MAORI “KING” REPROVED

Manawatu Herald, Volume L, Issue 3963, 2 July 1929, Page 1

MAORI “KING” REPROVED

BY A WA'IRARiAJPA CHIEFTAIN. T'he Greytown Standard says: There drifted into the Wairarapa many years ago, a drunken profligate Maori from the Waikato, known as King Tawhiao, who wore a. battered bell-topper, adhePed to the Morm'an religion, and was attended by a horde o£ young wives. During a torero at Te Oire Ore, King Tawhiao almost insisted on all Maoris joining the Mornvan faith, but he found a bold reprover in a Native chief named Mariliera. Rangitakaiwaho, of Greytown. After the King had spoken, Manihera questioned his right for saying what he had. Then the following interesting interlude followed : Tawhia: How dare you talk to ime—your King—in the manner? What do you mean iby it? I will malice you my slave —rny horse — and I will compel you to carry me back —even from here to the Waikato. Manihera (intrepidly): Do you (Tawhiao) remember the story in the Bible of Balaam and his ass? Did not the ass speak and rebuke the madness of the prophet? If you force ime to speak by your wicked words and conduct then I will speak, in order that your eyes may be opened to your folly, and that you may see you are not going in the right way in saying that you will adhere to the Mormon religion. I wall, therefore, speak what is in imy heart and declare the truth about you. You call yourself a king—yet you are always drunk like the lowest and commonest man. Do you think that you will do t'he Maori people any good by falling into these degrading ways? It is not good for the Maori people to see you always drunk. It is not like King David for you to get drunk. N What did he do? He did not roll to and fro drunik among the comlmon people as you, King Tawhia, do. King David was a good king and fasted and prayed for his people.