NOTES FROM OTAKI.

Maori Messenger : Te Karere Maori, Volume V, Issue 129, 1 December 1853, Page 2

NOTES FROM OTAKI.

[From the "Wellington Spectator," Sept. 21] Towards the close of the year 1849, a long and interesting letter by the Rev. J. F. Lloyd was published in the Spectator, giving an account of his first impressions on visiting Hie native settlement of Olaki. Four years have since elnptcd an interval which has been most use. fully employed in Hie improvement of the unlives in lluil district ami in their advancement in civilization. At the period of .Mr. Lloyd's visit the chinch n( Otiiki, though in an advanced state, was not completed -, a town had bctm laid oute.ii a regular plan, mid a site for a mill had been chosen, but these and other works and institutions for the welfare and improvement of Ilia natives had not been commenced. Of some of these, which wo hadan opportunity of inspecting on a recent visit to Olaki, wc propose to give a short account. The church, Ihc principal building a( Olaki, was described by .Mr. I.loyd, "ml ils general internal arrangement is so faithfully represented in the coloured print alter Mr. Harraud's drawing, that a lengthened description of it will not be necessary. II is about eighty feet long by Ihirly-six lect wide, and forty feci high, ils lofty roof, (oweiing above the trees, may be seen at some distance a conspicuous object in the landscape, and serves to mark (he situation of the settlement. The church is weather boarded on the outside; in Hie inside are tolar.i slabs; on either side (he windows, coloured red, (he intervals between (he slabs being filled with native plaited work very neatly executed, and producing by (he contrast a very pleasing effect. I.anccl headed windows light (he church. Four lofty windows occupy the L'asl end, and Ihc communion table is to be enclosed by an elliptical railing, theballuslrades of which are elaborately carved by the natives. A very handsome carpet and cloth for (he communion lahlc have been presented to (he Church by soma of the well wishers in England,and were brought by Shompson (u Uauparaha on his return to New Zealand. With (he exception of an English carpenter to direct and assist llicin, Ihc whole of Ihc work has been performed by the natives, and no labour lias been spared Where leirlce went for duly, not tor hire. The ridge-piece, adzed out of a lolara tree eighty six feet long, was dragged by manual labour from Oliau, a distance of twelve miles. The three pillars, upwards of forty feel long, which support il were in like manner dragged by manual labour a considerable distance (o the place which Ihcy now occupy. The lolara slabs which line the sides and roof were each adzed out of a single lolara Iree. The building stan.ls a nnhto monument of native industry, and of their great zeal for God's house—" (hu place where His Honour dwcllelh." i She reserve on which (lie church stands partly belonged to To Uauparaha, who agreed to givo it up for that especial purpose, having bafors

