IMPORTANT HISTORICAL DISPUTE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2853, 18 November 1908, Page 70

IMPORTANT HISTORICAL DISPUTE.

CHIEF HONGI'S ARMOUR. A MAOPI RELIC. WELLINGTON, November 13. The armour of Hongi, the earliest Maori chief to arm the Maori warriors with muskets, has been discovered at Pukehika pa, opposite Jerusalem, on the Wanganui jßiver. There it has been hidden for many years, but Dr Pomarej health officer to the Maoris, heard of its existence, and, with the assistance of a Native sanitary inspector in that district, obtained possession of the trophy. The armour is made to cover back and chest, and, there are gauntlets for the armour, which are greatly injured by rust. The coat of mail was brought to Wellington, and will be lent to the Dominion Museum by"Dr Pomare. - Hongi's helmet was not unearthed, but Dr Pomare states that he knows where to find it. The armour was given to Hongi by King George IV when the adventurous chieftain made a trip to England. Hongi's armour was spoken of with awe and admiration all over the North Island. When Hongi died, which he would not have done so soon, if he had always worn it, the armour still survived, and was 6poken of with fear and trembling. -For about half a century -its whereabouts have been unknown .except to very few. Dr Pomare states that after Hongi's death the armour descended to his relative, the fighting chief Tuwhare. About The end of the twenties this chief led an expedition against the Wanganui tribe, and in the bloody battle which resulted his nephew Tokiwhati, with others of the Nga Puhi, was taken prisoner. Tuwhare, who was wounded in the same fight, "and died shortly afterwards at Mokau, on his way back to the Bay of Islands learned that Tokiwhati was till alive, and entered into negotiations for his release, either as a gift or by ransom. The treasured suit of armour was handed over to Hori Kingi Te Anaua, uncle of the late Major Kemp. The armour was placed in the sacred house at Pukehika, opposite Jeursalem, till the walls of that edifice were tumbling down ; and Hori Pukehika, relative of the lats Hori Kingi, and the present Native sanitary inspector for that district, hearing that " some Europeans were planning how to carry off tie relics, concealed them very carefully near the pa. This was 30 or 40 yearn ago, and the armour lay undisturbed till a few weeks past. Then Hori Pukehika and Dr Pomare sought out the place, and after laborious searching, for the scrub- and other features had changed a great, deal in the interval, discovered the old armour, rusty, but quite recognisable.