TE-WHAITI-NUI-A-TOI

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 2, Issue 111, 17 January 1940, Page 2

TE-WHAITI-NUI-A-TOI

THE TUHOE RAID ON TE WHAITI

(Continued from January 10th)

' When Whitiaua heard from his mother that his father had been killed by the Ngati-Mahanga, he decided that the matter should not rest and proceeded to the tribes of Tamakaiinoana and Ngatit.aAvhaki in order to raise a force for the avenging of his parent's death.

Apparently if was an easy matter to prevail upon these tribes for assistance, and, apparently also, Whitiaua -was a leader and strategist. A Tuhoe force under his command advanced on the Ngati-Mahanga settlement of Hukitawa. Whit iaua's scouts found the village deserted but were not fooled, having had previous experience in these affairs, and it was not long before they had located the bashful villagers hiding in the adjacent bush. It may have been mere coincidence that the Ngati-Mahanga were engaged in picking the berries of the tawa tree. When the Tuhoe appeared there wax a general flight of Ngati-Ma-hanga. They were not frightened, being a brave people, but as in these days., there wore occasions when discretion was the better part of valour. Some of the ileeing tribe dodged their assailants for a while by hiding behind the trees. Some escaped; others did not. Tc Ranga, chief of the Ngati-Ma-hanga, was one of the first to disappear. Whitiaua, naturally, was disappointed, as he had intended to have a word with him on that matter of domestic importance. He enquired as to who had seen Te Ranga, and learned that that warrior had fled The toetoe tahae at once started in pursuit and picked up Te Ranga's trail in a small watercourse. Following this for some distance, lie came to the Te Pakira Ridge which extends across the valle.y at Te Whaiti from the range at the head, of the Wliataroa stream to the Whirinaki River. The re he saw Te Ranga and his heart leapt with joy. The chase was a long one. Starting from the Pakira Ridge, pursued and pursuer traversed the lengths of the Otuwairua and Mangamate streams, crossed the Whirinaki River near Raroti and went on to Paripahekeheke. That was where Whitiaua caught up with Te Ranga. The details of what happened subsequently need not be recorded. Striking things happened in those days . . . usually with an axe. The Killing of Te Puru and Pareuia. There was an occasion for Pareuia and her son, Te Puru, to leave Ruatahuna on a visit to Matangi-a-hewa, where lived the Ngati-Apa. Reaching Te Whaiti on the first night, the couple rested at the Taumatuwahine pa. They left that place next morning as soon as the sun rose. Disaster befell them almost immediately, as leaving the Whirinaki valley they were set upon and slain by Ngati-Mahanga, who seem to have been quite troublesome in those days Ngati-Mahanga acted on the excuse that the slaying rather squared tlie matters with the Tuhoe, and they took the risk of offending the Ngati-Aapa. The result of the action was disastrous for Ngati-Mahanga, who, unfortunately not gifted with second sight, could not know that. Some time after this incident. Maro, Avidower of Pareuia, decided that he would call on his Avife at Matangi-a-heAva. He called there but his wife could not greet him. He kneAV that she had passed safely through the Ngati-Whare portion of the Te Whaiti valley and hence must have come to grief on those lands between the territories of Ngati-Whare and Ngati-Aapa, that is, in the Ngati-Mahanga district. Maro put tAvo and two together and reached the correct conclusion. Requesting Ngati-Aapa to search diligently for traces of his Avife and son, Maro returned to Ruatahuna Avith the idea of raising a force to aA'enge their deaths. He resolved to exterminate the people responsible for slaying his Avil'e. In the meantime Tukuha, of Ngati Apa, in\ r estigating in the lower Whirinaki, found one of the garments of the slain in the possession of NgaitaAvlia, Avho were then living at Oputara Pa,