bring him home safe. If You do this, I'll remember all my life.’ How hard it was to wair, with the summer dusk falling, the frogs croaking and the morepork honking! ‘You could wash out the last hundred years,’ mused Constable Brogan, sensing the mood of the kainga. ‘Hope this doesn't end in a tangi.’ There was a surge in the little group, for the boat had appeared round the point. All fell back for Mrs Tumanaako who stood, square and ready for what might come, ‘Make me strong, Lord.’ But the waiting was over. A grin split Bill's face. As they pulled in, Mrs Tumanaako strode out and gathered to her full embrace a bundle of ears, eyes and rug. ‘My baby, the Lord be thanked.’ Almost gaily she turned up the hill. ‘Thank you all. Thank you. E tika hoki koutou katoa. Haere mai ki te kai.’ She laughed at her Maori talk which was not very good. ‘Georgie,’ she said later as she fed him soup, ‘the Lord's been good. We prayed… Oh, we prayed….’ ‘And I did too,’ said Georgie Henry earnestly. ‘Never prayed so hard in my life.’ The morning was fresh and the lake innocent in the sun. As Mrs Tumanaako led the two boys down the hill they were greeted with small jokes — ‘Have a long korero with the taniwha. Georgie?’ ‘The Devil pull your toes, Nuku?’ Now, however, at the school gate was the time for penitence. Mrs Tumanaako's exhortation was interrupted by the put-put of a motor bike and a young man in a crash helmet. ‘Mrs Tumanaako?’ ‘Yes’ ‘Then this is George Henry, the hero. I'm from the press.’ Up with the camera. Down on the knee. ‘No mister. No photos. These are not heroes. They are just naughty boys. They caused a lot of trouble. But they are sorry and will do better.’ Her level brown eyes declared, ‘This is a kainga affair’, then, seeing his discomfiture, softened suddenly. ‘No photos, but tea and kai!’ He was very young, all his professional assurance gone. ‘Just wait till George Henry and Nuku go to Mr Montague….’ Mrs Tumanaako bent once again to her own peculiar mixture of admonition and persuasion.

New Maori Stamps A further three stamps of the 1971 definitive issue were placed on sale earlier this year. They feature Maori artifacts, the 15c featuring a Maori fish hook—designed by Mr M. Cleverly of Auckland. The 18c Maori club and 20c Maori tattoo pattern were designed by Miss E. Hunter of Wellington. All these stamps were printed by photogravure by Harrison and Sons Ltd., London.