arcwanui, and To AVaitore, of Turakina. These old chiefs were famed among tho Natives uf New Zealand as loaders, ior thoir prestige among their respective tribes, and ior their wise counsels in mnttere paramount to iho well-being of their people. Metckingi Pactahi is belter known as tho leauor of tho "friendly". Natives in the Maori AVare on thie coast, who mado that historical dofenc© of Moutoa in tho Wanganui liivor. In memory cf tLnit groat event a monument now stands in the Moutoa Gardens in the town of AVangaiiui. In. tho early settlement and tho ceding of largo ureas of land to the Crown in 'Iho Rangitikei and Manaw.-itu districts, tho names of Kawana Ilunin. Hakaraia To Rangipouri, and To AY alter* will never "bo forgotten. Mr. Marumaru, from the beginning ot tho war up to tho present time, has been .instrumental in "helping to foster patriotic movements among the Naliv.-s, and organising concerts in tho main Maori centres, not so much for Hho raising of 'funds as for tho purpose of instilling a more vigorous recruiting spirit among tho Maoris. Tho latest accomplishment of Mr. Marumaru in this direction is iho formation oE a Maori Patriotic Society, having tho w't-'w of tiio AVcst Coast Maori electoral district for its boundaries. At the meeting at which' tho proposal was made, the, som of .£llO2 11s. i&. .was collected among tlie assembled tribes. Three of Mr. Jlaruniaru's uncles, in tho persons of Corporal T. Metekinci, Private H. Metekingi, and Q.M.S. P. Metekingi. went with tho main tody , of the, Maori Cornoral Metekingi was killed in action at Gallipoli on the night of that groat attackon August 8. Private H. • Metekiu>;i was killed in France, and Q.M.S. Meteiringi has returned to New Zealand under Imperial orders to go back to tho firing line on an unknown date. Q.M.S. MeteIcinpi now lioldfl the rank of" lieutenant, having gained his promotion whilst c.n active service.