THE HON. H.K. TAIAROA.

Evening Post, Volume LXX, Issue 37, 12 August 1905, Page 5

THE HON. H.K. TAIAROA.

TANGI AT OTAKAU HEADS. . [by telegraph— own cokbespondent.] DUNEDIN, This Day. Probably the -most important tuugi ever held in Otago is now proceeding at Otakau Heads over the remains of the Hon. H. K. Taiaroa. A .visit to the place is thus described by a Star representative:— ln the middle of a raised platform, at the further end of the hall, lay the body of the chief, Taiaroa, in its coffin, and round it too were men and women and little children— .some that slept and some that crouched about, and smoked or talked among themselves. The hall was lit by oil lamps hung in a row from the rafters. The group of men that had been having korero about the genealogy that was to be written concerning the deceased sat about the foot of the coffin. One, who was almost touching it, pointed to a place beside him, and said, "Sit down here, pakeha, I and wo will tell you that which we. I have decided • among ourselves. It has I been resolved to start you with the I history of the old chief, Taiaroiii that I it may be known that he was a peacemaker. "Ah! Know then that Horei Kerei Taiaroa, whobo body is here, was the youngest son of the old chief Taiaroa, who was a tangata of great niana, wellknown throughout both Islands. When the old 'whalers arrived at Otakau, one Tutevangipao, a cousin of old Taiaroa, committed murder by shooting a pakeha. There would have been a calamity between the pakehas and the natives, but old Taiaroa- averted it by giving up his cousin to tho white men to be tried for his deed. This goea to show that he feared not even the shedding of his own blood to avoid trouble between the pakeha and the native, and that he was indeed a great peace-maker. In tho year 1837 he went to Sydney for the purpose of arranging a treaty to bring peace between the two races.. Not many years afterwards the treaty of Waitangi was executed, and old Taiaroa was one of those that signed it. In 1560 he was called with others of this Island to go to Auckland to execute the Kohimarama. These were troublous times with the Northern natives, and die Kohimarama waa an agreement by which other natives were prevented from j joining the war. In 1863 he died, and , his aon Horei Kerei took up his nnma. I Three years afterwards Governor Grey ; invited Taiaroa" (who now lies here) !to go to Wellington. This was tho j beginning of his connection with native public matters, which extended right up I till the timo of his death at Wellington a few days ago." About twelvo o'clock to-day Temikikiti and over twenty of his tribe arrived from Temuka, 1 " and as tho Ngati Ruahikihiki (Ta-iaroa-'fi people) sa-w them coming, the long, mournful wails of the women went out. The Tcmuka people formed themselves into a column, with the women in front, and walking very slowly and wailing pitifully went round by the long road to tho kainga. There was much wailing and mourning forth c dead, and inside the hall the customary lamentations and greetings were exchanged.