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Levin Daily Chronicle, 15 March 1917, Page 3

A large liumTier of natives from various parts of Xtew Zealand assembled at Puketeraki last week lor the tangi 011 the late Hon. T. Parata. Speeches at tliese ceremonies often reach to lofty heights of oratory. Chieftain Henare Maire, addressing the dead chief and those a round him said: "The great pillar of our house is broken asunder. Our shelter from the cold and blast is gone. What can we do but bow down to the inevitable hand of death? Go, oh friend, go by the paths trodden 'by your illustrious dead. Go, old sire, by the morning tide, and we will follow by the evening tide." Epiha Maaka, with hands trembling with grief , said: "Listen ye peoples! This is a day of mourning. Low our heads are bent with grief. The great tree of the forest lias fallen, and the sound reaches afar off, even beyond tlie distant 'horizon." (This is ill reference to the news having reached London, as indicated by the cablegram received from Sir Joseph Ward expressing his sorrow and sympathy).