A MAORI ROMANCE

Greymouth Evening Star, 22 February 1917, Page 5

A MAORI ROMANCE

• SUCCESSFUL TREASURE HUNT IF OTAKI. 1 The main f topic of conversation amongst the natives of Otaki and . district just now is the recovery of some hidden jewellery at Otaki, under somewhat extraordiI nary circumstances. Iff connec- [ tfbn with these hidden articles an [ intere'sting Maori romance is ' interwoven. It is said that the late Puke te Ao, a one-time member of the House of Representaj fives, representing the Western Maori district (brother to*the late ' Ropato te Ao, M.H.R., and uncle to Mr- Hema H. te Ao, of 'Otaki), became'enamoured of a Maori- maid, who presented him' ' with a gold watch and chain, and , other jewellery. Puke was a : married man, and, being afraid of his wife discovering these presents from his late lady-love, put them in a tin box, and buried them, intending to remove them • later,' when his wife had gone away. Hcnvever, lie died, and the jewellery remained where,it was. This was about forty years ago. It was known that Puke had buried some ■> treasure, but the whereabouts remained a'mystery. Some time ago a Maori prophet professed to know where the jewellery was liiddeh, ami an attempt was made to secure it by digging, but the only tiling the excavators met with was an old Ma hoe stump. A few days ago Winnie Raika, of Te Ivuiti (daughter of a wellknown Otaki Native, and herself for many yours resident at Otaki), paid a visit to Otaki, and inform.ad the local Natives that she was possessed of powers which enabled • her to locate the treasure buried by the. late Puke te Ao. The Natives were somewhat sceptical, but-Winnie persisted to such purpose that an expedition was arranged on Wednesday last, when the visitor declared she would recover the lost property. There must have been over a hundred for this purpose; Winnie led the way to the top of a sandhill not far from, tho Waitohu, at a spot called "Tararua," the site of an . old Maori house. This house was for years unoccupied, being held "tapu" .by the Natives, and many years ago the old building'was destroyed by fire. There was . nothing left whatever to mark the i spot where the building had j stood. After a little examination of the locality, Winnie indicated a spot, 1 and declared that the treasure lay hidden there. She said that ' beneath thejspot she marked the main front post of the old house,

which hud been imbedded, and the jewellery would be found alongside. A Mnori woman, who accompanied Winnie, at once set to work with . a 'spade, while tlie crowd of Natives gathered round, indicating' much curiosity; in the proceedings. Some six or eight inches below the surface the spade 'came in contact with a charred post—the remains of the old front post of the Maori house —and at a depth of a little over two feet, near the post, the spadeswoman unearthed the long-looked-for treasure. The articles had evidently been buried in a tin box, which had crumbled almost away. However, the contents were intact, and comprise a small gold watch, goia chain, gold ring, and a greenstone pendant. All the articles were in a fair state of preservation, though discoloured: The delight of the Maoris at the success of the' search knew .no bounds, and' the woman who had been responsible received hearty congratulations from all present. The recovered property has been handed to Mr Hema R. Te'A'p. The woman Winnie llaika declares that she knows the whereabouts of some greenstone valuables, supposed to have been sunk in a Maori canoe in one of the lakes on Mr Simcox's property, O.taki (Forest Lakes). She says she will dive into the lake and secure the canoe and. its contents, and has intimated that after a time she wi]|l fulfil her claim. Stories are current that this woman has recovered valuables sunk in a lake near Te Kuiti, and especially after' the success of her venture at Otaki on Wednesday, the Natives are inclined to the opinion Unit Winnie possesses some mysterous powers that appeal to their imaginative minds. — ; ■ r