EARLY ISSUES

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 593, 26 July 1933, Page 6

EARLY ISSUES

BOOK DISTRIBUTED AMONG MAORIS 80 YEARS AGO. HK'ADIGATING SLAVERY. What is believed to be the only copy of a book written by the Rev. John Whiteley over 80 years ago in existence is in the handsl of a relative of the author, Mr. Harold Rawson, New Plymouth. It is a small book, containixxg only 47 pages, but it is priixted closely and contains much matter. At the time the book was published, 1-847, there was a cert-ain amouxxt of slavery axxiong the Maoris, the.slaves being mostly prisoners of war.° In an effort to eradicate this the Rev. John Whiteley wrote this book in Maori and distri-buted it among the Natives. It was printed by John W-ill'iamson, Auckland. It is interesting to note that the only words in the entire publication which are not in Maori are "John Williamson." The majority of the copies were distxnbuted in the Waikato, for there were many slaves in that district, taken there by the Waikato tribes. The translation of the title of the book is "Peace, Peace. It is well that Peaee be Establisbed." The book has been in the hands of Mr. Rawson since the death of his mother, a daughter of the Rev. Mr. Whiteley, and recently he decided to translate it into English. Owing to illness he has been able to do only a little at a time and has accomplished the work in several weeks. Mr. Rawson, himself, is a Maori scholar and found little need to refer to a dictionary. Some reference was made necessary, however, through there being in the book a number of words and phrases which have gone out of coxnmon usage and have become obsoLete. Had he been able to spend full time on the work Mr. Rawson says that he could have completed it in a fortnight. He has had considerable experience in. Maoiu translation, and several times has translated the Maori bible 'back into English.