NOTICES AND ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS.

Waka Maori, Volume 12, Issue 16, 8 August 1876, Page 183

NOTICES AND ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS.

Rihari Mete, of Hokianga, writes that Te Rangitaiki, of Ohira, whose decease is noticed in our Obituary, met with, his death by accident. He was out with his dogs catching his young pigs, for the purpose of ear-marking them. Having marked one, he let it go, and proceeded to catch another, but his dogs, in spite of his endeavours to prevent them, continually fastended on to the one which, he had already marked. At length becoming exasperated, he cut a manuka stick with which to chastise the brutes; then, with his right knee upon the ground, he struck one of them a smart blow on the back, and in doing so, inflicted a severe wound upon his leg. Finding that a profuse haemorrhage ensued, he bound up the wound, with his trousers, which he tore up for the purpose, and then managed to crawl home, where he arrived late at night. He lingered for twenty-nine days, and then died. Rihari Mete says that the Natives are of opinion that the man's life might have been saved if a European doctor had been living at Hokianga, and they think the Government ought to station one there. —If a community of Pakehas require a doctor to settle among them, they subscribe money for that purpose. We advise the Maoris of Hokianga to do the same. Kaeena te Maka-o-Tawhaki, of Turakina, writes that a " strange bird " has made its appearance in that district. He says,—" About the commencement of June, I went up the Turakina River to look at the country. During my absence the women observed a large bird, which came close to the Maori Settlement. They went to catch it, with the intention of feeding it; but certain Pakehas, who were engaged excavating stones on the river side, ran tip and secured it by striking it with a shovel. The women wanted the Pakehas to surrender it to them, but they refused, and took ib away in their cart. The next day, however, it returned to the Native Settlement and remained there. When I returned I saw it there, and the

■women told me how cruelly the Pakehas had treated it. They had cut one of its wings. After it had been at our settlement about two weeks, another Pakeha saw it -walking about near the settlement, he caught it and took it to his home intending to sell it. He tied it by the leg for a -whole day and a night -without food. I was very angry with him, and made him return it to the settlement. I and my friends have it now in our keeping, but I doubt if it will survive the cruel treatment it received from the Pakehas. We are feeding it, however. It is a black bird, with a red tinge; its bill is seven inches in length, hooked like a kaka's beak, and as hard and white as a boar's tu9k; it is twice the size of a goose; the length of its two wings, including its body, is eleven feet; the colour under the wings is -white. I never saw so large a bird before. It is a most beautiful and graceful bird to look at. Some of the Maoris say it is a HoJcioi —a bird which lives in the expanse of the Heavens ; but I think it is a water bird, for its feet are webbed like those of birds which swim on the water. Doubtless, it was blown hither from some island of the ocean. If it were in good condition, it would probably weigh forty pounds." Tuta Nihoniho, of Wharepapa, East Coast, thinks Judge Rogan, of the Native Land Court, is a fair and impartial Judge; he gives every man a fair hearing, each one can advance his claims freely, and whoever has right on his side is right, and whoever has wrong is wrong. Te Wehi, of Otago Heads.—We have duly received your letter, with the portrait of the sick white woman enclosed, for which we beg to tender you our thanks. The Maoris are in error; she merely falls into a state of trance —a state in which the soul seems to have passed out of the body. We shall try to publish your letter in our next issue. Apeba te Paea Maniheea, of Whanganui, wonders why the Maoris cannot get a fair price for their potatoes and other produce in that town. He says the Maoris of Whanganui are loyal subjects of the Queen, and he thinks, therefore, that the Pakehas ought to give them as liberal a price for their produce as he is informed the Maoris get in other towns of the colony. We cannot clear up the difficulty. Possibly the Maoris of Whanganui are more industrious than those of other places, and cultivate so largely as to glut the market. ; Paoea Poutini, of Jerusalem, Whanganui. We shall publish your lament for your lost pipe in due time. Mr. Jeffs, of Wellington, has shown us a Keitiki (greenstone neck ornament) which was dug out of the ground on the site of the old Maori Settlement at Kumutoto. Possibly it is some old family relic. Any person interested may obtain possession of it by the payment of a sum of money to Mr. Jeffs. We are in receipt of an unusual number of letters, some of which are trivial and unimportant. We purpose noticing as soon as possible the letters of Piripi Ropata, Hoani Maka, Poari Kuramate, Toroa Pupu, Tiwhanga Haumate, and several others. Some of them we shall probably print in full. Mr. Wi Tako Ngatata begs to acknowledge, with thanks, the receipt of a piece of wedding-cake, from Natanahira Wi Parata (son of Wi Parata, late M.H.R.) who, a few weeks ago, was married to Wareta te Uira H. Taipua, at Otaki, by the Rev. James McWilliams. Wi Tako gave a luncheon to a party j of his friends in Wellington in commemoration of the auspicious event, on which occasion sundry bottles of good old port i were discussed, and the guests retired delighted with the hospitality of their generous host.

Subscriptions received:— 1876.—From George Kelly, Esq., for Huirama Tutariri, of Mangonui 0 10 0 „ From E. W. Puckey, Esq., for Hakipene Hum, of Hikutaia, Thames 0 10 0 ., K. W. "Woon, Esq., E. M., of Whanganui, 1874-75. —HoriteHana 0 10 0 1875-76.—Reihana Kauki 0 10 0 „ Poari Remi 0 10 0 1S76.—-John A. Field, Esq 0 10 0 „ T. Hanson, Esq. ... 0 10 0 „ Aperaniko Tamaiti 0 10 0 j, Tuhaia, of Tuhua ... 0 10 0 £4 10 0