The Late Renata Kawepo.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume X, Issue 1908, 19 April 1888, Page 2

The Late Renata Kawepo.

Lt.-Colonel MoDonnell, N.Z.C., writes to the Wellington Post as followß in regard to the late chief Renata Kawepo, whose decease we recorded on Saturday :—: —

I regret to notice in your issue of the 14th instant the death of the Hawke's Bay chief Renata Kawepo. As the telegram contains nothing but the news of his death, except that he led a contingent against Te Kooti, the following may be of interest: — When Renata was a young man, he was oaptured by a war party of Ngapuhi during one of the old Maori wars, and taken to the Bay of Islands, where he lived for some years a prisoner at large. This occurred some time in the thirties, but he was eventually allowed to return to his people, and in course of time became one of the leading chiefs among the Ngati Kahungunu. The great inflnence he had over bis people prevailed upon them to refrain from joining the King party when war broke out in 1860 and subsequently. As an instance of the benevolence of his nature and kindliness of heart, the late Sir Donald McLean used to relate the following :— A milkman, who used to supply the town of Napier with milk grazed his cows on l-i nd belonging to Renata, but without that chief's permission, and though grass was repeatedly asked for, none was ever forthcoming. So after several months of arguing, Renata either impounded the cows or stopped their grazing. In consequence of this the milkman was put to his wit's end to know how to provide pasture for them. The noble minded chief, on its being pointed out that scores of little children would now be deprived of their morning and evening's milk, withdrew his objection, and let the cows graze on, for the sake of the European families, who otherwise would have gone without milk, and abandoned bis claim for back rent, as be was informed that the milkman could not afford to pay it. No staunch er friend and ally had the European than Renata Kawepo. He took a prominent part in suppressing the Hauhau disturbances in Hawke's Bay, when Te Hapuku and Rangibiroa were defeated by Sir George Whitmore, and by his services at Taupo in September and 4th October, 1869, when we defeated Te Kooti at Tokanu, and stormed his pa, after a severe fight, at Te Porere, on the Iwituaroa ranges, on the confineß of Tuhua and Waikato, which crushing defeats made the Watkatos, under Rewi, give up the intention they had formed of joining Te Kooti and letting him plan out a raid on the settlers in the Waikato similar to the one he had led on Poverty

Bay, the results of which are still fresh in New Zealand settlers' minds. Renata's personal services on these two occasions again proved what a loyal and brave man he was, and as I had the honor of commanding the forces at Taupo on the occasions referred to, I am in a position to bear, testimony to the services ot the gallant old chief. During the action at Te Poure pa, Renata lost an eye, and was otherwise severely wounded. I am glad to say he was pensioned for his wounds, and received besides a yearly sum. of money for his faithful services, which he continued to draw until he died, and right well he had earned the same. It would be a graceful act now to erect a monument to the memory of this brave old chief, if only to show the rising generation that faithful and long service is appreciated.