Ka Haere Nga Whaea Ki Poneke East Coast and Wairoa Parents' Visit to Wellington

Te Ao Hou, December 1967, Page 32

Ka Haere Nga Whaea Ki Poneke East Coast and Wairoa Parents' Visit to Wellington Visiting her daughter. Mrs A. Wamoa, in Wainuiomata at the time of the parents' visit was Mrs Rina Taratoa of Gisborne. On 14 August this year, we parents set off to visit our sons and daughters who board and work in Wellington. Leaving from Hicks Bay, our two bus loads travelled to Wairoa that day, Sir Turi Carroll having invited us to call in there on our way and take part in the farewell to the Governor-General and Lady Fergusson. Sir Turi had accorded one of our party the privilege of presenting Ngati Kahungunu's gifts to Lady Fergusson—a fine kickie kit and a cardigan, hand-woven from sheeps' wool grown locally. Mrs M. Te Kawa, Dominion Vice-President of the Maori Women's Welfare League, presented the gifts. This was a great honour for the Ngatiporou party. Thank you, Turi! The following day, we arrived at the Waiwhetu marae, ‘Arohanui-ki-te-tangata’. where the host tribe welcomed us in the traditional way and Ihaia Puketapu made the speech of welcome. On the Wednesday, we split into two groups. Students from East Coast colleges met a group of overseas students alss watching the carenters at work.

Nō te tekau māt whā o ngā rā o Akuhata 1967, ka haere mātua ki te mātaki i ā mātau tamariki tāne, wāhine hoki, e noho mai rā i Pōneke, E rua ō mātau pahi mai i Wharekahika ki Te Wairoa. Nā Tā Turi Kara te pōwhiri ki a mātau kia peka ki Te Wairoa ki te poropotoaki ki te Kāwana-Tianara me tōna hoa wahine. I tukua mai e Tā Turi mā tētahi o mātau e toku te koha a Ngāti Kahungunu ki a Rēiri Fergusson—he kete kiekie me to poraka mahana, he mea whatu nō ngā wūru hipi o Te Wairoa. Nā Maraca Te Kawa, Dominion Vice-President o te Rōpū Wāhine Māori enei taonga i tuku. He hōnore nui tēnei ki a Ngātiporou. Kia ora, e Turi! Nō tētahi rangi, ka tae mātau ki te marae o Waiwhetū ki ‘Aroha-nui-ki-te-tangata, i reira e tū mai ana te tangata whenua, ka tangi ki ngā mate, ka mihi hoki a Puketapu ki a mātau. Nō te Wenerei, ko wehea kia rua ō mātau continued on page 43 The parents were delighted to meet old friends holding positions of responsibility on assembly lines at the motor factories. National Publicity Studios Mr Holyoake does his best to get a smile from the youngest member of the party