MAORI PEOPLE’S TRIBUTE

Hawera Star, Volume LII, 5 September 1932, Page 4

MAORI PEOPLE’S TRIBUTE

LATE ME ANDREW LEES. SYMPATHY IN BEREAVEMENT. Maori residents of the Okaiawa district held the late Mr Andrew Lees in high regard, having had many dealings wit-h him irt the course of their dairy farming operation's. They have also known him personally and expressed much sorrow at his death and! sympathy with his relatives. On Friday afternoon they had a tribal meeting after the fun-eral and sent greetings of sympathy to Mrs Lee's and family. The messages were from the leaders of the Ngati Ruahine tribe, Te Weh'i Omahuru, Wlia-ngatutu and Rawgi Mat'ai (Otakeho), and were, couched in the picturesque imagery of language which is a feature of the Maori oratory. They said th-ey would like to have spoken at the graveside) but were afraid they might be intruding. The speakers likened Air Lees t.o> the lat-e Air T. L. Joll in -his regard fo-r and attitude to the Maori people. "You have gone yonder,” said the chiefs, speaking in their own language, "along the long, long road that leads to tlie home where -everybody has to. go some day and where there will -l>e rest for the weary, the land of the spirits of the departed. Farewell for ever. Ivia ora, Kia ora. The lament fo-r the dead is lik-e the noise of the sea on the shore or the rushing of the -river to the sea. The tides will continue to rise for ever, but you will be alt rest' in that fair oft country. We are pleased to pay a tribute to one for whom we had a sincere regard. Kia ora once more.”