E. -No. 4

No. 4. THE ASSISTANT NATIVE SECRETARY, TARANAKI, TO THE HON. THE COLONIAL SECRETARY. New Plymouth, Bth December, 1864. SlE,— I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of the Acting Native Secretary's letter of the 19th ultimo, conveying instructions to furnish a report containing all I know of the origin and history of the Pai Marire movement, and in reply to state, That the Maori account of the origin of the " Pai Marire " as signifying the name of their new religion is singularly and superstitiously associated with the wreck of the " Lord Worsley." HoropaparaTe Ua, the originator, is a Taranaki Native, and was for years a teacher (Kai karalda.) On the occasion of the "Lord Worslcy" being wrecked he tried very hard to induce the tribe not to interfere with the wreck further than to render assistance, and desired them to allow us free access to the wreck, but having been opposed by the tribe, he was said to have taken their stabborn opposition very much to heart and. went wrong in his mind in consequence thereof. A few months after the wreck of the "Lord Worsley" Horopapara Te TJa came from the Taranaki District with another Native teacher named Totaia, to Eoutoko, Bopata Ngarongomate's place, where he sent for me. I went to them and had a long conversation with them. Totaia was a strong Kingite and wanted peace on their own terms, which required considerable concessions on the part of the Government. Horopapara wanted peace, and would consent to any terms the Government might propose. He said he was a Government man and did not want a Maori King, and on being crossed by Totaia he became very much excited and shewed unmistakeable signs of insanity and madness. Nothing would satisfy him but for me to walk a circle with him, which I did to quiet him, and during the whole time we were doing so, he was repeating the words " Atua Pai Mairire, Hohou i te rongo Pai Marire, Taihunga Pai Marire, Mahi Pai Marire." At that time nothing had been said of a new religion by that name, and the tribe regarded Horopapara as a madman, and kept a watch over him. A snott time after this, he used violence towards the wife of Te Meiha (Big Jack), and in retaliation Te Meiha punished Te Ua severely by beating him and tied him hand and foot. Prom this time the superstitious part of the tradition as regards their Pai Marire commenced. Horopapara states that the Archangel Michael and the Angel Gabriel together with an innumerable host of ministering spirits came ashore from the " Lord "Worsley," and that whilst he was tied hand and foot, as before mentioned, the Angel Gabriel appeared before him the first time and told him to release himself from his bonds, which, with the slightest effort, he did. That on Meiha seeing him released, again seized him and chained him and put a lock upon the chain. That Te Ua then said " What is this to me," and with the slightest effort again burst asunder the chain, and every link was broken and scattered upon the ground, and Horopapara set at liberty. The spectators then began to say among themselves, can he have done this of his own strength or is it some supernatural influence,, and from that time they began to be afraid of him. Te Ua then went to his own place in Upper Taranaki, and on a certain day he was in his house and fell asleep, and was in a trance, when a great light descended from heaven and a voice called to him " to rise and stand on his feet," when he saw a great multitude of every race upon earth. A voice then said to him " Horopapara goout of your house, take your son and kill him." Horopapara took his son and twisted the leg until the bone broke in several places. A voice then cried " Horopapara spare your son." The Angel Gabriel then said " take your son and wash him in water." He took his son to a river called Wairau (in the Upper Taranaki District) and washed him and the leg was restored whole as the other. The Angel Gabriel then said to him "go back to your house and erect a niu." Horopapara enquired of the Angel what a Niu was ? The Angel replied " a post " Horopapara enquired, for what purpose. The Angel replied " Work for you for the acquirement of the languages of all races upon earth." Horopapara enquired of the Angel who was to impart to him the gift of languages. The Angel replied " The Spirit of God passing with the winds will teach you." Horopapa then asked the Angel "What of the winds ?" The Angel replied "As thewinds of heaven proceed to all quarters of the globe, so from the Niu proceeded all the different forms of religion upon earth." The Angel Gabriel then sung the following Hymn " Te Waiatu Aroha a Kapariera mo tona iwi tukirikau, Motu Hawke Atua Pai Marire, Atua Pai Marire, rire, rire, Atua Tamaiti Pai Marire, Atua Wairua Tapu Pai Marire rire, Kia whakakaroria kia koe c Ihowa i te takiwa o tenei ao And the throne, and the throne, and the throne, rire rire. The last sentence is said to have been spoken as written. This Gabriel's song of love to his people standing naked—Motu Hawke B

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HAU HAU SUPERSTITION AMONG THE MAORIES.