KAWHIA METHODIST CENTENARY.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIV, Issue 287, 1 November 1934, Page 4

KAWHIA METHODIST CENTENARY.

THE “CRADLE” OF MAORIS AND METHODISM. (By Te Hiima.) Great preparations aro being made by both Maoris and Europeans for the celebrations at Kawliia next month in connection with the Methodist South Auckland centenary. Additional historic interest attaches to the Ivawhia district in that it is not only the South Auckland “cradle” of Methodism, but it is also the New Zealand “cradle” of the Maori tribes now resident throughout Waikato, King Country, and Taranaki; indeed, of nearly all the Maoris resident in the western half of the North Island, south of Auckland city. It was at Kawliia that their fathers finally disembarked from their great canoes —Aotea and Tainui—and took up permanent residence in Aotearoa (New Zealand). Local Maoris very proudly guide pakelias to the spot where the Tainui canoe was buried to prevent it lulling into the hands of enemies and with equal pride others take favoured visitors in their boats at low tide to where the Aotea canoe was sunk for the same reason in the adjacent Aotea harbour and point out what they claim are the pertified remains of the great Aotea canoe, vaguely discernible many fathoms below.

The Methodist Church officially commenced its work in New Zealand in 1822 in North Auckland. The pioneer missionary, Rev. Samuel Leigh, who took up his residence there at that time, had visited New Zealand, at the request of Rev. Samuel Marsden, at an earlier date before there was any resident clergyman in these islands, and on that occasion had accomplished some very valuable work. Rev. Samuel Marsden’s mother was a Methodist, and the two Samuels, Marsden and Leigh, were great friends and strong evangelicals. This, no doubt, was one of the chief factors which caused the very close co-operation between the two missions in North Auckland in the pioneer days. After long consultation, it was agreed between the leaders of the missions that the Methodist Church should concentrate its efforts chiefly on the western side of the North Auckland peninsula, and a very vigorous work was carried on in Hokianga. In the meantime the Anglican mission, which had been established by Samuel Marsden’s band of lay missionary pioneers eight years before the commencement of height's official residence in New Zealand, developed rapidly on

the eastern side, wielding a great infiuence in those areas. Ihe Aug and Methodist were the- only . churches represented in New Zealan in those days. , _ By 1830 overtures were oe ing made to both these P neer missions to extend t operations further south, and y 1834 both had established themselves in the South Auckland district, the Methodist appointees to their west-in area being Revs. John Win to Icy, James Wallis, and William Woon, who settled at Lemon Point, Aotea. and W aingaio. Revs. Wallis and Whiteley were delayed through church building and ex - ploration work in the north, and■ * not arrive in South Auckland until early in 1835, but Rev. William Woon took up lu's residence at Ivawhia l November, 1834. ..... Rev. Mr Whiteley had visited in detail this western area ot South Auckland in 1833, and found that the desire of the Maoris to have Methodist missionaries arose from the _ teaching of Christianity they had received from Taranaki warriors, who had been pi eviouslv held as prisoners of war in Holdanga, but had been liberated through tlie influence of the (Methodist mission, and who, as they journeyed back to the Taranaki, spread the story ot Ahe Religion of Love.” Some of Ivawhia Maori leaders had so far accepted Christianity under the teaching of these released prisoners that they themselves had established, as best they knew how Christian services of worship, thus it has always been said that the westei n South Auckland chiefs themselves laid the foundations of Christianity in that area, foundations upon which the missionaries were able to build rapidly. Therefore, in spite of the fact that mission organisation in that area was almost utterly destroyed by the tragic quarrels between European and Maori in the period 1861-1871, it is most fitting, in commemorating the centenary of the formal establishmeent of the mission, that the Maori leaders should again lay the foundations. A beautifully designed church (re-inforced ferroconcrete) and a parsonage are to be erected, on ideal sites centrally situated in the Ivawhia township, as the centenary memorial, and at 10.30 a m., oil November 24, the Maori King. Koroki Tawhiao Tc Tuarima, will lay the foundation stone of the church, and liis spouse, Kuini Te Ata, will at 11.30 the same day, lay the foundation stone of the parsonage. Generous contributions from Church funds, as well as from individuals, are being’ made towards this project, and tenders for the erection of the church are to he called immediately. The parsonage will lie erected by day labour under the direction of Revs. C. Strand and Piko Hikuroa.