MAORI FORTIFICATIONS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 74, Issue 191, 14 August 1931, Page 7

MAORI FORTIFICATIONS

A FINE EXAMPLE : Tho Hawera County contains one of the finest known examples of Maori fortifications, admitted by military experts to be as good as any conceived by European engineers. Near the side of the Turuturu-Mokai redoubt tho old pa of the same name occupies a magnificent strategical position, and tho restoration work now far 1 advanced shows how well the natives availed themselves of tho natural ad- ' vantages of tho spot. The histoy of the ‘ ancient walled pa called TuruturuMokai is shrouded in mystery. It is known, however, says an exchange, that ' it is more than 13 generations old. and was captured bv the Ngati-Tupaea tribo. When military settlors occupied the country in 1866-67. tho NgatiTunaea wont inland for a few miles, and fixed their headquarters at Puke tarata. Since then tho ancient stronghold has boon deserted Tho restoration of the ruins has boon undertaken on a comprehensive scale by a committee rpnointod bv the Hawera Borough nnd the Hawera County Councils. Unemployed labour has boon used on a task that when completed, will make Turuturu Mokai one of tho show spots of No* Zealand.