THE SWORD OF MANURAU.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 19 September 1928, Page 4

THE SWORD OF MANURAU.

(To the Editor.) Sir,—l notice the Rev. Mr FletcheT has something interesting to say re the whereabouts _of the above, and his version appears to throw discredit on the separate -statements-of Pou‘Whareumu and Mr Langley, the Raglan storekeeper. Another account from a Maori source states that the sward was placed above the lintel of a whare in Farihaka, 'and lost sight of during the 'famous raid when To ’Whiti and Tohn were captured. Captain Roberts, who was in charge of the Waihi fort when the writer sheltered-there as a child in the winter of 1879, states that Von Tempsky'left the scabbard of the'famous curved sword behind him when he set. out on the ill-fated Te Ngutu expedition, so that it would appear that “Von”,took the naked sword with him on that occasion. The scabbard was sent to Mrs Kettle, of Napier,. Von Tempsky’s sister, after tne disaster. ■ It will be interesting to note whether any of the old hands ('Maori or pakeha) 'can throw any further light on the present whereabouts of the treasured weapon. In passing, I should like to congratulate Mr Fletcher on his admirable series of articles on Maori nomenclature appearing from time to time in the “Star,” and am somewhat surprised that ho one else 'appears to have ■publicly eulogised these excellent papers. It is to be hoped that Mr Fletcher will have them collected and published in book form for the benefit of all 'interested in the study of the Maori language and traditions.—T am, etc., " - ' \ W.A.Q.