Hone Heke Monument.

Northland Age, Volume VII, Issue 34, 22 April 1911, Page 5

Hone Heke Monument.

Great Maori Gathering.

Altogether some 2000 Maoris congregated at Kaikohe for days in anticipation of the unveiling of the monument erected to the memory of the late Hone Heke. No fewer than 46 tents, an adjacent house, and a large hall bad been in requisition for the accommodation of the natives. The feeding of such a multitude was no small problem, and among other things there were included in the daily consumption four head of cattle, two tons of potatoes and kumeras, 1080 lbs of bread, and an abundant supply of oakes, puddings, etc. In celebration of the great ocoasion a triumphal arch was erected across the road, just below the public hall, the deoorations consisting of nikau and other greenery. Further up the road strings of flags were suspended from poles standing on either side of tho road, with dependent “Welcome” mottoes to the different tribes of the'Ngapuhi, Rarawa, Aupouri and others. The Native Committee had a patrol of 12 police fo keep order, and it says much for the respectability of such a gathering that only four had to be put in duianoe vilo. A twohorse team had been in oonstant use for carting water from the oroek, as no other supply was near at hand. The monument stands on the highest point of Kaikohe Hill, near the trig station. This spot was at first opposed by some of the Maori owners, who thought that the Government intended to take five acres as a reserve—a proposal that had no substantiation in fact, but one that the Maoris in question were prepared to resent. On Monday 10th the whole of the morning was ocoupied in practising hakas aud other oeremonial with which it was proposed to welcome Mr. Carroll. At noon the natives assembled to await bis arrival, and a troop of 400 gaily bedecked women and a like number of half-naked men made an imposing show. At 1.30 the near approach of Tiini Kara was heralded by a volley or two of rifle shots, and a few minutes later, as the Ministerial party neared the marae, the Maoris greeted them with songs of weloome and dances. Followed the inevitable speeches by representative tribal chiefs, to which the visitors made fitting replies. Lamentations for the death of Hone Ileke occupied three hours, and then it was too late for any serious business to be discussed.

That was reserved until the Tuesday after which the monument was unveiled by the Acting Prime Minister, Hon. J. Carroll, in the presence of a large concourse, which inoluded 200 Europeans. Speeches were made by Mr. Carroll and several ohiefs in prais9 of the departed rangitira.

(The late Hone Ileke, M.P. for tho Northern Maori district, was born at Kaikohe, Bay of Islands, in 1869. He was the son of Hone Ngapua Tuhirangi, of Kaikohe, and Pane Puriri, of the Bay of Islands and Whangarei. He received his education variously at the Kawakawa village school, the Oromahoe native sohool (Bay of Islands), and Bt. Stephen’s native school, Auckland. In 1891 he entered Government service as clerk in the Native Land Court Office, Wellington, which position he resigned in 1892 to take up the leadership of the Maori Federated Tribes of New Zealand—excepting the tribes under the movement of the Maori King, those residing in Thames and Waikato, and the followers of Te Whiti and Tohu (Parihaka). The object of this union was to petition Parliament for Home Rule for the Maoris. Hone Heke was elected to the House of Representatives for the Northern Maori district in 1893, and sat continuously for that electorate until the time of his death.) —“ Advooate.”