NATIVE WEDDING AT HANGATIKI.

King Country Chronicle, Volume I, Issue 12, 11 January 1907, Page 2

NATIVE WEDDING AT HANGATIKI.

At the Hangaliki Native Settlement on January 5111, three couples were united in the bonds of matrimony. One of the "kotiro" wasa daughterof Moerua, the other two belonging lodic same tribe. The officiating clergy were the Rev. K'ere Noma and the Rev. Taimona llapcmana. After the ceremony, and when one and all had shaken off (he rice, of which there was a bounteous supply, about .|SO people, including a number of Pakelias, sat down to an excellent dinner, served European fashion. Among the Pakeha guests was Mr R. C.( irecn, of Otorohanga, who was enthusiastically greeted wherever he went. There wen; to have been four more couples married ; the reason of their non-attendance was explained by Moerua thus : At the korero there was an argument about clothes, some of die young people having more money (ban others. To avoid (his, Moerua said: "To make all equal, and no one ashamed, my daughter, and the young' people of my tribe, will be married in their old clothes, oi", if you like, in a bag." The opposition said : " Yes, that is good, but how do we know that you are not dr. ceiving us, and when th<* time comes your young; people will have on their llash clothes." Alter talking all night, a mow was made to bed at daylight on Saturday morning, without having li.xed the matter definitely. At 11 a.m. the three wise maidens, and their respective bridegrooms, repaired to the front of the Runanga, where the clergy were in readiness, and 10, Moerua's words were true, they \vere all in their " old clothes." Moerua said : " | want all my people to know, thai it is not necessary to have Hash clothes to get married."