HIKUIAU CREEK.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXV, Issue 4671, 7 March 1924, Page 3

HIKUIAU CREEK.

(To the Editor). Sir,- My attention has just recently been drawn to a report of your local coriespondent in reference to the disposal of rubbish, garbage, and sewage by Maoris into Hikutaia Creek. As a resident on the creek bank for the last foity years I can give your worthy .correspondent the lie. We Maoris are, and have always been, very particular to preserve the creek water in its purity, not only for its own sake, but for our eels, whitebait, etc., which live in the creek, and utterly abhcr the idea of polluting it in any way. No Sir! it is our pakeha neighbours who are to blame. Just recently my daughter-in-law saw a pakeha woman emptying filth from a pan into our beautiful river and remonstrated with her for so doing, remarking at the same time that many people drank of this water at the tennis courts and elsewhere. But it was ever so, the poor, ignoramt Maori gets the blame, while the highly cultured pakeha does the mischief. I am prepared to give names if asked, for, I resent the unwarranted attack on my people—truly only •< remnant now, but all above such dirty tricks as the one quoted. ANI RARE.