A CENTURY AGO.

Franklin Times, Volume XVIII, Issue 40, 4 April 1928, Page 8

A CENTURY AGO.

IMPRESSIONS OF NEW ZEALAND.

REV. WILLIAM YATE'S ACCOUNT

Exactly one hundred years ago a clergyman, the Rev. William Yate. arrived in New Zealand to aid in the Church Mission Society's work among the Maoris of North New Zealand. The Marsden mission had by that time been established for fourteen years, so the spade-work at the Bay of Islands had been done. Mr Yate's work seems to have been mainly travelling about, searching out new fields for mission labours, and in this way he gathered from observation and hear-say much that was interesting about the new country, and on his return to England he published a book, which even today is an extremely readable volume His description of the native trees and birds and of the natural features ot the country, the lakes, rivers, mountains and harbours are remarkably re liable, though he makes occasional slips as for instance, .when he tells us that in the North Island there are snowy mountains ranging up to 14,000 feet high. But it must be remembered that Mt. Cook's • altitude used in earlv davs to be set down at 14,000 feet* and it was not a difficult error for him to locate it in the north instead of the South Island. "No countrv in. the world, perhaps, savs the author, "can boast of greater natural beauties than the large and magnificent islands of the Southern Hemisphere; among which New Zealand holds no mean or secondary place Other regions may produce a greater collection of luscious tropical fruits bu-, none can exceed New Zealand in the general aspect of the country—for rich and varied scenery, and for every thing which naturally strikes the eye as beautiful or sublime. Again : "The forests are so extensive and so dense that no sound from without disturbs the traveller on his journey; and silence herself could scarcely be offended at the chirping of the birds or the rustling of the leaves in a breeze —the only sounds that strike upon the stillness and interrupt the deep repose. No lurking tiger . . .no roaring lion .... no savage beast to hide himself during the day to make his predatory excursions at night, inj ample provisions of the mountains, the valleys the forests and the plains of New Zealand appear to be reserved by Providence for the use of man—or 01 man and the feathered bi-peds."

The Bird

And it is about these feathered bipeds that some of Mr Yate's most interesting pages are written. Lite all early visitors to this country the forest songs of the early morning seem to have made an indelible impression. "Nothing." he says, "can possiblv exceed the exquisitiveness of a morning concert as performed in the ample woods of these islands. One of the greatest treats I enjoy is to be wakened in my tent by the loud and lovely voices of these musicians." It is a painful commentory on our civihsat on that in- one short century we should have permitted one half the birds Mr Yate named and described for us to be exterminated, and the other half reduced to such dwindled numbers that half the population of the country does not see a native land-bird once a* year, and if the other half see one they think it of sufficient variety and importance to comment upon. And even now we are doing very little to save the few that are left, for, as was shown in the Times last Friday, the protection accorded to our birds is merely nominal and wholly insufficient. The kauri forests that fringed Hoklanga River as they were when seen by Mr Yate must have been a wonderful sight, unmatched even by .he magnificent growths of the Kaipara or the Coromandel Peninsula. Even as early as 1828 ship-building appears to have been quite an industry, for M* Yate describes vessels, "beautiful models, and strongly built," and ranging up lo 300 tons burden, being built on the Hokianga fiver. He tells us also of the building of the "Herald," the mission schooner, at the Bay of Islands, and the twenty months of arduous labour spent upon this spreade- of the Gospel along the coasts.

A New Heart.

Naturally, as Mr Yate's work among the natives, much of book is devoted to them. The Maori of the time seems to have been singularly easy to convert. Perhaps th"; reason for'much of it is explained by me following conversation with a chief who came to Mr Yate, and told him ae had cast away his old, bad heart, an 1 had a new, good one. "How long have you had it?" "Four days." "What is your new heart like " "It is good, very good, like yours." "And what does it tell you to do " "It tells me to pray when the su rises, and when the sun stands in the middle of the heavens, and when the sun sets." "And what do you pray " "I pray,— Oh. Lord give me a now blanket. In or /i~- +v,ot I may believe in Thee"' The missionaries did not only convert the Maori they assiduously aducated them. And when the Maori had learned to write, his great 'delight was to write letters to his friends, even if they lived so close by that he j could visit, them. This trait still per- j sists in the latter-day native. Mr Yate publishes a number of these letters some extremely interesting. Her?) 1 is nno bn was entrusted to carry Home to King William the Fourth from Titore, a Waimnte chiof : i »v? n .r William. Here I am, the friend of Captain Sadler. The ship Is full -*-" 1 now about to sail. I have j heard that vou, afore-time were th=s i captain of a ship. Do you therefore examine the spars, whether they "ood or whether they arc bad. Shomd vou and the French quarrel they arr. J imes for your battle-sljips. I a.a\

now beginning to think about a ship for myself, a native canoe is my vessel, and I have nothing else. The native canoes upset when they are loaded. I have put on board the Buf-

falo for you a mere pounamou, (nep

1 rite battle-axe), and two garments: these are all the things a New Zealander possesses. If I had anything better I would give it to Captain Sadler for you. This is all mine to you mine".—Titore, to William, King of England." The Buffalo was a sloop of war out for a load of spars for the Navy. She came hack again for another cargo, and went, ashore n*y Mercury Bay, where her bones may still be seen at I low tide | A Characteristic eLtter.

The following is intensely rcvealhifc of the Maori character : "Mr Yate. —How do you do? Sick is my heart for a blanket. Tis, forgotten have you the young pigs 1 gave you last summer. My pipe is gone out, and there is no tobacco witn me to fill it. How should I have tobacco? Remember the pigs which I gave you. Have you forgotten the ornaments I took off my boy's neck and flung at your feet? Mr Yate, I do not forget you. My pipe is empty; there is nothing in it; giv.? some tobacco to me, and give me a blanket too. I am your friend, and you are mv friend, and I feed you with sucking pigs; therefore, I say, do not forget me. Here I am sitting in my house; and Hongi is writing- my letter to you from me. from your friend, who has no tobaco. and who permited his daughter to be maried to your servant. Honare. From Ate, at Mangakawa kawa."

In an earlier chapter. Mr Yate tells the story of this marriage of Ate's daughter. As soon, as the ceremony was over the bride's mother came up to him in a well-simulated fury. Sh r : put on a most terrific countenance, rent her garments from her and tore her hair like a fury. "Ah, you whit? missionary, you are worse than the devil. You first make a slave boy your son by redeeming him from his master, and then you marry him to my daughter. I will tear your eye' out, I will tear your eyes out." The old woman feigned a scratch at my face, saving in an undertone it was all "mouth," and she did not mean what she said. I told her I would stop her mouth with a blanket. "Ah," she said, "that was all I wanted. I only wanted a blanket, and therefore I made all that noise." And after that everything went off very well, and everyone was satisfied. Mr Yate's account of the work that, was done by the Maoris under European tuition is most interesting, and it is a pity room cannot be found in this article for an extended account of it. The natives were apt and intelligent pupils. ____________