his dealli become a Christian; lie is buried in Church reserve, to the West and within the shadow of the church; a head-sloiic erected l> y the piety or his son and inscribed villi his name and the period ol his decease serves to mark the linal resting place or the principal chief of the Ngatiraukawas. On the South side of the church stands lha fclmol, a building similar in its arrangements to the 'lhorndon school, hut very much larger; the 'thou! room is about r..rlyfive feel by 2u feel, and thirty feet high ; the fuitlier end or the room is limited with a largo bow window t«o cl-i-w moms one on either side, cmnmuni- . cale with the school. Whin we visited llicm, in one ini.m the hoys were engaged In arithmclic. extracting the square root; in the other > (hey were iinplojcd in writing from copies in flic-'English language. T«o hours in each dayare spent in the school, where they are taught to read and write in the English language, and are instructed In arithmetic ; on alternate days, and in the .evening, they arc lanahl to sing by a native instructor, ileiiry Taraloa, who was MVujI.I op at llu! Uishop's C.dlcge. Auckland, anil taught singing by Mr. I'urchas ; he is sufliciently skilled to become in turn the teacher of others. Instead of notes, figures are cmplojed to represent them, which are written on a black board, and lead off by the scholars. This mode or using ligures instead of notes in teaching music has or laic years, we understand, obtained generally in Germany, and is round to he an easier ami simpler plan than the common method. The natives in the school showed a great proficiency, they kept excellent lime, and appealed to have a food ear for music; the music lesson is looked forward to by them as a regular treat. On the West side of the Church is a large y. building, now nearly completed, to be used as « hoarding house mi the boys attending the school. II contains a large central room which will serve as a refectory in which the boys will lake their daily meals. It is fifty feel by twenty live, and lilted) feel high; attached lo this room are two others, each thirty reel by twenty, and behind these arc smaller rooms to be used as a wash house and other offices. The kitchen will be detached, and will be built in the rear of tho main building and connected with it by a covered passage. Over the refectory and the two large rooms above desciibed arc three rooms of equal size to serve as dormitories capable of accommodating one hundred children. These biiildings are all constructed or tolara in the most substantial manner; lliey are weather boarded, and the rooms are lined throughout; the carpenters work, Willi the exception or the assistance or one while man who has acted as iu&l ruclor and foreman of the works, has all been executed by native labour: tho wood having been carefully selected and well seasoned stands rcmaikalily well, and the buildings just described form the central schools for boys for the Olaki and neighbouring districts, extending nearly lo Wellington. In this Institution one hundred native and halfcastc children will be received, educated, clothed, and red. The school is under the direction or Archdeacon lladfichl and Hie Itev. S. Williams, who have devoted themselves to the ■welfare and improvement of the natives with untiring energy; the results of (heir labours are manifest in the greatly improved condition of (he natives, who appear fully lo appreciate their exertions. The girls are instructed in reading, writing, and sewing, by Mrs. Iladflcld, and Mrs. Williams. The school will shortly be placed under the immediate superintendence of ' Mr. Wadsworlh, whose cfllcienl management of tho Wellington school gives every promise (hat the natives will benefit equally from his ■Vcaching. On the North side of the church il is intended (o erect a large building, containing a school, refectory, dormitories, and other Apartments on a scale largo enough lo accommodate a hundred girls; the same cx(cn( or aceommodalion, in facl, will be provided under one roof for Ihe girls, which now exists for (he hoys lo the buildings previously described. On fhe East side of Ihe church is reserved a sile for (he hospital of the district, so that (he church will form the centre round which willbogrouped the different Institutions established for llio civilization and welfare of the native race. \ She site of (he schools and hospital form pari .'if the grant or land, comprising altogether about Niix hundred acres, with which (he schools have Jjc«u endowed by (do Governor, film land Is

level ami very fertile, some portions are swampy, about sixty acres have been cleared and thoroughly drained, twenty acres of these are under wheal, and another portion planted with polatocs. Thro is a good Tall for drainage—two main drains have been cut, each rather more than a quarter of n mile long, into which the smelter drains lead. The school possesses besides about seventy he.nl of cattle, and U ur iron ploughs, with four team of oxen. Willi thes* Ihe cultivation of the school land is carried on; the ordinal'} operations of agriculture are performed by Ihe lads of (he school, who also plough land for any of the natives who may require it, in return for which a iinilioiioflhe produce, according to an agreed scale, is paid to Ihe schools. A vatinihle part of Ihe hind belonging to the school estate was the private properly of a chief, since dead, named 'IV Ao, whochcer- , fully gave it up lli.it it might be applied In so I useful an olijitl. We may also mention another 1 incident which recently occurred, showing the high estimation in which these sellouts aie held hy the natives. On his late \i»il to Otaki to see Ihe (iovernor, Itaugihacala went over . Ihe school for Ihe first lime, anil was so pleased i wilh It, pailiciilarly with the singing, that he I said whatever questions might arise in negoliai lions for the sale nf hind, there .should never be ' any diillcuily in obtaining land that might bo . wanted for schools. Ilesidcs the grant above referred to, which ■ conMilules (lie school estate, considerable assistance has been given lo Ihe natives by the (iovermnent in money In complete these bui)ding9 on so extensive a scale. Altogether, including Ihe (.Tanl for Ihe girls' school, which is not yet commenced, we believe they have reeciu'd al dilTerent limes sums amounting to 2(J()Oi., on a moderate estimate the buildings now erected and above described cannot be valued at less than between live and six thousand pounds. Although in many instances it is intended llt.il the parents of I lie children in Ihe school shall contribute to their maintenance, yet the Institution will in a great degree be self-support-ing ; in » few years as the school lands are cleared and brought into cullivalion, it will bo wholly so. The schools are industrial schools, in which Ihe children are taught reading and writing in the English language, and arithmetic, their instruction being founded on a religious basis. The day commences and closes with I prayer in the church, two hours arc spent in school, (he boys during the remaining portion of Ihe day are employed under an agricultural instructor (a very efficient person, who has for some lime been attached lo the school) in the | labours of the farm, the produce of which will help to defray Ihe cost of educating, clothing, 1 and feeding them ; (he girls, when not in the J school,arc instructed in the ordinary occupations of household life. In these schools the rising generation of the natives will learn all the habits or civilized life, all (hat will be useful to them to know or conduce to their advantage at a settled agricultural population. Of the children now in Ihe school, though many arc of a tender | age, a good proportion are between the years i of twelve and sixteen, and capable ofcarryingon the farming operations with vigour. Several i have learned to beexpert in the use of carpenters' tools, and, as hag been said, chiefly hy their labour Ihe church and schools have been erected. A smith's forge is also at work, al which some of Ihe natives are employed. In addition lo the stock belonging to the school, (here arc about two hundred head nf cattle and seventy horses (he private properly of natives at Otaki. They have also a considerable breadth of land under cultivation, the greater part under wheal, and several wooden barns in different parts surrounding the town show that the cultivation of wheat occupies a good deal of their attention. About a mile from the church is a water mill for grinding corn. II is turned by a breast wheel liflecn feet in diaine < tor, and (here is suflicient water in Ihe dream for (he use of (he mill the year round, Thero are only one pair oftdoncsal present, hut should it be required (he machinery is sufficiently powerful lo carry two pair. The building is most substantial in every respect, Ihe wood chiefly employed in its construction is (olara. This Mill is the properly of ajninl slock company of natives in shares of 57. each, and native labour, andcr (he direction of Europeans, lias greatly contributed lo Iho execution of (hu works. The milt is now complete, the millwright estimate! its valiio al a moderate computation al 700/. Two additional mills, also belonging Co native* are projected, one at Waikawa and the other at Manawalu, orders for machinery for which bare been sent to England, and the mills may be expected to bo in operation in about twelve or eighteen mouths linio.

