OWNERSHIP OF ISLANDS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19798, 19 November 1927, Page 14

OWNERSHIP OF ISLANDS

THE JPOOR KNIGHTS CASE* MAORI HISTORY RECALLED. story of; GREAT massacre. [Br TEX.ECRAPU. —OWS CORRESPONDENT.] WHANGAREI, Friday. The hearing of the claim by Pouaka Wehiwehi to possession of the Poor Knights Islands, named Tawhiti-rihu and Aorangi, was continued before the Tok* erau Native Land Court to-day and was adjourned sino die, pending a conference between the chief Judge of the Court, the Judge who heard the case, Mr. N. F. 0. V. Acheson, and the member of Parliament for the district, Mr. JV. Jones, M.P. Iu an historical review of the Poor Knights, published in the journal of Science and Technology in 1925, Mr. W. M. Fraser, of Whangarei, recounts the story, facts in which gave rise to the claim. The Poor Knights group was discovered by Captain Cook on November 25, 1769, and pigs obtained from the navigator were bred and kept on the island Aorangi. The larger island, Ta-whiti-rihu, was occupied by a trib6 called Ngatiwai, with Tuaho as their chief, while the Ngatitoki Hepu, with | their chief, Tatua, lived on the northern i island, Aorangi, .Tatua was ruler over both islands. Islands Left Defenceless. About 1808 "a party from th« Hikutu tribe from Hokianga paid a visit to Aorangi and asked- to bo supplied with pigs, but they were ordered away emptyhanded, without being allowed to land. Soon after this Tatua and his warriors joined the notorious Hongi Hika on an expedition to Hauraki Gulf. Immediately after their departure a slave named Paha went in a small canoe to the mainland, and told the chief, Waikato of the Hikutu, that the islands were dofenceless. The chief ordered an immediate raid to secure pigs and slaves. Waikato, with three long war canoes, set out, via North Cape, to the Poor Knight 3, a distance of 200 miles. The raiders were piloted by tho traitor, Paha, to the best landing and the wholesale massacre of the defenceless inhabitants commenced. It took the raiders tho first night and all of the following day to kill tho islanders, many of whom jumped from the high cliffs to the,sea. With the booty the Hikutu took away Tatua'3 wife, Oneho, and her daughter. At Whangaroa they rested for 24 hours, being entertained by the local people in the whare Tepere. While tho entertainment was in progress local rangitiras asked to be shown the slaves. One of the chiofs immediately recognised Oneho as a distant relative, and that night he effected tho escape of the two women to Kcrikeri, whence they were conveyed by canoe to friends at Kawhiti.

Chief's Son Saved. In due course Tatua returned to his island home from tho Hauraki venture and was filled with horror on finding what had taken place in his absenco. He was met at the landing at Aorangi by nine or ten people, including his five-year-old son, Wehiwehi, and an old man, Omanoa, who had saved tho infant by concealing him in a cave during tho massacre, these two being tho only survivors of the two island communities. Tatua and his men performed what last rites they could 'over those of tho slain that could be found,- declared tho islands to be strictly tapu and proceeded to Rawhiti, where Tatua unexpectedly found his wife and daughter. The boy, Wehiwehi, was tho grandfather of the present claimant. Since the massacre the islands have not been inhabited, nor were they, until the present case, claimed as native land. Years after the massacre tho group became a lighthouse reserve and in addition were some years ago set aside for scenic purposes . and as a sanctuary for the rare -and interesting flora and fauna. Tho group contains notably the large crab and the korimiko, or bell bird. Extensive stonework, including retaining walte to wellplanned cultivation areas, terraces and two strongly-built pas are also to .be seen.