STORY OF A STRIKE.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 15 January 1929, Page 6

STORY OF A STRIKE.

FIRST IN NEW ZEALAND. OTAKI’S FAMOUS CHURCH. When the Australian and New Zealand bowlers visited the 1 celebrated Maori church at Otaki the other day they were told a story in connection with its erection which, if authenticated, would indicate that the subsequently popular habit of “striking on the job” 1 had its origin among the Maoris in Otaki. The roof of this well-known specimen of Maori-eum-Anglicun type of church architecture has lor its main supports three or four great “sticks” of totara, some 45ft. in height, each nicely rounded, and about 3ft. Gin. diameter, noble remnants of the forests of the west coast of a century ago. No such totara trees exist to-day on the whole length of the coast. These giant boles were 10ft. to 15ft. longer, and the Maoris wore keen on utilising the full length of the perfectly straight tree-trunks in connection with the church It is said that Bishop H'adfield had his _ doubts about the ability of the native workers to erect these great sticks in a penpendicular position, and ordered someone or other to reduce them in length by some 10ft. or loft. When the Maori workers returned and saw that their beloved totaras had been ruthlessly shortened they struck work, and for nine months the church authorities could not get the natives to resume. The job was declared “tapu”—the native word for “black” —and none of them could be induced to resume work. Time and the Christian spirit at last prevailed over obstinacy, and the work was resumed, with the result that the church, with its great panels of totara 3fb. 6in. in width, and its walls of neatly-plaited flax—which, after SO years, shows no sign of deterioration—stands as a monument to the industry and enthusiasm of those who participated in the building of this unique place of worship. Originally the exterior was finished in much the same style as the interior, but the effect of the weather on the plaited flax was such that it was seen that in order to protect the interior the church would have to be enclosed in the usual way with weatherboarding. This was wise, as the interior is- unimpaired, and looks as though it would endure for a great period of time. Over 60 years ago the late Queen Victoria presented the church with an altar cloth of scarlet cloth, embroidered wdth a floral edge. This is still preserved in the churjch, though the moths have long since rendered it unfit for use. The spot is also interesting, inasmuch as light opposite the church grounds are two remarkable monuments. One is a high pinnacle of concrete, raised in commemoration of the introduction of Christianity to New Zealand, and beside -it is the monument to the great chief Te Rauparaha. His raids from the north are common knowledge, and he wont down in history as a fearless lighter and an imnl.'icabU foe.