WANDERINGS AND DEATH OF A NEW ZEALANDER IN LONDON.

New Zealander, Volume 9, Issue 768, 24 August 1853, Page 3

WANDERINGS AND DEATH OF A NEW ZEALANDER IN LONDON.

[Fro n "B< It's Weekly Mwu*njjer."3 An interesting and deeply painful case has recently been brought fo light' in connection with Ihe labours of the Rev. Dr. Doran, as chaplain of the Royal Free Hospital, (irey's-inn-road. The following statement gives the particulars;— Hori (George) Korau was the fourth son of Taniali Waka (Thomas Walker) Ncnc, the chief who commanded the auxiliary native forces on the side of the English.at the Ray of Islands, New Zealand, during the war of 1843. He also idok a prominent part in the recognition of the supremacy of the Queen over Ihe Islands of New Zealand, under Captain, afterwards Governor, Hobson. : ''lie left New Zealand about 18 months since in a vessel called the Victoria, commanded by a Captain Williams, with an indefinite intention of visiting England, working his passage under die impression that he was to return by the same vessel. He was taken first to Sydney,' where the vessel remained about two months for the purpose of taking in her cargo, and from thence he was brought to Liverpool. On arriving at Liverpool he was sent on shore, and when the little money he had was spent he was left utterly destitute and without a single friend ; and as he spoke English very imperfectly he must have been unable to make his case known, even had he met with any one who would have been interested in it. After remaining for some time in this forlorn condition he appears to have set out on foot for London, which he reached, according to his own account, in eight days, and to have suffered much on the journey from want and exposure. In London he wandered about dependent upon ordinary street charity, and slept wherever he could find shelter. During this lime he spent three nights at the Dormitory .in Field-lane. At length being taken id with a violent fever, he dropped down in the street in a stale of exhaustion, when a woman look compassion on him and directed him to the Royal Free Hospital in Grey s-inn lane, where he was admitted on Ihe 30th of November last, and received every attention, His case, however, was not known to any friend of New Zealand, until the Rev. Dr. Doran, who was lately appointed temporary Chaplain of Ihe Hospital, applied to the Secretaries of the Church Missionary Society to know if they had any missionary in England from that place (New Zealand), and as the Society had two gentlemen residing in their College, an opportunity was thus offered of learning Ihe particulars of his case. Owing Jo his extreme weakness, but lillle more than the above could be obtained. The first visit was made to him on Ihe 17th of February; the poor fellow on being spoken to in his own language cried like a child, and his few remaining days were cheered, and it is to he hoped enlightened, by the visits made him. lie died on the Ist of March from consumption, hurried on by diarrhoea) and on the third he was buried in the Chapel of Ease Burial ground, Islington. The service was read by the Rev. C. F. Childe, Principal of the Church Missionary College, and ; he was followed to the grave by the Rev. Henry Venn, 8.D., Secretary of the Church Missionary Society, the Rev. Dr. Doran, Chaplain of the Hospital, late missionary in Ceylon, and his two New Zealand friends, together wilh some of the students from the Church Missionary . College. Of him it may be said that he died a stranger in a strange land and amongst a strange people. He was about twenty years of age. "Whilst he was lying ill, he dictated the following letter fo his father:— "London, February 21, 1853. "E. Kara, Thos. Walker Nene. "I salute you. "My love to you is great. What shall Ido that 1 may sec you! Here lam confined to my bed by sickness ; therefore I am not able to see you. • "As for the ship in which I came, when I reached the land to which I was coming I was at once deserted by Ihe captain, through the badness of the captain. I resided on the land, j having no money. 1 wandered about having nothing to cat: hunger reached me. I went to London. I went with sickness, the sickness was close upon me. By my strength in walking I was saved. I arrived and dwelt in London, sickness came upon me. I went to the hospital, where I abode and saw that my sickness would < he long. I saw Mr. Ronaldson and Mr. L. Williams. When they came, darkness was beginning to eorac upon me. When they had visited roe, light began to shine within me. "Hori Koiuu. ''These are all my words. Farewell."