THE STORY OF A MAORI WOMAN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 11200, 21 October 1899, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE STORY OF A MAORI WOMAN.

A KINDLY LIFE. Visitors to the Lake district in years gone by will doubtless remember having met Mere Hainiora, better known as old Mary of Te Mu, who ior several years was in charge of the mission residence at Tarawera, occupied by the Rev. S. M. Spencer. Possessed of a strong personality, and being of a kindly, generous, and hospitable nature, she was greatly respected by all who knew her. Singularly truthful and honest, she was straightforward in all her ways, and fearlessly denounced wrongdoing in friend and foe alike. Many events of interest attended the history of her life. Her parents were of good standing, of the Ngatihinemihi section of the Tuhourangi tribe. She was born in the early twenties, about the time when the celebrated chief, Hongi, from the Bay of Islands, invaded the Lake district, and with nis warrior band stormed the island of Mokoia, arid dealt slaughter and destruction to all around. The Tubourangi tribe in dismay fled from their homes and sought refuge in hiding places. In the wilds beyond Rotomahana, little Turamoe was born, and when the invaders returned North her people again sought their homes on the shores of Lake Tarawera. • At an early - age she became the wife of Te harehina, an able and influential' chief of the Ngatihineinihi. .Together they first heard of the truths of Christianity from two

young native converts from Ngapuhi, who had received the faith, and had been baptised and were carrying the Gospel tidings to the inland tribes. On their way to Taupo they were entertained by Te Wharehuia and his wife, who also received from their guests their first knowledge of letters, by means of charred sticks on slabs of wood, and so far had i.he young couple advanced in learning that,, when Mr. Chapman was stationed at Te Ngae, Rotorua, in 1840, they were admitted into a class for further instruction and baptised by the Rev. A. N. Brown, under the names of Hamiora and Mereana. On the death of her husband, to whom she was passionately attached, in 1850, she entered the family of the Rev. S. M. Spencer, then stationed at Kariri, Lake Tarawera, with whom she lived as faithful and devoted friend for nearly 50 years. In 1869 when, by reason of the war, the family was obliged to leave Tarawera, Mary was left in sole charge of the station, and bravely she held her post, often for many days together not seeing a fellow human being, and remained proof against the entreaties of her native relatives to join them for greater safety. In 1874, when the war difficulties had dispersed, a married daughter of the family took up her residence at the old home until the terrible eruption of 1886 destroyed and laid waste the whole country side, at which time again Mary was in sole charge, Mrs. Way and family being absent, and expected home the very evening of that fateful night. Mary was waiting in readiness for their return, when the dread catastrophe took place; she hurried down to Mr. Haszard's (the schoolmaster's) residence, when she was the means of saving the life of one of the three survivors of that family. Mr. Spencer's family was then residing at Maketu, and with them she made her homo till 1898, when shortly after '.he death of Mr. Spencer, in April of that year, she suddenly lost her reason, and after several months of incessant raving, and hopeless of recovery, her friends reluctantly consented to her being committed to the asylum, where she remained till released by death, and she entered into her rest on the 15th September, 1899.