HAERE KI O KOUTOU TIPUNA HAERE KI O KOUTOU TIPUNA

RAHARIHI PURURU The death occurred at Rotorua on Tuesday of M. Raharihi Pururu, O.B.E., at the age of 86. He was the son of Christopher Maling and Pua Raharihi, who was also known as Kirikaiahi Raharihi and as Pua Renata. Pururu was his grandfather's name. He was better known among his people as Ruhi Pururu. In his early years he was an outstanding athlete, especially good as a long-distance runner. Always interested in land development, Mr Pururu and his wife took up a property in the Rotoiti district, where he became a leading figure in the land development of Ngati Pikiao, of which his wife, Rangi Titiahoa Ngahuia, was a member. Better known as Rangi Ngahuia Vercoe, she was a daughter of the late Henry Vercoe of Tauranga. With his wife, Mr Pururu farmed a property known as Tokerau. In 1930, to assist the late Sir Apirana Ngata in his Maori land development scheme, he returned to Horohoro, and due to his influence land there was placed at the disposal of Sir Apirana for his scheme. Horohoro land, therefore, was placed not only at the disposal of Arawa people, but also for Maori settlers from the Wairoa and East Coast tribes. Together, they laid the foundation for the success of Sir Apirana's scheme. Mr Pururu was one of the prominent leaders of Te Arawa. He was awarded the Order of the British Empire for his services to both Maori and European. At Horohoro, Mr Pururu was responsible for the building of a meeting house, and he also supervised the building of a church there. At a large hui held at Turangawaewae Pa, Ngaruawahia last October, the Prime Minister and Minister of Maori Affairs, Mr Holyoake, together with Mrs Holyoake and four of his family, paid

MRS JEREMIAH ORMSBY Mrs Jeremiah Ormsby who was formerly Miss Ngapaki Tana, a well-known and respected Maori resident of the King Country, passed away at her daughter's residence at Waitete, Te Kuiti, last Sunday. She was 90 years of age. Born at Kapiha near Pirongia, she was the daughter of James Turner and a grand-daughter of William Turner, a figure famed in Northern King Country history. William Turner left England in 1828 and after a short sojourn in Sydney came to New Zealand arriving at Port Waikato on the “Sydney Packet,” a trading ship dealing in sealskins and flax in the year, 1834. A handsome Maori chieftainess, Ripeka Tangi of the Ngati Koraki tribe, Waikato, was betrothed to him in marriage and James Turner, the father of Ngapaki was the issue of that union. James Turner married a Maniapoto-Ngatirora, Atiria Hamuera whose tribal lands were at Waitete.

KOPUA WAIHI A well-known farmer of the Tikitiki district was killed when his clothing became entangled in the shaft of a milking machine late on Saturday afternoon, September 21. He was Mr Kopua Waihi, aged 58, married, of Whakawhitira. Mr Waihi was demonstrating a separator to one of his daughters in the milking shed on his dairy farm. When his clothing became entangled he received fatal injuries before the machine could be stopped. Mr Waihi was a winner of the Ahuwhenua farming trophy five years ago. The Prime Minister, Mr Holland, made the presentation to him at the time of the unveiling of the memorial stone to Sir Apirana Ngata, at Tikitiki. A few days before he passed away, he was presented with a miniature of the trophy by the head of the Maori Affairs Department, Mr. Ropiha.

MISS ALICE KARETAI The death of a well-known South Island Maori personality, 95 years old Miss Alice Karetai, occurred recently. Miss Karetai lived at Harrington Point, inside the Otago Harbour heads. Miss Karetai had a direct connection with a shipwreck which occurred in the early days of the colonisation of Otago. In 1861 the inter-colonial Royal Mail Packet Company's steamer Victory was beached on the Otago heads. The Maori people assisted the immigrants and crew over the hill to their own settlement and generally aided them in their plight. The captain of the steamer, Mr James Toogood, stayed with the Karetai family following that incident, and it was he who suggested that Miss Karetai be called Alice after Queen Victoria's daughter.