A LINK WITH THE PAST

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1752, 17 May 1913, Page 6

A LINK WITH THE PAST

DEATH *0F MAORI CHIEFTAINESS. A STORY OF STIRRING- DAYS, (By Teleera-ph.—Special Correspondent.). Auckland, May 16. Very fow people whoso business took them up or down Constitution Hill have failed to notice an old Maori woman sitting in tho sun'at tho'gateway of tho Maori Hostelry. ,Sho had an intelligent face, anu under her hat generally woro a black silk handkerchief, folded into a sort of wimple. Although somowhat bent, she was wonderfully active for her years, and beyond a little deafness she was just as keen wittcd as sho wa9 half a century ago. Sho was always ready to exchange a nod with passing pakehas, who wero invariably attracted by tho picturesque "kua' ! sitting lalono out thero silently smoking her pipe, and thinking of other days. Sho was tho original of ono of Mr. Charles Goldio's best-known pictures, "Tho Widow." This old woman was Harata, a relict ot th 6 famous PaurTuhaere, once thoparuinouut cliicf of tko Ngatiwliatua, vuosg headquarters wero at Orakei, and sho passed away at the Hostelry on luesd'ay. Although sho did not look it, the old lady was 82 years of age, and was ono of tho few liitks with tho long ago doings in th 6 north, when tho rebellious Heko was out •on tho warpath. Harata was a close connection of Tainati WaKanene, the chief who fought so valiantly on the sido of the British, and sho ioi-s lowed him in a number of engagements and skirmishes that took place between tho rebels o.n\ tho' one hand and the soldiers aiul frioudlies on tho other. As a girl of about 14 it was Harata s duty to carry cartridges for her bravo relation, and, although sho was never in any of tlio actual fighting, sho saw many, exciting scenes during the campaign. It was during this war tiiat the terriblo disaster oi Ohaewai occurred on tho high ground'at tho back of what is now called Ngawha, a few miles out from tlio township of Ohaowai. Heke s peoplo wero entrenched in what was practically an impregnable pa, and in spite of tlio advice of the friendly Natives and Pakelia Maoris, like Judgo Manning, the officer in command of tlio soldiers ordered tho attack. When night fell thero were scores of dead strewn over the ground that sloped down from tho palisades. "Ono wing is broken and the other lies dangling on tho ground," was tho luessago the boastful rebels sent far and wide. Harata was partly descended from tho .Ngapuhis of the north, but after tho war sho left tho north, and camo down to Auckland, probably with old Erua Patu--0110 (the elder brother of Tamati Wnka), who was granted somo land by the Government in reward for services ho had rendered during the war, and afterwards lived for many years at Takapuim; Harata was giveu in marriage to Paul luhaere, of Orakei, and lived there until the chief's death, about twenty years ago. Sho subsequently camo up to Auckland, and for many years lived in the. Maori house in Mechanics' Bay, or Waipapa, ns tho old hands still call it. Sho Was ono of -tho fast-diminishing band of tho Maoris that won the regard and respect of the early -settlers, one of the old school, upright, courteous, and . dignified. In 1 her lntter days sho was a lonely * daady, but always cheerful, and sho did not seem to have any regrets. She only waited for the timo when sho would bo called to her ancestors. . ~ "Go, thou, on tho morning tide; I will follow on the evening tide," sang Harata at tlio funeral of her dead chief, m tlio picturesque language of tho sorrowing Maori. The day has been a long one, but at Inst sho has gono to join her chief. To the sorrow of her relatives will-bo added the genuine regret of every pakcha who knew her.