OPTIMIST CLUB

Wairarapa Daily Times, 7 October 1936, Page 2

OPTIMIST CLUB

ADDRESS BY REV. D. McNEUR. There was a good attendance of young men at the meeting of the Optimist Club, held last evening. The speaker was the Rev. D. McNeur, who told the story of the last raid made on . the Southland Maoris. He described | Te Puoho’s remarkable exploit in making an overland journey down the West Coast of the South Island. After a terrific struggle the party came out over the Haast Pass. Here, after further privations, they Arrived at the Mataura River about Christmas time, 1836. Here they met with other Maoris, some of whom were taken prisoners as the raiders continued their journey. The Tuturau Pa fell into their hands and Te Puoho made the mistake of settling there. The news was carried further south and Natives from Ruapuki Pa engaged the raiders at Tuturau and the former victors [were almost wholly destroyed. Only one escaped and lived to make his way back .over almost impossible country to Parapara. Many of the captured North Island Natives man-aged-to escape at a later date, however, their escape being effected by means of a whaling boat which put into Ruapuki at about that time. The centenary of these events is to be celebrated in Southland in December of this year and it is intended to convert the . old battleground into a picnic and sports ground, which Mr McNeur considered an excellent idea. On the motion of Mr: P. Wingfield Mr McNeur was accorded a hearty vote of thanks for his exceedingly in-teresting-address.