Public Opinion MAKUTU

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 85, Issue 298, 18 December 1941, Page 4

Public Opinion

MAKUTU

S.r, A small p.» cv uf land on the ri. ■ i i. »e com. . is*ng 3u acres, which was gAen to Fadd> s Market by my late wife has a history. Two old people Lving there (husband ana wiit-t, the husuand Takaka shot an a •.no >a a lui with a , irlion <>f th- nud> white. He ale a ioi’iion with th»- result that he was dpintvd a.’.ay io Ruapehu. a matter of fact Takaka disap- ; .I unnif .:ate.y and was away for mouths and was given up for <kai. At thr end of a considerable , lhe o.d man returned just as <iddenly as he had left. When questioned as to what he ate he said he haii i.vrd on his blood. 1 saw the old man. m fad. 1 stayed the night with him and his wile. He was m good health and spoke quite freelv. but all the hunt of his bod> was deeply •» ar: rd. From his feet to his neck ther aas not a jn»rtH>n that was not de ; Mailed nut had completely healed. I don't Know it this i use of Makutu has ever been iej»orted. In 1880 in coming through the bush fro:.. Karioi to Ranana <on the riveri .’..th a large oody oi natives one o! the jarlv. a woman, the wife of the late Thus. Adamson V.C.. shot a pigeon. When it feii she dropped her gun and tan quite a distance before she stopped. I saw her running and guessed that it was a n.anu tan a.mno’ teho and 10.-t no time in hiding it. Furtunatelv no one saw me recovering the bird, which 1 immediately hid. I pon our arrival al Banana I took the first chance offering and sent to to Mr. Drew. It is now in the museum and may oe in a 4lass case where it was for some years before forwarding to the museum.—l am, etc.. G. McGREGOR.