THE ROHE POTAE.

King Country Chronicle, Volume I, Issue 7, 7 December 1906, Page 3

THE ROHE POTAE.

Some of Its Attractions.

[By " Kahikatea."]

" Off again," said a friend, who saw me making my way towards the railway station. " Where to this time?" " Rohe Potae," was my reply. " Roht Potae ! " inquired he, " Where is that, or is it one of your aboriginal friends you are off to visit? You haven't been appointed typhoid ranger have you; if you have, you had better take care of yourself for the microbes are pretty bad thisjyear." I thanked him for his solicitude and we strolled together to the train. " Have a nip before we part," he said. " No," I replied, " I've put in the peg and am making preparations for the land I'm going to, where anything stronger than kerosene is not known." And so we came to the station. I hurried in, procured my ticket, and saw my friend witk tears in his eyes, caused by, while in a fit of abstraction, dropping my " sammy" with its cargo on to his toes. He met me with " Hurry up, the train's moving, I jumped aboard, and he moved forward with it. " Where," said he with a look of inquiry in his eyes, "Where is Rohe Potae?" "Don't you know," I asked. " No," he said again. " Rohe Potae," I replied, "Is —is —oh! I'll let you know when I return. In the meantime, look up the known history of the 'Pellew Islands,' " and the train was off at the usual New Zealand Express speed. I've not seen my friend since. But that's so, how many of the inhabitants of this, our beautiful North Island, I leave the South Island out of the category as they know nothing about any part of New Zealand beyond their own stationary island. How many, again I ask, who, living in other parts of the colony can tell us where the " Rohe Potae " is situated ? Not many, but if one mentions " King Country" then they lift their eyebrows and say, " What's taking you up there ? " Well the trip from Wanganui, the train first, then the steamer, then the train which lands one at Te Kuiti, one of the most delightfully situated spots on the whole line; a spot too, of historic interest, for it was to there our old Native foes retired principally, when adversity set in for them in the battle field against the Pakeha foe. At the foot of the hills on the Kaingika block they had their homes, and it does not require those who remember'it to tell one how many dwelt there. The hearths of their habitations are yet to be seen, and the rounded hills above them towards the east, which, under the blight and curse of the Government 1" Taihoa," have reverted to fern, grew splendid crops of wheat and other foods that fed and kept in good heart the many cultivators that lived in the dwellings on the lighter flat lands below. Oh! for the power of description that is necessary to tell of the trials of all those fine people, who, though living as I have said, were in constant receipt of intelligence of small successes, or greater reverses, and whether- success or reverse, always brought news of some loved one passed away, arid grief into many families. For were they not fighting for what was properly their own ? Never mind the direct cause that led to the Waikato Wars. The land was theirs, and they cannot be blamed if they misunderstood the thoughts of the Pakeha, and looked at him in the light of only a land stealer.

This brings me back to " Rohe Potae." Why should they not fight as they did ? Go through the land, and no Highlander had more cause to love his fountains and glens than did the Maori have cause to love his fair hills and valleys, which in all their pristine loveliness, must have given rise in each breast to those feelings of poetry so easily experienced and so hard Ito describe. I am no philoMaori, but I like to be fair. Over this island at least I have travelled a- lot during my thirty-six years residence, not only by the main lines of travel, but into the back tracks and delighting to reach the hill tops, look around and feast my eyes and thoughts on the numberless scenes of beauty, that at nearly all points are spread out before one. And few, if any parts, can exeell the Rohe Potae for beauty. [To be continued.]