Appointed to Maungapohatu

Te Ao Hou, November 1964, Page 4

Appointed to Maungapohatu His first assignment was to assist in felling and splitting the timer and erecting two large temporary classrooms and a dwelling at Ruatahuna. In 1918 he was appointed to Maungapohatu, Rua's stronghold. Rua had just returned from prison and was extremely displeased to find that in his absence, arrangements had been made for a Mission School to be opened by Mr Laughton. Mr Laughton's tact soon won over Rua and a friendship was started that continued until Rua's death. Rua's final instruction was that Mr Laughton was to perform the burial rites, and he also decreed that all the children of his people were to be brought up in the in- Rotorua Post photo The Very Rev. J. G. Laughton, shown here during a trip last year down the Whakatane River, did much of his travelling in the Ureweras on horseback. struction of the Presbyterian Church. During these years Mr Laughton acquired an expert knowledge of the Maori language, and became an authority on the history of the Ureweras. In 1921 Mr Laughton married Miss H. Te Kauru. Throughout his career, Mrs Laughton has ably supported him in his work. In 1926 Mr and Mrs Laughton moved from Maungapohatu to Taupo. He was appointed Assistant Superintendent of Maori Missions in 1933, and became Superintendent in 1936. In 1938 he moved to Whakatane when the headquarters of the Mission was established there. In subsequent years he saw the work of the Mission grow, and each year he covered many thousands of miles by car, horseback and even on foot, visiting his scattered area.