MEMOIR OF ERUETI KUKUTAI.

Maori Messenger : Te Karere Maori, Volume III, Issue 1, 31 January 1857, Page 8

MEMOIR OF ERUETI KUKUTAI.

The first symptom of approaching illness was felt by Erueti Kukutai on the I7th October last, and his malady increased rapidly till the 24th. This was the first sickness he had ever experienced from his infancy. He was very ill during three weeks of the month of October. On Tuesday morning at daylight, I said " O Jesus lake him to ihyself, and renew his bean." His daughter enquired or him, "My father, is your mind gloomy?" He replied*. "No., this sickness is hoi unto death." His daughter Hetty said to him, t4 My father, be of good courage." He answered and said, " If I should recover, Christ shall be a treasure'to me in life, while I was in: the flesh this was the fruit of my doings." The following was one of bis favorite hyms:— Our God will surely pacify The heart of him who grieveih ; O Jesus search, and see if I Repent me of my sins. Miae ears have heard, but I am still Like iron cold and hardened ;

Yes, I have heard, but only heard I have not learned of thee. And when I strive to think of thee, — To yield thee up my heart, Forbidden thoughts come rushing in, And drive the good away. Little indeed of good have I, Though longs my heart for more; Feeble and faint my prayers for strength According to my need. O may my heart some tokens show That there is good within ; Renew it, Lord, and then shall I Joyful and blessed be. On the 7th November he sang the following Waiata : Soft the North wind sweepeth onward, Love upon its wings it beareih; Drop iry tears like flowing waters, Weep I will not, but mine eyes shall Rest upon the clouds approaching. Whither say, O whither earnest thou ? Com'st thou from my boyhood's love? She who wrapped round to warm me, Garments of thy weaving, mother, Let not wrath 'gainst her be kindled, Tree was she of mine own planting; Sharer of my midnight slumbers, Warmth and love to me imparting,— Prostrate now on earth reclining. He died on Sunday th j 9th day of November. When his family and friends were gathered round him, they asked him to express his feelings, but he did not speak. Again, they requested that he would speak to them; be answered not, for the agony of his body absorbed all his faculties. His two brothers addressed him in the following words; they opened their mouths and spake;—"Go, O friend, proceed rightly along the path which has been prepared for thee. Lay down thy body on earth ; for that is the path for thee, a pleasant path, and the road to life. Christ speaks, yes Christ saith "lam the way the truth and the life," Let that be the path by which you go hence. In the Psalms also it is said, "He shall lead theebeside gently flowing waters." There is now no need for anxiety respecting thee ; thou hast passed from death unto life. It is death in this world, but life in the world to come." And the assembly said, "How do wc

deplore, in vain. the loss of ihe friend now gone from us. for he was great among, us." AH ihe people felt deeply the decease of their friend who had passed out or iheir sight. Their sorrow was increased !>y the remembrance of his goodness; had he been a had man, they would neither have respected, nor lamented him.

To the Editor of the Maori Messenger. My Friend,—Saluting you! This is what I have to say to you. I frequently hear the Europeans speaking of the goodness and value of the New Zealand Flax; and I see their eagerness to purchase it, an<f their endeavours to invent a machine for dressing in large quantities a plant which grows wild io every swamp. So I say wihin mvsclf, why do not the Maories direct their attention to this article? They are dissatisfied with the low prices they now receive for their wheat and potatoes, and they scatter over the country to dig for kauri gum. Now I advise my Maori friends to cultivate flax, to plant in ail Hie unoccupied parts oJ their gardens the Tukirikau, or any other excellent kind ; for ihcy grow without much care, requiring no cultivation between the plants or hilling up like potatoes or oilier plants. A few days ago some of us went to see a flax-diessing machine winch is in course o! erection by an European. When we arrived, we fed it with some leaves of flax, and on a wheel being turned, the teeth o'f the mill separated the fibres, and soon the dressed flax was produced. It was of good quality, the fibres not being injured, nor was there much waste. It appeared lo be light work, well adapted for in-door occupation on wet days, and could be performed by young persons. After looking at it, I thought, *' Doubtless the manufacture of ibis article would well repay industrious men." And for this reason—it requires no great amount of labour in planting, cattle and pigs are not great!v to be feared ; and there it may grow and increase, from yeatto year, needing only to be cut and carried to the mill. Again, I remember the large tracisof flax covered country through which I have passed, and regretted that ii should be left there to grow unheeded, cumbering the ground. Now, inv friend, will vou re* commend the Natives to direct their attention to this subject. We have seen the benefit resulting from your advice rehuive to. wheat potatoes, mills, and other things, when they have followed it. So, therefore, in this case, cease not to stir. ihcm. up about the

lhat it may becomean article of export, .wherewith lo pi.y for the numerous commodities which are brought hither in ships. From your friend, Auckland, January, 1857. Maori.