A CENTENARIAN

Waipa Post, Volume 37, Issue 2227, 27 October 1928, Page 4

A CENTENARIAN

LIVED NEAR PIRONGIA. ? ; DEATH OF MRS REYNOLDS. Not many people in this district realised that there was until Thursday a centenarian living Within a few miles of Te Awamutu—in fact, Mrs Reynolds, iof Kawhia Road, Pirongia. * This lady, who was a half-caste j Maori, had lived in the Waipa Valley for practically the whole of her exceptionally long ilife, for she had. attained the wonderful age of 104 years—some say 109 years, and the old lady also maintained that that was her age; but members of her family say she most certainly was 104. Deceased, whose husband pre-deceased her about eighteen years ago, was well known throughout the country-side in earlier years|. but more recently a leg ailment had compellejd her to lead a much quieter life. However, she was able until three years ago to get about her home and grounds. Death occurred early on Thursday morning. She leaves a large- flajnily, including Mrs Retemeyer and Miss Reynolds, of Pirongia district; Mesdames Adams and O’Brien, of Te Kuiti; Mrs Payne, of Taumarunui; and Mrs de Thierry, of Rangiriri. One, son, Mr Tom Reynolds, of Taumarunui, also survives her. Deceased was twice marrieid. Her second husband was at one time a sergeant in the forces operating against the rebellious -Maoris in the Waikato War, and for a long time he was a frequent contributor to the Waikato Times, as district correspondent. He was a verw well-educated man, and it is said that shortly before his death he had prepared a very full historical record of the chief happenings in the Waipa Valley. These were, however, never published, for fire destroyed his hoipe and the collection of manuscripts hq had prepared. Mrs Reynolds was a very interesting personality, and often told of the very early times. She said she remembered when the whole west side of the Waipa River was clothed with bush right to the water’s edge, with only native tracks from village) to village. The efforts of the missionary - instructed Maoris to grow grain crops and the introduction of improved methods or farming were (also subjects she often mentioned. She was in full possession of her faculties almost up to the time of her demise. Her maiden name was Nehe Tepen-e, and for the greater part of her long life she resided a,t Kaipiha, about three miles south of Pirongia, on the banks of the Waipa. The taua of Maori Warriors from Waikato that swept down on the Taranaki and other southern tribes and wreaked vengeance for a real or fancied insult, somewhere, about the year 1831, and the! capture of Pukerangiora pa, at Waitara, w)as 'often referred to by Mrs Reynolds in her reminiscences of her girlhood days. She; declared that she remembered the, preparations for the dispatch of the party southward, and of the gr-eia-t welcome, prepared for the warriors on their return. It is interesting to note that Mrs Reynolds-’ mother was the first native woman in Waikato to embrace Christianity, and her uncle became a native preacher, conducting one of several Maori churches that-were dotted about the Waikato. Another item of interest in this connection is that an old stone bell, used at Tepene’s church in the- early days, is believed to be at present lying, half buried, on a small island in the Waikato River near Churchill.