FIVE OF ONE NAME

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20087, 6 November 1939, Page 6

FIVE OF ONE NAME

FAMILY COMPETITION Recruiting officers handling Maori enlistments for the Poverty Bay-East Coast district have noted with much interest the appearance of five volunteers of the same name and address, and an effort is being made to secure confirmation of the belief that they are sons of the one father. If they are brothers, they will have set a record for family representation in the Maori Battalion. There are two families, those of Te Hau, at Muriwai, and Thompson, Tofaga Bay, which have four sons each among the volunteers for the battalion. It remains to be seen if the Waenga family, of Cane Runaway, can take pride of place in the district. If the five volunteers of that name are brothers, they will hold the record not only for Maoris but aiso for the general community in this district. Further enlistments of Maoris include the following: Matahilci, Eraihia, single, 21 years, Tokomaru Bay, fencer. Pokai, Taera, single, .10 years, Wairongomai, Ruatoria, shepherd. Karapaina, Whare, single, 25 years. Te Kaha, native scheme worker. Matete, Raniera Mikaera, single, 25 years, Cape Runaway, labourer. Waenga, Repi, single, 21 years, Cape Runaway, labourer. Honana, Mahuta, married, 28 years, Cape Runaway, labourer.

■ Pako, Paratene, married, 21 years, Cape Runaway, dairy-farmer. Riini, Heremia Francis, single, 24 years, Cape Runaway, dairy-farmer.

Waenga, Waenga, single, 24 years, Cape Runaway, farm worker. Waenga, Paora, single, 22 years, Cape Runaway, labourer. Waenga, Tawhai, single, 27 years, Cape Runaway, labourer Waenga, Henare, married, 29 years, Cape Runaway, labourer.

A Maori recruiting officer on the East Coast has asked for a correction in respect of the stated age of a veteran, Haravvira P. te Wai, shown in Thursday’s list as 43 years. This man, who served three years with the Maori Pioneer Battalion in 1914-18, was born in 1894, and is one of a large number of Maori returned soldiers who have offered their services to the country in the present war.