MAORI WAR RELIC

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19313, 1 May 1937, Page 4

MAORI WAR RELIC

NATIVE CHIEF'S SWORD LORD GALWAY’S INTEREST REPLACEMENT REQUESTED Members of the Te Araroa-Hicks Bay section of the Ngatiporou tribe have been delighted by a further manifestation by the Governor-General, Viscount Galway, in the request placed before His Excellency dui’ing his recent visit to the East Coast, concerning the possible replacement of a sword of honour which was damaged-by fire in recent years.

The weapon was presented to Mokepa Kohere, a leading Ngatiporou chief, in recognition of his services to Queen Victoria und, the New ‘Zealand Government during the years of the Maori wars. Its associations had given it a peculiar significance to the people, of Mokena Ko,here’s district, and when.it suffered serious damage, in the regent fire, much concern was felt.

It was suggested to Dol'd Galway during his visit to the Coast that through his- influence the Home Government might be induced to replace the swbl'd with another, and His Excellency promised that he would give consideration to the matter.

By official instruction, the sword has now been forwarded by the descendants of Mokena. Kohere to the GovernorGeneral at Auckland, with the object of having it dispatched to London for examination. Though the weapon has lost its most handsome decorations, and doubtless also its temper, in the ordeal by fire, it is thought that it might be possible to restore it to its original condition. Naturally, if this is possible, the tribal owners of the relic will value it more highly than they would another iword, since Mokena Kohere’s weapon carries with it historic associations which could attach to no other.

The damaged sword is one of four presented to chiefs of the East Coast and Wairoa districts. Those who shared with Mokena Kohere this signal mark -of Queen Victoria’s regard were Major Renata Wahawaha, of the Waiapu, Tata Nihoniho, of Waipiro Bay, and Ihaka Whaanga, of Nuliaka. Tlie descendants of each of these chiefs treasure the tokens of a record of loyalty* and sustained courage, which with each decade acquire additional significance.