Tin: Unman Catholic, nalives have n wnlei mill with one pair of sloni'S almnl a mile ami a Italf liom Olaki church. It is situated in (lie nn'ilsl of sonic verv pleasing scenery, ami surrounded hv native cuilivations'. II lias been in operalion afionl (wo years. The resident clergyman is Mens. I.e Coinptc. In recounting Ihc improvements made at Olaki within the last four years, it will appear ohvious thai where so many extensive works, having for their object Hie sn'cial improveineiil or the community, have occupied their lime ami energies, in addition to Ihc care or raising siillicieul food fur Iheir o\rn consumption, the Natives have mil yet had innrli opportunity to employ themselves in building substantial houses for Uieir own arcomnindalioii. The Iwo hi'sl houses in Olaki are those liclonuiiw to Thomson, T« Kaiiparaha's son. and Te Marliiii. llaiigibaeala's nephew; they are will built of wood, with veinnilnhs in front, ami wilh wooden paililiuus, Ihc rooms are nicety Homed and lined, and well furnished. Thomson has some excellent furniture, mahogany sofas, couches, and other luxuries, presents "which he received when in ICnglaiul. Dntfi Thomson and .Martin are glad lo receive the visils orselllers lo whom they show every civility. Thompson showed us with honesl pride air acre of laud sowed with wheal, which he ploughed himself, with his own plough ami team nf six oxen, four of which were broken in for him hy Ihc lads of the school. These notes have been thrown together for the purpose of illustrating the system of education for the improveineiil of Hie Natives set on fool by Governor drey, of which in our next number we shall proceed lo offer an outline : the fads adduced serve lo show Ihe improveineiil in Iheir own condition faking place whercever (he system is fairly in operation ; they are facts open to Ihe observation of any one who chooses lo visit the district. We canuol close lliis pari of (lie subject w illinnl a passing reference lo llangiliacta, who is himself one of the hesl proofs of the social improvement going on around him, and one nf the most remarkable illustrations of the sagacity and success of (he Governor's policy. This chief, on His r-Acellency's arrival in New /calami, Ihe most formidable and determined opponent of Ihc llrilish power in Ihe South, is now a firm friend. His long and eventful career closes in peace, lie sees every cause for discontent removed, and is now among the forcinosl lo acknowledge the , Governor as the beoefaclor of his race.