A TINK’S LETTER.

Taranaki Daily News, 22 November 1930, Page 8 (Supplement)

A TINK’S LETTER.

Here is part of a letter from Stella Steele, Tariki, for you to read, Tinks:— We had a day at Rotorua. When we left Te Aroha we got into higher country. For miles we were passing young pine plantations, and then-we came into the bush country. It . was lovely to look-out across the country to the lake when we were going; down the hill to the Maori town. One would think the place was on fire, hut it is the steam from the boiling pools. At first I did not like the idea of walking amongst the pools and sulphur, but after i while I got used to it and thoroughly enjoyed myself. The model pa is a wonder alone. Their gods, the priest’s whare, meeting house and everything were wonderfully carved. The fence round the pa is (or ■was) used as a trap for their enemies. It is. a double fence at the two main entrances, then as it gets further on to the exit it closes. The enemies of the Maoris in the pa would creep along between the two walls, thinking that they would be able to get right round, but they would be .i trapped. Maggie Papakura was playing up thirty or forty feet. It looked beautiful. Even the church (Maori) is not on firm ground. It has a .pipe out from under it to let the steam out. , As we were leaving Whaka the little dark boys were diving for pennies in a deep streanj.