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Hawke's Bay Times, Volume II, Issue 76, 11 December 1862, Page 5 (Supplement)

The Late Te Heu Heu. —Wo are indebted to the Kcv. ALr. Taylor, of Putiki, for the following additional information regarding this chief:— Iwikau Te Heu Heu, the principal chief of Taupo, whose death we lately chronicled was the younger brother of the former chief of the same name, and was his head captain or fighting man. He accompanied his brother in his hostile visit to this place in 1814. When that chief lost his life by the great land-slip which totally’ destroyed To Rapa, Iwikau assumed the patronymic Te Heu Hen, and fearing lest another taniwha should destroy his abode at Te Hihi he removed to Pukawa, and there ho received the grand langihanga, which came to do honor to his brother’s memory. Fully a thousand strangers were there present. In 18G2, when the subject of having a Maori king was first broached, he was strongly’ opposed to it. Considering himself the head chief of Xew Zealand, he could not brook the idea of Potatau being placed above him ; but afterwards, his fears being excited by the rapid increase of the settlers and the great alienation of land to them, he felt the necessity of a combined effort being made to pi’cscrve their nationality. In 1857 a grand council was held at Pukawa, and he then gave in his adhesion to Potatau, who had been elected their first king ; and at his death in 1861, ho acknowledged his son Matutacra as his successor. During the war at Taranaki he remained quietly at Pukawa, where he resided till his death. He had the character of being a brave and determined man, but he entertained a ridiculous opinion of his own importance ; he was, however, courteous to his European visitors. In person he was small and slight, with very unprepossessing features. His death is attributed to some schoolchildren having cut up a piece of an old canoe, which was tapu to the former chief; he is reported to have said this act would occasion his death, and as he was soon afterwards taken ill and died, it is firmly believed that this was the cause. Horonuku, the surviving son of the first Te Heu Heu, will now be the principal chief of Taupo.— Wanganui Chronicle, Kov. 27. C kowx foe King Potatau.— Can you inform me whether there bo any truth in the general rumour going about, that King Potatau has transmitted to Mr. C. 0.1). an order to England to procure him a Crown, with certain instructions as to size &c., the same to be of gold and properly jewelled, and if the expense of the now one be very much, whether a good second hand one cannot be procured from some one of the falling dynasties of Europe, with the provision that a device bo emblazoned on the front, representing a Maori chief with his foot on the Lion's neck.— of the Aucklander.-