TAPU BROKEN

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 18817, 21 September 1935, Page 15

TAPU BROKEN

YOUNG MAN’S DEATH During tlie construction of one of tho main East- Coast roads in the very early days, the surveyors laid tho line ol the road through the fringe of tlie bush, but one day the Maori construction gang came to a stubborn full-stop, writes “J.T.W., Tnuranga,” in the Dominion Tho foreman was a young Englishman (wo can call him Smith), lately out from Home. He demanded an explanation and the Maoris gave it unwillingly. There, was a rata tree in the line of the road, and it was “tapu,” a very sacred tree. To fell the tree would bring disaster upon all connected with the work, and the man who laid axe to it would surely die. The young Englishman ridiculed, and commanded and swore, but- to no avail. Not a man in tho gang would move. Finally ho seized an, axe, “Then I’ll drop the treo myself,” ho announced. It was a burning mid-summer day, and he worked in the full beat of the sun. Tho men stood around in a sullen muttering group, and as the treo cracked and groaned and fell, an answering groan seemed to come from tho Maoris. “Now, there’s your sacred tree!” said Smith, wiping the sweat out of his eves, “Get back to work!” Thatwas an hour before noon, and at sunset Smith was lying in his tent, stricken with some strange unconsciousness from which he never rallied. Tho last- lucid thing the men remember hearing him Say was “It’s only sunstroke. Nothing to do with the tree!”