"THOSE WERE THE DAYS."

Manawatu Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 2693, 11 July 1923, Page 9

"THOSE WERE THE DAYS."

82 YEARS IX COLONIES. THRILLING TIMES AMONG MAORIS. Perhaps there is, or ever has been, no other white woman alive who can look back on such a thrilling past among the early Maoris as Mrs. Ruben Short, who has spent S2 years in the colonies, and will shortly be celebrating her centenary. It was the good fortune of a representative of the " Manawatu Times " yesterday morning to shake hands with Mrs. Short as one of the pioneers who blazed the trail for the generations to follow. Mrs. Short, with the exception of liearing, has still full possession of her faculties. RECOLLECTION OF KIPENB KUKU. " Those were the days," she said to the pressman sitting back in an easy chair by the fire (there were no chairs in the old days), "days of peril, when the Maoris were capable of almost anything." Our interesting hostess sairt she came to New Zealand in the year 1841. " My mother brought live of us children from Kent on the ' Lady Nugent',' which was wrecked on two occasions before reaching New Zealand." The principal "passengers" on the ship were dogs and pigs. " You know Captain Cook, or as the. Maoris called him " Kipene Kuku," had not long preceded us," said Mrs. Short. BEACH, HILLS AND TUSSOCK. " We first; attempted to land at the Hutt, but the Maoris were there on til© warpath, and we did not risk our lives, but eventually landed further round the coast. It is called Lambton Quay now, but in those days, it was beach, steep hills, and tussock." From that landing a series of thrilling experiences Avas in store for Mrs. Short, The tirst of these was at a Maori depot where the natives grew hostile and Mrs. Short bears an ugly scar on the crown of the head to this day, as a result of being struck by an improvised table. Of course, commodities such as sugar and butter were out of the question and candles were not to be got. but a kind of- rush light was made to serve the purpose. "TIPO WILL BE NEXT." After the affair at the depot, the wind (still found in Wellington) blew down the building and the Maori superstifution led them to believe that the " Tipo ■ would be next," meaning that there would be a visitation from tho devil. Mrs. Short and her mother and sisters had nothing to cook —" nothing but rata," she said, " and they were not very appetising." The Maoris were then very quiet for a time, but it presaged a storm, and soon they were in the midst of war. A FEARFUL WAR DANCE. " The tram naw runs to Brooklyn over the scene of one of my most thrilling experiences," said Mrs. Short. "We were all at Nairn-street when there was a native uprising at Wanga. nui, and many Maoris made tho journey thence. However, those who remained, took me and said that my relations must «° away. This instruction, of course, had to be obeyed, and they danced a war dance over me, to my terror." Incidents like this were common, and the constant peering in at the windows at all hours of the night by the Maoris was not conducive of peaceful slumber, and weird noises about the house in the dead of night were hair-raising. A DRINK FOR SIX HUNDRED. Mrs. Short then moved to tho Wairarapa, where a full measure of excitement was in store. On on c occasion no fewer than GOO wild natives called at tho house ostensibly for a " drink of water," but anything removable lying about vanished. The same night there was a terrible commotion about the house and there came a command to open the doors and givo them a " feed," but this the inmates were too afraid to do, and fortunately, the Maoris found a fresh avenue for entertainment by the rumour of another native party being in the vicinity. There ar e a few of the little things t can remember." said the old lady, " but I am constantly recalling other bitter experiences." In her 82 years residence in the colonies, Mrs. Short spent many years at the Hutt, when tile great floods scoured the district. WHEN WELLINGTON TREMBLED She recalls the time when the earthinakcs " shook Wellington to pieces." At' the Wairarapa, she found the Maoris very troublesome. Mrs. Short then came to Palmerston North/ where she lias resided for over 20 years, but she has been living at Feilding for th e past 12 months, since her husband died. BROTHER STILL LIVING. Mrs. Short's brother, Mr. Henry Southel, is still alive at the ago of 96 years and only recently, brother and sister were photographed together. Mrs. Short had five children, of whom three daughters and one son are living. The late Mr. Short was 94 years of ige when he died 12 months ago.