THE LATE HOROMONA POHIO.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 1896, 22 March 1880, Page 2

THE LATE HOROMONA POHIO.

The “ Waimate Times ” of March 17th gives the following particulars of the deceased Maori chief :—Horomona Pohio, the leading chief of the Southern district Maoris—being the head of the following hapua of the Ngaitahu and Ngaitimamoe tribes, viz., Ngaitaoka, Terakiwhakupta, Huirapa, Kaweriri, and others —died at his residence, Waimate, on Friday last, the 12th inst. The deceased chief was born at Waihao in the year 1815, and was thus sixty-five years of age. He had bean in failing health for some time, suffering from an affection of the heart, but was able to keep about until the day of his death. After taking a meal on the morning of that day he wont outside, but experiencing a sudden pain in the head, returned into the house, and lay down on the bed, holding his head with his hands. He was heard by his son, Henare Pohio, who was present, to moan, and the latter bathed his forehead, but ho seemed to have difficulty in fetching his breath, and complained of the pain in his head. A few minutes afterwards he asked in Maori, “Is there anyone here to read a prayer over me?” Henare would willingly have done this, but was unable to apeak for grief, and the old chief almost immediately expired. The remains were interred yesterday afternoon in the cemetery at Waimate, the service being read by the Rev. Mr Fee of the Wesleyan Church, to which body deceased belonged, the Rev. Te Mutu being compelled to leave by yesterday’s express to attend the sitting of the Court at Kaiapoi. Deceased was followed to the grave by about forty of his own race and kin, and by a large number of Europeans. Horomona held the office of Native Assessor for many years, and on several occasions was able to give valuable service to the Government in the settlement of disputes, Ac., as for instance in what was at the time known as the Upper Waitaki difficulty, when, but for the deceased chief, it is quite possible that bloodshed might have resulted, for we have it on the beet authority that it was only in consequence of his advice that the natives who were inclined to endeavor to forcibly maintain what they believed to be their rights, eventually peacefully and quietly removed. When the police were sent up to endeavor to effect the removal of the Natives, Horomona fearing a difficulty, sent a member of his family (who, although the police had a day the start, arrived first), and counselled the people to behave in an orderly manner, and not in any way to resist authority, and happily for all parties his advice prevailed. Previous to its sale to the Crown, the whole country lying between the Waitaki and the Orari was the property of the hapus above-mentioned, and Horomona was conscquentlyone of the vendors at the time of what is known as Wakefield’s purchase. _ His people also owned land in the Waikouaiti district, the Mclyneux district, Stewart’s Island, and small islands adjacent, in the neighbourhood of the Kaikouras, and elsewhere. During his lifetime the deceased chief punctiliously observed all the duties of his position as the leading man among the Maoris of this part of Now Zealand, being liberal in hi* presents and generous in his hospitality, and was looked up to as the father of his people, by whom he was much beloved and as universally regretted. His liberality was by no means restricted to members of own race, and it should be mentioned to bis honor that recently, when the land belonging to him in Waimate had been surveyed into sections for sale, Horomona with great generosity presented a section to the Wesleyan body, as a site for a church for the western part of the tovrn. He leaves a widow and five 10X8 a nd three daughters. Ho Las been thrice married.