MAORI HISTORY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXI, 16 December 1937, Page 10

MAORI HISTORY

ITo The Editor) Sir,--Many people were delighted with John A. Elkington Junior’s picturesque and correct rendering of ; Maori meanings in your issue of 14th | December. Mr Editor, would it be in ; order to persuade this knowledgeable ! man to write some further articles? So much Maori lore is lost for want of the harvesting. Pakeha and Maori have many memories in common, but only the Maori knows his own intimate his--1 lory. | The Pakeha knows the Maori tor a J gallant foe How often in bygone battles the Maori lias stayed the light, because he saw his adversary was short o! ammunition, and he would send messengers offering to help the Pakeha out with Maori powder until fresh supplies came in and the light could go on equally. L am an old man often basking in the sunshine, too feeble to move and on wet days:— "The rattle of rain on the roofs Recalls the fierce rush of the horses, The thunder of galloping hoofs Why everything races. No mailer whatever its nature may be. The wntcriowl hold a regatta. 1 The opossums run heats up a tree." - This may be incorrectly quoted. Old men. well they are old men, perhaps I > only mean to say. How much better it J would be for me to be looking for first stories of Maori history in our local paper than for me to be neighing af- : ter racing and fighting, the lot of young ! ' men.—i am, etc.. OLD COLLEGIAN. Nelson, lath December. ]