A MISSIONER MAN-TAMER

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 24 November 1921, Page 3

A MISSIONER MAN-TAMER

In his " Sketches of History," Canon Haselden tells this story of the courage and coolness of the Rev Henry Williams, who was a lieutenant in the Royal Navy before he became a missionary to the Maoris. One day Mr Williams was in his house, at the Paihia mission station, when he was startled by a great cry coming from some little distance off. He ran out to the gateway in front of the house, and then saw that the cry proceeded from a young Maori woman, who, with a baby in her arms, was fleeing towards the mission-house, pursued by a Maori chief with a tomahawk in his hand, and evidently bent on killing the woman. She sped towards Mr Williams, who let her pass through the gateway into the garden, where the poor creature fell prone on the ground. Mrs Williams and others carried her and her child into the house, while Henry Williams faced the enraged chief. The savage warrior rushed at the gateway, but Mr Williams barred the way with his big and powerful frame, carefully avoiding touching the Maori with his hands. As the Maori pushed first to one side and then to the other, so did Williams place his body in the way, and all the time he looked quietly at the man. After a while the Maori became quiet and went off. "The four-eyed man"—as they called Mr Williams because he always wore specs.— had conquered, and the young Maori woman's life was saved.