FEAR OF TALKING PARROT

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIV, Issue 63, 24 February 1934, Page 3

FEAR OF TALKING PARROT

MAORIS RAISE WAR PARTY. STO'RY OF EARLY NEW PLYMOUTH. How a parrot bought by a hotelkeeper at New Plymouth in the early days of the town was nearly tho cause of a Maori war party marching into New Plymouth was the pith of a story told the other day by Mr. C. W. Hendry, who was at that time in the police force at New Plymouth. Mr. Janies Shuttlcworth had a green African parrot which was a fine talker, and among his accomplishments was a smattering of Maori, his especial favourite being “Haeramai,” one of tho meanings of which is “come in.’’ Mr. Brooking, licensee of the Red House Hotel, conceived -a great idea. He purchased the parrot at a goodly figure and put it in a special cage over the Devon street entrance of his hostelry. The Maoris came to the town every week to hawk their wares, mainly kumoras and vegetables, from door to door. With the proceeds they would purchase groceries and clothing and, if the cash was sufficient, they would spend some time in the hotels. Mr.

Brooding’s idea was that the green parrot calling out in their own language would prove a big attraction to the Red House for the Maoris. Sure enough when they approached the bird did his part. “Haeramai!” “Haeramai!” he called. The Maoris stopped; they held a consultation. They were very superstitious in those days and a talking bird was unknown to

them, They came to the conclusion that the parrot was an evil spirit trying to enchant them and lure them on to some mysterious doom. They all slipped quietly away and the word was passed round among them. During the next two weeks no Maoris were to “e seen in New Plymouth, and the tradespeople became worried at the loss of trade. The authorities began to suspect trouble was afoot. Major Parris, who had a great deal of influence with Natives, set off in the direction of Waitara to investigate the cause. Somewhere in the vicinity of the present Waiwakaiho golf links ho met a picked Maori war party armed to the teeth. After some questioning he discovered they were not about to make a raid on New Plymouth; their objective was the talking lird with the evil spirit. They as well as the tradesmen had been missing the visits to the town, but they were convinced that they could not go there in safety while the parrot was at the Red House door. Major Parris reassured them and promised to remove the “terrible bird." Mr Brooking had to dispose of his parrot at a big discount; he had proved anything but a profitable investment.