A WILY NATIVE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3690, 13 September 1927, Page 3

A WILY NATIVE.

An amusing story of a native’s ingenuity comes from a little settlement on the Wanganui River (says the 'Chronicle). A pakeha farmer was greatly annoyed by the ravages of pigs from a Maori pah, and becoming exasperated, he gave a final warning to the native owner that if the hogs were on his property the following day he would shoot them.

The native agreed that “te Maori he te humbug and te white man he quite right,” hut he received ft) promise from the settler that he would tell him where the dead pigs were. Sure enough the animals continued their work, of destruction the next day and a shooting incident involving the death of eight or nine pigs resulted. After the firing had been in progress for about half an hour the Maori came on the scene and took away the pork, -appearing quite pleased with the whole affair.

The pakeha could not understand the owner’s bchavious, and meeting several days later he casually asked whether he had many pigs. “Not too many,” said the Maori. “Then why didn’t you mind my shooting party the other day?” he asked. “Oh!” exclaimed the dusky one with a twinkle in his eye, “You do mete good turn. When you say you shoot te next day I say nothing, hut lock all my pigs up te night before. Te other Maori pig he get killed and then I join in te tangi.”