TE KOOTI’S WALKING STICK.

Evening Star, Issue 23451, 16 December 1939, Page 15

TE KOOTI’S WALKING STICK.

TO TUB EDITOR. Sir, —Reference' was ■’ made in tho • ‘ Star ’to a walking stick supposed to have been the property of Te Kpptj, Rikirangi, or, as he was known to bi» followers, Te Turuki.' The. present* owner, Mr Rosenberg, of Hastings, ha* agreed to loan it to a young Maori, who is training for a commission at Trentham, the idea being that the recipient, who is a follower of Te Kogti a faith, should emulate the boldness and resource of the old rebel. 1 do not think that anyone who knows about Te Kooti’s faith or his methods of warfare would encourage any present-day Maori to act in .a similar manner. Te Pai Marire, or Hauhauisra, as it was later called, at one time threatened the peace of tue whole of the North Island, and it was only through the efforts of men like Major Ropata and his friendly tribe of Maoris, in conjunction with the pakeha troops, that Hauhauism was stamped out. Major Ropata, who was a loyal subject, was honoured by Queen Victoria, and presented with a handsome sword for hit services. Many people still living in. Poverty Bay recall with horror To Kooti’s massacre of many innocent people on October 26, 1868, and l am sure they would not be pleased to hear that any Maoris of the present day wished to revive Hauhauism, a belief which caused much bloodshed and suffering in the early days, and waa started for the purpose of driving all pakehas from New Zealand. —1 am, G " H. L. Humphreys. December 15.