NOTED MAORI DEAD.

Otago Witness, Issue 2849, 21 October 1908, Page 15

NOTED MAORI DEAD.

A LINK WITH THE PAST. CHRI&TCHURCH, October 11. The Kaikoura correspondent of the Press telegraphs that a very old Native identity, liiaia Poreke Te Awanui, passed away at Maungamaunu on Wednesday. The cause of death was eenile decay, lhaia, who was a promir-ipfc chief of the Ngaittihu tiibe, wab born in the Kaikoura district. He was at Kaiapoi at the time the famous Rauparaha made his descent on that pa after that warrior's raids on Kaikoura, and was taken prisoner. lhaia did not suffer the fate of some of hie less fortunate comrades in captivity— that of being eaten. After being a prisoner for eeveral years, he escaped, and made hia way to the* Auckland province. He spent his* prime principally in that locality, though he made occasional journeys southwards. He was for many years engaged, in whaling about the Bay of Islands. About 35 years ago lhaia returned to the Kaikoura district, where he had resided ever since. lhaia, who was a typical Maori of the old stamp, was born in 1816, and was therefore 93 years of age. A big tangi is proceeding at the pa.

An old font, at whioh the novelist George Eliot was baptised, has been discovered at Chilvera Coton, in Warwickshire. It was often used by those famous characters, Mr Gilfil and the Rev. Amos Barton, former incumbents of Chilvers Colon.