WHANGARA ISLAND.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume L, Issue 16578, 6 November 1924, Page 2

WHANGARA ISLAND.

PORTION- SOLD TO PUBLIC WORKS

DEPARTMENT

PLACE. OF HISTORIC INTER ETS,

Tlie Native Washing-up Bill (.states our Wellington correspondent) contains provision tor the acquisition by the Public Works Department of three acres of land at Whangara. Island, to be used for the. purpose of a quarry. The natives from whom the land is being bought are to receive £SOO for their interest, and’ a condition of the purchase is that no graves shall b e disturbed. Whangarii Island 1 , i.s a place teeming with historic interest, and if the'rocks chuld only speak they could tell many strange tales oE the early Maoris when cannibalism, was rife. One totara tree stump is preserved down to the present day, and the Maori legends have it- that this was where the victims were prepared for the feast. Oaves are scattered all over the island, and it, was without doubt one of the earliest Maori burial grounds in. New Zealand. The money which is being paid for tlie quarry will he handed over to a fund for tlie preservation of the graves and th© general improvement of the reserve.

(hie point of outstanding interest, which proves conclusively that Hawaii was the original home of the Maoris, is that from Whangara Island to Cook’s Cove the Maori names lor tho various bays and headlands coincide exactly with those of Ha.wniiki. In some, cases there is marked similarity between the headlands along the coast and those of Hawaii!*i, and these bear the same names.

Whangara Island was the rradle of the Ngatiporr/u tribe, and some of the most famous chiefs \vero born in the pa there.