HOW A MAORI CHIEF WAS SPOILED.

Dunstan Times, Issue 1172, 15 August 1884, Page 3

HOW A MAORI CHIEF WAS SPOILED.

A correspondent of the St Jamte' Oatelle writes »VithJ the exception ol the small party of Muon chiefs who two or three years ago acted as the precursors, of Tawhiao, and cane as an embassy to England from the ‘ Kingite ’ section of thq Natives of New Zealand, Tawhiao is. we bollbvS, the only Maori—or, at any rate, the Only one of nbte— who has vidled this country since the ferocious ohjef ‘ E’Ongi, or Hhoagai, honoured the Court of King George IV with his presence 65 years ago ; aud it may be well to recall the principal incidents in the career of that personage, subsequent to his visit to England, as a warning to the Abori anus’ Protection Society and others not to make too much ‘ fuss ’ of their. new pet. E’Ongi is described as haying been peculiarly quiet and inoffensive in his demeanour, and as having devoted the early years of his life to the harmless amusement of carving on wood, in which art he had obtained considerable proficiency, and playing with little children.’ In this character of a harmless and by no means unprepossessing representative of an interesting race, he was made the pet of London society, was received in audience by George IV, who presented him with a coat of mail and various warlike objects ; collected quite a little arsenal of muskets and ammunition; and altogether bad his head so completely turned by the flattery that was heaped upon him here that immediately on his return to his native land hj» gathered around him several thousand warriors and announced his intention to subdue all the other chiefs, and make himself supreme king of New Z-aland. In the pursuit of this ambitious project he carried on a ruthless war, giving no quarter, and carrying desolation far and wide. As an instance of his unbridled fury, it is related that having on one occasion slain a great chief named Hinaka, ho decapitated his victim and drank the blood as it gushed from his lifeless trunk. In the battle in which this incident occurred 2000 of his opponents were slain, and a large number wore afterwards made captive, and wherever ho went his course was marred by ranges of ovens in which the bodies of bis foes w r - baked for the cannibal feast with which the victors celebrated their successes. Yo"ng and old, men and women, alike were slaughtered to satisfy the demo' naic cravings of this erstwhile pet of London society. Many tribes were annihilated, and the North Island was rapidly becoming depopulated, when a gunshot wound in the luugs—‘through which the air whistled for 15 months previous to his death ’ —put an end to his active career We do not for a moment suggest that Tawhaio is liu.eiy to imitate the career of E’Ongi, but the injudicious attention of enthusiastic, if not fanatical, worshippers of ‘ the noble savage,’ may not be the best ihiug in the world for him.’’