NEW MAORI MEETING HOUSE.

King Country Chronicle, Volume III, Issue 132, 18 February 1909, Page 5

NEW MAORI MEETING HOUSE.

Opened at Kawa. A ceremony of speciat interest to the Maori of this district takes place today a Kawa. when a new meeting house erected by the Ngati Kaputabi will be opened. The runanga house has been erected with a view of perpetuating the memory of their ancstors. amongst whom are their late chief Rewi Maniapotov and another Rangatuatea. It is proposed to call the house Kaputahi. an ancestral name from which the above hapu sprung. The ceremony at the opening of the house will be very interesting, especialty to the European. for it will be done in the true Maori custom and according to their earliest traditions.

Invitations to all parts of he Dominion have been sent, and there should be a large gathering of the people of the Native race. Amongst the chief invitaions, which include over 100. were the Hon. Mahutu. M.L.C.. Mr Henare Kaihau. M.P.. Top© Taingafcawa, Te Heoheo Tttfeino. Wtki Kemp (Wanganoi), and Hema te Ao. The Nagtimaniapoto. to which the hapo belong.", will be strongly represented. It is estimated on the opening day there will be 600 to TOO present, not incloding European visitors. Great preparations have been made in the way of collecting food in the old Maori style. The food gathered will consist of eels, forest birds preserved, mutton birds, fan of alt descriptions, including sheltfob; besides, there witt b* abundance of paketm food. The food will be cooked in both English and Maori fashion. The Natives will be glad to wetcome all European visitors.