A Forgotten Maori-Leader

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19333, 25 May 1937, Page 10

A Forgotten Maori-Leader

Sir,— References to past incidents which took place in Poverty Bay and the East Coast, and to personages hardly heard of to-day or known only to a few, occasionally appear in your columns. The fact shows that the history of the district is not yet fully written or an impartial historian is awaited to place on record all authentic incidents and the doings of men and women who played their part in the history of Poverty Bav and the East Coast.

One such' reference appeared in your issue, of May 15. in the interesting recollections of Mrs. Mere Kingi Paraone Hatapu. The centenarian mentioned how the Ngati-Povou chief, Mokena Kohero, endeavoured to persuade the local tribes not- to join the llauhau movement. To impress his countrymen, the chief carried the Union .lack. Unfortunately, Kohero was able, to persuade only two, one of whom, was the chief, Tamihana Ruatapu. It was Tamihana, although a loyalist, who ceded the Kaimoc block to the Crown as some atonement for the sins of his people. His descendants are to ho found to-day at Manutuko. The late Lady l Carroll was related to Mokena Kohero'' and 1 heard her say in Hie Native Land Court that but for .Mokena Kohero, she and her people would have been massacred by Te Kooti’s men, and even then her grandfather, Paratene Turangi, perished at the hands of the rebels.

We read in Bishop W. L. W illiams’ “East Coast Historical Records,” which were published in the Herald a few years ago, that to inspire the local tribes to remain steadfast, Mokena Kohero hoisted the. Union Jack on the hank of the Waikanac. When lie iound he was unable to save the inland tribes he, according to Mere Kingi, took .immediate stops to break up the Hanliau movement in Poverty Bay, which he bad already accomplished on the Coast. Mokena. Koliere was one of the few owners of the land on which Gisborne now stands, and who sold it to the Government for about £2OOO, although they asked for a much larger sum. References to Mokena Kohcre were published in the Herald in connection with the recent visit, to tho Coast, of the Governor-General and Lady Galway. The handsome sword presented by Queen Victoria- to the chief was lost in a lire and a request was made that the sword might lie replaced. It was given to .Mokena. Koliere in recognition of his valour during the llauhau war. A similar sword also was presented to Major Ropata, who became, prominent, in tho. pursuit of Te Kooti. It came nut, also that, owing to Mokena Kolicrc’s influence, not an acre of the Ngatiporou territory was confiscated by the Government for till’ part- the tribe took in tho llauhau rebellion. Mokena Kohero, on his own responsibility, pardoned the rebels after he had made them salute the Union Jack. It is common knowledge amongst I lie Ngatiporou that tho rebels, alter the fall of Hiuigaliungatoroa. would have been slaughtered according to Maori custom hut for Mokena Koliere s intervention.

In a recent book, the recollections ol a missionary who laboured on the Const in 1845, there are reforenr.es I<> the noble character of the Ngatiporou chid and it is mentioned Hint to allay the