WILD DAYS IN WAIROA.

Gisborne Times, Volume LXV, Issue 10392, 9 May 1927, Page 2 (Supplement)

WILD DAYS IN WAIROA.

GREAT SALVAGE FEAT IX TX On Friday, September 1. 18 <G. at I [ 2 p.m. the s.s. Mauaia. from Napier | ? to Wairoa, got aground on the nor- || tliern spit. „ All the Europeans that could be || collected set to work to get her off. X but, after working all Saturday and || Sunday, they gave up in despair. It was then proposed to lei the Maoris '§ try and get the steamer off and a re- | ward of £2OO was offered should they * succeed. Fully four hundred Natives |l then assembled on the beach (.not e reckoning women and children' on the I Monday afternoon and set to work to j| die away the shingle. They then laid || skids under the vesseh and procured p| an enormous lever, and commenced to |! prize her, foot by foot, towards the j| river. ' 1| The chiefs were cn the deck en- - couraging and exciting the workers. || Haniana Taakiwai'being the most || conspicuous, and while one body of || Natives worked the lever another j| body dragged the vessel. A strong || west wind was blowing when the Na- X t : ves commenced operations, but, by j| the Wednesday, the wind ban chaiig- j| ed to a sou-wester, which soon raised ' the sea and at high water that night. J| by the combined effect of the wind, the surf and the Natives, the Manaia was safely brought into deep :| water inside the river. On the r Thursday morning she steamed up to j the wharf with all the Natives on ; board cheering. , | It was then proposed to give Natives £4OO, instead of £2OO. *SB?