PIONEER MISSION

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 33, 8 August 1934, Page 5

PIONEER MISSION

TE AWAMUTU CEN-

TENARY

CELEBRATION THIS MONTH

On August 23, 1534, European history in tho interior oil the North Island began with the founding of the Church of England mission at Mangapouri, near Te Awamutii, by tho Eov. William Williams (afterwards Bishop of Waiapu), tho Eov. A. N. Brown, and tho Rev. John Morgan. The centenary of this very notable event ia to be fittingly, celebrated this month by tho parishioners of Te Awamutu, the authorities iof tho Anglican Church, and tho people of tho district (states tho "New Zealand Herald"). The present year also marks the SOth anniversary of the building of two historic churches, St. John's, To Awamutu, ■and St. Paul's, Hairini, both of which passed unscathed through tho darkest period of the Maori War, when tho district for a time was wholly deserted by Europeans. . AN EARLY "GOLDEN AGE." ■ A special interest attaches to the To Awamutu mission, .not only qn account of the courageous spirit which created it so far from civilisation, but because of its "golden agp," in which tho Maoris learned from the missionaries the arts of peace, making the district tho granary of New Zealand. Unhappily, this soon passed, and tho mission's work was swept away by the fire of war. Near the ground occupied by Mr. Morgan's wheatfields, and within sight of tho Church of St. Paul, was fought the fierce battle of Rangiaohia, and at historic Orakau, a few miles distant, tho defeat of Rewi and his gallant band brought tho Waikato War to an end. With the return of peace tho recstablishmcnt of the .mission proved impossible, but the two churches remained and within their walls first soldiers and then 'European settlers worshipped. Much valuable matter relating to tho mission, has been gathered and collected'by the vicar of Te' Awamutu, tho Rev. S. E. ; Wareing, Mr. H. ;A. Swarbrick, and the director of the Turnbu'll Library, Mr. Jollanncs C. Andorseri,.and it is on their lately-com-piled history of tho parish that tho present article is based. MISSIONARIES' EXPLORATIONS. By 1833 tho missions which Marsden had planted at the Bay of Islands from 1814 onward found themselves so well established that men and funds were Available for carrying the Gospel further afield. In that year a party consisting of the Revs. William Williams and A. N. Brown ■ (afterwards Archdeacon of Tauranga) and two laymen, Messrs. Fairburn and Morgan, visited tho great chief Waharon. and a mission station was established '■ at Purifi, on the Firth of Thames, by'Mv. Morgan and Mr. and Mrs. Preece. In February, 1834, Mr. Brown and another missionary, Mr. Hamlin, made an ad-, venturous journey' up the Waikato River. : Tho following July Messrs. Williams and Brown again made their way into j the interior, not without considerable risk to themselves.: They landed at Te Wherowhero's great pa- at Ngaruawahia and then continued up the Waipa River. On .August 23 tho missionaries reached Mangapouri, •at the junction of the Puniu River, where the Natives offered to clear asite which Mr. Williams had chosen for a mission station.

Journeying back by way of Matamata, the party was met by Mr. Morgan, who soon after'set out to make inSjVabode^at Mangapouri. Ho took with him a set of carpenter's tools and.' a good supply-trfN plants and seeds. After three months he was joined by Mr. and Mrs. Stack. STATION CLOSED IN 1835. . At .first the Maoris.were unresponsive, but gradually tho missionaries' influence began to bear fruit and a school was opened. Late in. 1835 Mr. Morgan was withdrawn and. fiis place was taken by. Mr. Hamlin. In September, 1835, owing ■to a .shortage of men, the station was closed. The Rev. B. Y. Ashwell, who established himself later at Taupiri, paid occasional visits and by this means tho flame of Christianity was kept burning. In February, 1542, Mr. Morgan, ac-p companied by his wife, returned and commenced building a new station at Otawhao, on the site of what is now Solwyn Park, To Awamutu. Not7 long after, a Wesleyan mission was established'at To Kopua, about a mile south of Mangapouri. Mr.Morgan, who was a man of many practical attainments, soon began to teach tho Natives agriculture, housebuilding, tho milling of grain, and roadmaking. He procured grass seed from friends in England and scattered it on his journeys about the district. The Government provided him with a skilled farmer and a supply of ploughs, harrows, and drays.. As time went on the country round Rangiaohia became "tho garden of Waikato," with fields of wheat, maizo, and potatoes, hawthorn hedges and groves of peach and almond: trees. The wheat was1 ground into flour at mills on the river bank and shipped in canoes to Auckland. In 1850 the chiefs sent two bags of flour to Queen Victoria. . The" area under wheat was then 600 acres at .Rangiaohia alone. Two millstones were imported from France at.a cost of £50. Boarding and day schools foT adults and children were opened and the Native cateehists held services in many , villages. In 1849 Mr.'Morgan spent six montho at St. John's College ami; was ordainorf deacon that year and priest in 1853. • • . j WAR ENDS THE MISSION. Tho twin churches of. St. John 'and St. Paul wore built in 1854 by European carpenters of heart totara felled and pit-sawn by Maoris. V Each church was provided with fine stained-glass windows above tho altar. Those; in St. John's arc said to have, been presented by Queen Victoria, and; their'''follows in St. Paul's by the Baroness .BudettCoutts. ' ■■■■•'.■'•■•'. ..."

Befoi'O I860; owing to. the;1-troubles in Taranaki, grave unrest arose in th,e district. Tho King Movement followed and in 1863 Mr. Morgan handed over his principal school to the Resident Magistrate, Mr. (afterwards Sir) John Gorst, and left Otawhao, .never to return. Ho died at Mangore in 1865 and was buried at Otahuhu.

Te Paea Potatau, a sister of the Maori king, undertook to. protect the two churches. Her influence prevented the Maniapoto'chief Rewi from occupying the mission properties and the buildings Ayere preserved intact. In his advance into tho interior, MajorGeneral Cameron and his troops reached the district in 1564 ami captured Rangiaohia, which was still the chief source of tho Maori food supply. Sham fighting took place round St. Pawl's Church. After Orakau, Te Awamutu became | a garrison town occupied by 4000 troops, and white settlers were placed upon the fertile lands about it. Military chaplains and ministers of all denominations; held services in the two churches. Soldiers kept them in repair. Monuments in tho churchyard of St. John's and tablets in the baptistery commemorate the brave dead of both races who foil in the fighting not far away. . »