DEATH OF MIHINGA.

King Country Chronicle, Volume XII, Issue 1240, 22 July 1919, Page 4

DEATH OF MIHINGA.

A POPULAR FIGURE HER GIFT TO OPARURE EARLY TIMES RECALLED^ Very general regret ia felt at the death yesterday morning of Mra Lucy Joseph (Mihinga), an exceedingly well known and popular halfcaste, at the age of 76. Mibinga was born at Waikauwpu, Kawhia, in 1843, at the time of the Wairau massacre. When the Waikato war was raging in 1863, her people took her to Nblbod, where she married Mr William Page, farmer and sawmiller. S"e . returned north after the death ss»* her husband, and settled at Oparure and married Mr John Joseph, who is now dead. Mihinga bora a great name at Oparure and Te Kuiti district generally for her boundless hospitality. She kept what was practically open house, and no stranger passed her door without food and lodging. He was supposed to pay, but some did not. It made no difference to her. The visitor wbh always given a 2s meal for Is.

The deceased lady waß not lacking in public spirit. When it was decided to open a native school at Oparure, she gave three acres of freehold land for the purpose. The present value of the land would be about £IBO. The school was opened in April, „1906, in the presence of a very large gathering which included Messrs Greenslade, M.P., and J. W. Walsh, of Hamilton. Mr Greenslade suggested that a tablet containing an enlargement of Mihinga and a statement of her gift be placed in the school. This was not done, bat Mr T. Pine has been making arrangements to that end for the past week or two. It will now become 8 memorial tablet. Mr T. C. Stanton, who came to Te Kuiti on November sth, 1900, as schoolmaster, went to Oparure on February 28th, 1906, as headmaster, He is still living in Oparure. In conversation a few days prior to her death, Mihinga chatted about the past. She was through the Taranaki war, she said, and well remembered the landing of the British troops near New Plymouth when she was about fourteen years old. AD round the Te Kuiti district were Maori hop gardens, but very few are left now. The hops were of fine quality and were taken down the .Mangaokewa stream to Pirongia and sold to the pakeha. That Btresm, which runs through Te Kuiti, and which can be jumped over now, was able to carry heavy traffic fifty years ago. The ironwork and cement for the railway viaduct two miles south of Te Kuiti, came up the creek. A great tangi is being held.