THE HISTORY OF WAITARA

Taranaki Daily News, 17 June 1930, Page 3

THE HISTORY OF WAITARA

WANDERING MAORI TRIBES BIG BATTLE OF PUKERANGIORA. FIRST SHOT FIRED IN MAORI WAR In an address on “The Early History of Waitara,” Mr. W. H. Skinner outlined. the history of the town and district from the earliest days to modern times before a large attendance of Anglican parishioners at Waitara last evening. Archdeacon G. IL Gavin introduced Mr. Skinner and thanked him for his visit.

Although Waitara was one of the very historic parts of New Zealand, said Mr. Skinner, little history had been gathered there about the Maoris. In the early days of the war, 70 years ago, a good deal had been known about the Maoris, but it had not been set down. “Thin coast," he said, “extending from Oakura to Awakino, is one of the historic parts of New Zealand as regards the ancient Maori. But we have nothing definite before the journeys of Turi and Manaia from the Central Pacific about 500 years ago. Tradition, however, says that when’Toi-kai-rakau came to New Zealand 800 years ago he landed at Tongaporutu and he found this part of New Zealand inhabited by a branch of the Polynesian people.”

Even 500 years ago places like Urenui were known in Tahiti, because when Turi and Manaia came to New Zealand from the Central Pacific they made for these places. Turi landed at Aotea, beyond Kawhia, journeyed overland and, named the places as he came. He named Waitara from “tara nga,” or “wide steps," which h had to take to get across the mouth of the river. The only relic of the migration of these early Maori people, said Mr. Skinner, was the great anchor now at the New Plymouth museum, the anchor of the great canoe in which the Maoris migrated. When Manaia came to Waitara, according to Sir George Grey there was a tradition that he destroyed the inhabitants and took possession of the land.

Another tradition of the origin of the name Waitara was that about the chief Ngaruhe. He was, said to have lived in a village on the Waitara River about where the old ford was. Ngaruhe went to Kawhia and settled there, but he waa twitted with being an interloper and returned. His son when he grew up asked after his absent father and his mother told him he would-find him with his magic dart. The son, Wharematangi, threw the dart and followed it from Kawhia until it lodged on the door of his father’s whare. So the Ngaruhe’s people claimed that the full name of the river was Waitara-nui-a- ■ Ngaruhe. Properly, said Mr. Skinner, it should be Whai tara, which meant “follow the dart.” DESECRATION OF BONES. About 150 years ago there was a quarrel between the Ngamotu people and the tribes between Waitara and Waiongona. Some bones of an ancestor, had been made int > fish points. A great canoe full of the Miro-ora men sailed down the I'iver after dusk, with ' 200 warriors. They came to Ngamotu at dawn and pretended to be hauling up many fish. The Sugar Loaf people rushed to man their, canoes to go out fishing. The men in the war canoe, who had been hidden, fell upon the Sugar Loaf people and killed several hundreds. During the early civilisation of New Zealand there was unrest through the gathering of firearms. Tn 1821 an expedition of the Te Amio-whenua tribes set out from the Bay of Islands and i Waikato and sailed to Wellington, kill- | ing as they went. Then they turned up along the west coast and came into Waitara.

At that time Rauparalia was moving south with his tribe and was resting at Urenui. As he was a sworn enemy to the Bay of Islands and Waikato people he stirred up trouble against them. The tribe was penned in the Waitara reserve and eventually came to Pukerangiora. The Pukerangiora people sheltered them, but for seven months they were besieged by the Atiawa/tribe until another expedition came down to them and a great battle was fought at Waitara. For some reason Rauparaha allowed the defeated warriors to rejoin their people at Pukerangiora. But this gave the cause for war and. in 1831 the northern Maoris came down again and fought the great battle of Pukerangiora, where the’ Maoris threw themselves over the cliffs and the chief’s arm grew tired with killing. After this came a time when Waitara was deserted. In 1840 Dr. Dieffenbach recorded that there was not a single Maori between the Sugar Loaves and Mokau. The earliest written account of the river was that of Mr. Fred Carrington, who took part in the inspection of the sites for the town. He found the country beautiful and fertile. Mr. Skinner himself had it first hand from his people that the Waitara was a most beautiful river.

WHITE MAN’S BOUNDARY. People took up land in Waitara in 1842 and 1843 and the early land-holders had struggles with the Maoris. A large

pole just beyond the Waiwakaiho River was erected by the Maoris to mark the white man’s boundary. The pole was carved, and on the bottom of it was a white man with his knees knocking together. On the top was a Maori doing a haka. Anywhere north of that pole the white man was not to go. One of the earliest settlers in Waitara who persisted in holding on to his land the Maoris ducked in the river, holding him under until he promised to give it up. As the people from Waitara went into the town, said Mr. Skinner, they passed a brick fence with “Mount Pleasant” on it. On the little rise to the west of the house the first shot was fired in the Waitara war which spread all over the North Island. The artillery on that rise fired at the pa on the sea side of Big Jim’s Hill. The headquarters of the troops was for a time on the Waitara Camp Reserve. The streets of Waitara had historical names, said Mr. Skinner. Hume Street, Wood Street and Norman Street were all named after naval officers. Then .there was McNaughton, the artillery man. Pratt was after General Pratt, officer in command of the Imperial forces. Cameron Street was after General Cameron, commander in 1862. Stafford and McLean were after ministers. Tavish Street was after the commissioner. Carrington Street, of course, was named after the man who was called the father of the province. Mould was the officer in charge of the Royal Engineers. Strange was a military cap- [ tain and Blake and Cracroft naval men on the Niger. Brown was after a New Plymouth merchant. Domett was a Minister of the Crown and a friend of Browning. Atkinson was after Major Atkinson. Jackson was a lieutenant. Gould and Carey, too, were military men. Richmond was a Minister of the Crown. Seymour was after Commodore Seymour. Parris was attached to the ministry, was ambuscaded and killed. Sarten was first to be killed in the Waitara war. Shaw was killed at Omata and King Street was named after Captain King, who was killed near New Plymouth. After the address songs were given by Miss Rowe and recitations by Major Joll. Supper was served by the ladies of the church and the evening closed with a dance.