MISSION CENTENARY AT TAURANGA.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 2 December 1929, Page 5

MISSION CENTENARY AT TAURANGA.

OCCASION CELEBRATED BY EUROPEAN AND NATIVE GATHERING.

(By Telegraph—Press Association.) TAURANGA, This Day.

Friday last (marked the centenary of the arrival in' New Zealand, at the Bay of Islands, of Alfred Nesbit Brown, a young Church of England missionary, with his wife. They remained there a few years, and then founded a mission station at Matamata in 183 if, /but that haid to be abandoned owing to Native unrest. Then they came to Tauranga, in January, 1838, to take charge of a mission station already founded by Mr Brown in the previous year. ‘ From then till the time of his death in 188-1, he remained ihere, passing 'through many troublous times, particularly the eventful years culminating in the battle of Gate Pa on April 28th, 18G4, and ot Te Ranga six y;eeks later. Tie wa? created the first Archdeacon of Tauranga in 1844. The centenary was marked yesterday by a memorial service held here at The Elms, now the home ot the Misses Maxwell, on the site of the old mission chapel, the old mission bell being rung again for the first time in many years. The service was ccftulueted by Archdeacon Chatterton, of Rotorua, assisted by the Rev. Mr Hall, Vicar of Tauranga, and the Revs. Tumatahi, Wikiripoiia and Tikao. A large number of people were present, including several old residents who attended the mission chapel before any other church existed here.

A. boisterous wind and sea prevented the attendance of the Mauri choir from across the harbour, but a number or Natives were present and were addressed bv the Rev. Mr Tikao. The hell was tolled by Mr C. J. Tanks, an old Tauranga boy who is now a resident of Auckland, and the Maori Chief, Reohau Piahana. A brief and inspiring address was given by Archdeacon Chatter-ton.