STORY OF A STRIKE.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXX, Issue 5377, 21 January 1929, Page 3

STORY OF A STRIKE.

FIRST IN NEW ZEALAND. OTAKI’S FAMOUS CHURCH. Whqn the Australian and New Z&&land bowlers visited the celebrated Maori church at Otaki the other day they .were told a story in connection with its erection which, if authenticated, would indicate that the subsequently popular habit of “striking on the job” had its origin among the Maoris in Otaki. The roof of. this wqll-known .specimen of. Maori-cum-Anglican type of churclh architecture; has for its main supports three pa’ four great “sticks” of totara, some 45f.t in. height, each nicely rounded, and about 3ft 6in in diameter, noble remnants of the forests of the Coast of a century ago. No such totara trees exist to-day on‘ the whole length of. the coast. These giant boles were 10ft to 15ft longejr, and thfe, Maoris were keen oh utilising the full'length of the perfectly straight tree-trunks in connection with the church.

It is said that Bishop Hadfield had hi<j doubts about the ability of the native workers to epect these, great sticks in a perpendicular position, and ordered someone or other to reduce them in length by same 10ft or 15ft. When the; Maori workers returned and say/ that their beloved totaras had been ruthlessly shortened they struck work, and for nine months the church, authorities could not get the to resume. T.h|e job was declared “tapu”—the native word for, “black” —and none of them could be induced to resume work.

Time and the Christian spirit at last prevailed over obstinacy, and the; work was resumed, with the result that the church, with its great panels of totara 3ft 6in in width and its walls of neatly-plaited flax—which, after 80 years, ’shews, no sign of deterioration—stands as a monument to the industry and enthusiasm of those Who participated in the building of this unique place of worship. Originally the exterior was finished in inuch the same style as the interior, but the effect of the Weather on the plaited flax was suc.h that it was seen that in order to protect the interior the church would have to be enclosed in the usual way with Weatherbearding. This was wise, as the interior is unimpaired, and looks as though it would endure for a great period of time.

Over 60 years ago, the late Queen Victoria presented the church with an altar cloth of scarlet cloth, embroidered with a floral edge. This is still preserved in the church, though the moths have long since rendered it unfit for use.

The spat is also interesting inasmuch as right opposite the church grounds, are two remarkable, monuments. One ; s a pinnaeje of concrete, raised in commemoration of the introduction of Christianity ta Nev/ Zealand, and beside it is tire monument to the great chief Te Rauparaha. His raids from the north are common knowledge, and he went down in history as a fearless fighter and an implacable foe.