THE TAHORAITE O TIARO, (RUNANGA HOUSE.)

Woodville Examiner, Volume 1, Issue 24, 19 December 1883, Page 2

THE TAHORAITE O TIARO, (RUNANGA HOUSE.)

On Saturday kit, we paid a visit to the now Maori meeting lions*, lat L erected *t TVroraite, by Mr E. V, Dixo -1 , for the natives, -and confess otirselvea snrrrhcl at.the size, elaborate get-up, and general finish of the bail !- ing A short description of tie same may bs found of intrrast to our raiders, who probably have not men iho hons—we mar state that the natives kind y reserved tho right to the Kx\m[xkr repreientUiro of being the fir-t newspaper m*n to go through the building and report thereon, and are espectii.ly anxious to get the matt r T-cognised bv Europeans. The entrance tc the building is adorned by a spicious kind of porch, which is ornamented witi carvings—which, though ancient, are most exquisitely oicoented, by means ol the most insvertiriug labo >r o c d men an 1 women, and with the most primitive tools, Some of the d•■signs may he, by some, considered obscene, y-d, nnnn full oxn’iinatiort bv tho native’.

such a theory will he foun 1 to be fallacious. We may state that ia our visit we found the Maoris most courteous, and o'ligirig, nflor'dinar us all the information wo d.'sirs h Tho le iding symbol in the porch is the rcp’oscntotion of a man, bearing upon his shoulder a woman, who is with child. This figure is full of religious meaning, and may briefly bo interpretol thus: That the husband should c:r V the burdens of his wife through, 1 fe. Then th-'rc are figures cm' lmna' : cal of the "roat native orators * f the olden times. Tho-e may ha seen to bo holding’ their tongues with ti e r right hand —meaning that they have ta ked so furiously, and to such great length, and yet to the point, as to r.nier farther harangue unnecessary, they consequently “ hold their tongues.” Then again, a-e the worn n, who, endowed by nature’s blessed gift of speech, are quit i unable to constrain therase v- s, and “talk they will,” the most repulsive < ontortions o' ’ace being represented, while, perha >s quite opposite you b diold an rangilira whh a mere in hand, threatening thes* viru'ous old dames with utter annihilation unleis they ho d their peace. There 13 the symbol cf tho chief, who has been so aggrieved by the ac'ims of sotr.O members of Ida hnpa } tint in his ratre, ho has decapitate 1 himself, :nd really the contortions of that puticulr visage aro wo;h the «<cing. Tiie cannibal is also r presented by a monster image of one cf New Z ;a l ands most ferocio’ S savages, This gentleman is seen iu the act of demoli-hing the infant of a capture i foe, the child having disappears! wlr lo down t o ferocious mullet with the exception of the Imnd which, according to the design of this monster is the last portion seen of the child in its transit. Many other symbolical figures ofa similar description are also represented; and which are real'y interesting. Upon entering the building, one is struck with surprise at tho e'a borate finish of the interim". Tha whole building is trebly lined, a« it were. The inside coating is composed of a most beautifully wrought kinl o' net-work of various colours, made of toHoi gia-gia> and flax. Next to thes* is the bearded wall, and las ly, the iron of which some four tons hav n beenus-diu the building. The rilge polo of the house is in two pieces, and c nt iins no less than 2, GUO feet of limber ; the rafkrs 250 feet bach, and tho Centre ■ 22 fret long, and 2x Gx Gluchrs in «>,*, all best heart of tot'ra, ami hewn by the natives themselves. * fo ;t the hu l bng is 9 inches highei than tho rear; this was according to design, in order t" receive the full bnvdits of the early Rl]u the house front being due east. li-,sido the doo-, which is a massire ■ tamed glass sliding one, are two Urge, handsome mirrors, which add much to the general apre-aranco. and greatly greatly plen»os the natives. In the centre, of the, building aro nm p-iat ings drawn bv Mr Dixon, and representing th<* srn, moon, stars, a comet and tha Globe, all of which we wore given to underhand are of old natirj tradition*'. The main s ipp irting postn in tho centre, n n e 20 feet apart, between each of which are to be hung hand: nine cliandalicrs of four lights each, thus giving an immense lighting powers On truth upright down the sides of the building of wln'ch there are 4G, nil of ercat size, there are fixed two hat-pegs, besides other conreuif nemi, The roof la most beautifully underlaid with the toi reeds, ond coy. rod with board nl iron. It is estmaod that thorn is fully 20,000 foot o I timber used above ground, and ns great a quantity under ground as tha louiulatioe, which is most cubit, antinl and massive, lln whole of ihe building bus been neatly c ivured with tho best Jiiuleum, by Messrs Bentley Urns., cf Palm rston North, and their wa'k, mi! materia appaim tly gives tho native , tho great-o-t aalisfnclion. Tho i HS de (lemonsi ms of the building are ppp. by 3lfl. Iho natives particuUjJy i-c piested us slate in our report on this building, to lb it the p&Lehas will bn received at any time with cutdialiiy a t tio /i nrayn md conducted pun bull nng, and. if desired, all possible explanation*, vifl bo brartilv aiven