To Taupo By Waggonette by Bill Hammond Mr Bill Hammond, who lives at Thornton's Bay, Thames, tells here the vividly-recollected story of a holiday spent 67 years ago in the Rotorua-Taupo district. Mr Hammond is aged 95. it was in January 1898 that I first met Hone Ratema of Wai-iti, Rotoiti. I was on holiday in Rotorua, staying at ‘Lake View’, the proprietor of which was Mr William Seddon. ‘Lake View’ was below Pukeroa Hill and overlooked Ohinemutu Pa on the shores of the lake. Three of my fellow boarders, Ernest Walters, headmaster of the Hikutaia School, James Crombie, saddler of Wisemans, Auckland, and Ed Drinkwater, french polisher of Tonson Garlicks, Auckland, went off one day to Rotoiti on a pig hunting expedition. They returned full of gusto with pigs' tails decorating their hats and accompanied by the two Maori friends who had provided the good hunting. These were Hone Ratema and Takuira. the party had decided to make a trip to Taupo and I was delighted to accept an invitation to join them. I borrowed a rug from Mr Seddon, bought myself a khaki suit and an enamelled mug and plate from the store and set gaily off with the others in Hone's waggonette.

By Way of Horohoro We went be way of Horohoro where we stayed the night. The people gave us a wonderful welcome and we made many lasting friendships. I remember Wharerahi Ratema was there and Raharuhi Pururu. Also Pore, Kingi, Keho and that fine old lady Kirikaiahi Renata who was Raharuhi's mother. That night the big meeting-house was full of speeches of welcome, haka and song provided by the tangata whenua. On our behalf our party leader, sixteen stone Ernest Walters, contributed two tenor solos—‘Queen of the Earth’ and ‘Sister Mary Walks Like This’. Indeed Ernest brought the house down with his ‘Sister Mary’ walk. Early next morning we were on our way, one of our first tasks being to cut ti tree fascines to strengthen a frail bridge before trusting the weight of our waggonette on it.

Hatupatu's Rock Our next stop was Hatupatu's rock. Hone Ratema told us the story as we stood by the rock searching for the scratches left by the long pointed fingernails of the witch Kurangaituku as she reached out to grab the fleeing Hatupatu. Well for Hatupatu that he remembered the spell taught him by his father, ‘Te kohatu nei-e, matiti, matata’, to open the rock and to dive in, to close it again and keep him safe from the cruel witch. It was an exciting story dramatically told by Hone in voice and gesture. He told us that we must leave an offering, and we placed some manuka sprigs inside the rock. He told us later that the perfect weather we had for the rest of the journey was our reward for this. There was a small hotel at Atiamuri—a four-roomed cottage. An eighteen gallon of beer stood in the bar and there were a few bottles of wine and spirits on a shelf. Ernest's choice of a drink was lime juice and the barman charged him an extra shilling for drinking it neat. Then we came to Oruanui where we had another warm welcome from the Maori residents. During the korero that followed, Hone Ratema told the people that one of our party had false teeth. This was discussed very seriously and two old ladies refused to believe the story. Nonsense they said, the teeth would fall out. And they would look very ugly.

Niho Made By Man No, Hone told them, the teeth sat naturally in the mouth; and they were really beautiful. They could not be told from real ones. Look at those two Pakehas, he said, and decide which has the niho made by man. The old ladies went up to James and Ernest and gazed intently as each of them smiled to show their teeth. When James suddenly poked his teeth out on his tongue at them the two kuia took to their heels and ran faster than