CORRESPONDENCE.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume I, Issue 208, 13 August 1884, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

Wm dn'noti hold ounclvea responsible for the opinions oxprewed by our correspondents.) THE EAST COAST MAORI MEMBER. TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —We wish to inform those Europeans who are not acquainted with Wi Pere, the present Representative in Parliament for the East Coast Native Electoral District, that he is a half-caste, and lived with his mother (who }vas a chieftainess of Turanga) and her brother, from his infancy until manhood. Wi Pere himself inherits the spirit of the noble ancestors from whom he is descended namely, Porourangi, Hauiti, Kahungunu and others, and is recognized as a man of great importance on his own lands, and amongst the Maori people of Turanga (Poverty Bay.) When Christianity was first introduced here he was one of the young chiefs who supported it up to the time that Kereopa Kaiwhatu came to Turanga and introduced his false ged’, namely Riki and Kura. Wi Pere tried to persuade the Turanga people to have nothing to do with those false gods, but the people would not listen to him, and joined themselves to the new religion. Wi l J ere therefore and Wi Haronga severed themselves from the rest and joined those on the side of the Queen, whilst the Hauhau party were destroying life and property. Subsequent to this theHauhau’s, including Te Kooti Kikirangi, were conveyed to Wharekauri (Chatham Islands) from whence they made their escape. Te Kooti then took to the bush and making a raid upon Turanga, killed Europeans, Maoris, and half-castes indiscriminately. Wi Pere being captured was taken away by Te Kooti to Makaretu where he intended to kill him, but was fraustrated in his design by our timely arrival at that place. We and other loyal natives attacked the Hauhaus at Makaretu, and whilst thus engaging their attention, Wi Pere took the opportunity of escaping and fled to Torere where he took refuge for some time with his uncle Wiremu Kingi.

After a while he returned again to Turanga and joined in the pursuit after Te Kooti, wishing to be revenged for the ill-treatment he had received from him. He was appointed captain of his own people, Te Aitanga a Mahaki, and fought side by side with our people the Ngatiporous. In course of time there was a sitting of the Native Land Court in this district, and he was the chief of Turanga who gave it his support, at the same time advising his people to be careful about their lands lest they should be swallowed up by the Europeans, and there would be no land left for their wives and families to live upon. In leasing, selling, or otherwise disposing of their lands, he advised that they should first have a clear understanding amongst themselves before so doing. The only Europeans who found fault with the upright dealings of Wi Pere regarding the lands, were those who wished to buy up the land about Turanga for a mere trifle per acre. But none of the old European settlers blamed Wi Pere, no not one. Our reason for writing this is on account of the taunting words in the Telegraph newspaper of Napier, which were reprinted in the Herald newspaper of Poverty Bay in its issue for August Bth 1884.

Tuta Nihoniho, Buka Aratapu, For Ngatiporou, Gisborne, August 12th, 1884.