LINK WITH TE KOOTI DATS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1386, 12 March 1912, Page 4

LINK WITH TE KOOTI DATS.

my Telciirai.n.-Preßs Association.! Gisbornc, March 11. One of tlio best-known Maori rangitiras in the district, Noa Whakaatere, passed aivny at Awapiini on Saturday afternoon, agud 70 years. Prior to his death he had been unwell for several days, suffering especially from heart" trouble, and, on Saturday afternoon, lie expired rather suddenly, alter having been curried outside the kainga, as he expressed it, "to June a look round." The deceased chief was widely respected by both Maori and pakeha, and, all day yesterday and today, Natives have assembled at Awapuni to hold tnngi. He is stated to have beeii the largest Aative land-ou-ner in the vicinity of Gisborne. 13y birth, he was an uncle, to Lady Carroll. That his word was his bond was Xoa's boast, and the integrity of the departed chief was put to a severe test during the trying days of the Hauhau rising. Xoa belonged to tho Ngaiteto tribe—a sub-tribe of the Hoiigowhakaata—and lived at tho Oweta Pa of which Parateno Turangi was the rangarira. So opposed wore tho Natives to the Hauhaus that Noa, with a number of others, paid a special visit to Auckland to consult Sir Donald MacLeau, the head of the Native Department. Sir Donald was unablo to provido any troops for the friendly Natives, but ho presented them with a British ensign, mid they returned home with tho injunction "lo keep the (lag flying." Their friendship was put to a further test during To Kooti's revengeful visit to the district. Oweta Pa was taken by surprise on the morning of November 10, IS6-S, when a number of (he local Natives were put to death. Para tone Turangi (of whom Lady Carroll is a grandchild) was taken prisoner by To Kooti, who struck off his right .arm. Placing it under the chief's head, Te Kooti shouted: "There is tho arm that is going to protect the pakeha." Subsequently, he put the chief to death. Notwithstanding all this, Noa and his peoplo remained loyal. They escaped to Waikanao Pa, where tho flag was rc-hoistetl, and kept flying.