MEMOIR OF A MAORI CHIEF.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4198, 3 September 1874, Page 3

MEMOIR OF A MAORI CHIEF.

' A correspondent of the Bay of Plenty Times furnishes tho following interesting biographical sketch of Rawiri Tuhirake,' whoso remains were lately; exhumed at Te Hahga, and conveyed by his relatives to Omamatua,-where a large number of,Native's had congregated, to lament over him and otherwise honor his memory :—This- chief, without exception, was the most influential in Tauranga. 'ln appearance he was of medium height, rather stoutly built, fully tatooed, and of a most prepossessing countenance ; his- age would be about fifty. All who'knew him pronounce'his manners to have been those of a perfect Maori gentleman. For a. Maori he waß considered a good scholar, being able to read and write his own language well. In disposition ho was very taciturn, never speaking until he had. heard both sides of a question, but when he did, it was always to the purpose, and his good common sense enabled him to carry the point in view ; thus the. Natives tell the white man "his word was law." Rawiri was the layteacher of liis tribe, and to the day of his death strictly adhered to the Christian religion he professed, always refusing to join the Hauhau fanatics, who did their utmost to persuade him to swell their ranks. All our old settlers, such as Mr. Thomas Wrigley, Mr. Warbrick, Cap'tain Sellars, Mr. Faulkner, and _ Mr. Satnuel Clarke, : who were in the.habit of dealing with him, will bear testimony. to his characterasbeingastraightforward, honest man, and it is not too much to say that " he was respected by all who knew him." During the Waikato war, time after x time William Thompson, solicited Rawiri to join, the .rebel cause. He persistently-refused, making use of this memorable answer, "I do not wish to see any, bloodshed in Tauranga. If my people >vißh to join you they may go. ' Ido not wish them to return and bring back trouble with them." When the Waikato Nativeß threatened to invade Tauranga, and Thompson sent a letter of warning to his European friends, the Government thought it advisable to send Mr. .Henry T. Clarke on a mission of inquiry into a.lahd question, it having been rumored that certain disaffected Natives had been nominated by the Waikato rebels to assassinate Mr. Clarke on the first favorable opportunity, The Government hearing the Waikato had threatened to, invade Tauranga, sent a large body of Imperial troops to that place. Up to this time Rawiri maintained his neutral position, and, as his people justly contend, would have remained so-had it not been for the arrogant impudence of the interpreter to the Imperial; troops; who goaded;him into rebellion, taunting him by calling him a spy, threatening to lack him out of the camp, and asking him the question why he did not go and join, the Waikato rebels? A proud spirit like Rawiri's would not submit any longer to such gross insults, and he was at last driven to join the disaffected Natives. Previous ,to .that he had always beenthehonored guest of the old settlers, and whenever he'ehose to visit them there was always a place found .for him at their tables. After being driven to take_ up -arms against us he entered heart and soul into the rebellion, considering that he was fighting, forhis "hearth and home." He would not allow his party to build their pa on the mission property, not wishing it to be polluted with human blood. In consequence of this they chose their position outside the mission boundary. Before any shots had been exchanged Rawiri wrote to General Cameron, telling bim that.when they, fought he wished to fight fairly, and honorably, that he should act very different to what the rebels ,did in Waikato. Any European going about ; unarmed should be unmolested, that he would not allow any of his party to commit murder, and that any of our •wounded falling into their hands.should be respected. Right well did this noble Maori carry out his word at the Gate Pa. Before a shot was fired on that memorable day—the 29th April, . 1864—he called out to his followers, " Take heed to my word. Respect the wounded; do not injure them when they fall." The assault was led by-Colonel Booth and Captain Hamilton, R.N. The latter' was Bhot dead ; the Colonel fell mortally wounded within a few feet of the parapet of the pa. Rawiri carried him, or had him carried, to a place of safety out of reach of the bullets, and, to the best of his power, administered to his wants himself, going down to the stream at the risk of his life to allay the thirst of the sufferer ! ! " That night the pa was abandoned by the enemy. Before leaving it there was a wish expressed by some of Rawiri's allies to despatch the wounded. Rawiri's reply was what you might have expected from such a man; "Not a hair of their head shall you touch. You may take their, firearms with you, but touch nothing else.". The following day Colonel Booth was brought 1 to Te Papa, and before his- death lie repeatedly. "spoke to General; Cameron and his brother officers about the noble and humane manner in which he and the other wounded men had been treated by the enemy." This was attributed alone to Rawiri's influence over the different tribes of the district. After "the > desertion of the Gate Pa,the.Natives retired to the woods until the month of June, when Rawiri again wrote to the officer'commanding the district, telling him that in a few days he would try his strength, with our troops. ; The Nativqs accordingly commenced entrenching themselveß at Te Ranga, but were discovered. by the troops before they, had completed their, pa.. They were immediately attacked. .The loss of the enemy .was 'great I —over a hundred were left jlead on the. field ; amorig3t their liumper was the chief. Rawiri. The following day he' iwas buried on the battle-field,, several of the ■neutral chiefs being "present,'also the officers of, the different regiments then in Tauranga, who. expressed. their appreciation ofy his noble character by saying "Kapai Rawiri,". "Very good Rawiri." The Government provided coffin for the remains of, this worthy chief, and, by the kind permission of the Venerable Arch-" deacon Brown, his (nearly literally) ashes were buried on Tuesday last close ito the grave of Colonel Booth, whose Bufferings; he tried to .alleviate. • We are the interest shown* 'for this brave" and generous chief will go "far, to" ■cement the good feeling now existing between the Europeans and Natives of this district.' ", '■' ■