WHAREPOURI'S MARK.

Shannon News, 12 August 1927, Page 3

WHAREPOURI'S MARK.

RELIC OF MOKAU JNVASION OF WAIRARAPA. PROTECTION REFUSED. Mr R. J. Barton, of Masterton, who vpplied some .months ago to the Scenery (.'reservation Board on Jfchalf of the vVhakataki Natives to have Wharelouri's Mark, on the Whakataki beach, protected, has received a reply from he boarjl to the effect that the spot is lot considered of sufficient historical nterest to justify its protection at the present.

Commenting on the board's action, \lr. Barton states that as the Public \Vorks Department would soon be putng the road through in the vicinity f the Mark, it was probable that the Sast. Coast Maoris Avould endeavour to irotect the place themselves. Wharepouri's Mark is a sandstone lillar, originally about five feet high, tanding on the legalised road line ibout two chains in from the seaboard, i mile north of Whakataki. In the •c-ir 1542 the missionarv influence wa , .inking itself felt among the warlike Natives, and this Mark was erected in hat year, signifying peace between he Mokau Natives, who Avere then in lossession of Wellington, and had .in.aded the Wairarapa, and the tribes he East Coast, Avho had been driven »v the Mokaus to Mahia to seek the Protection of the HaAvke's Bay tribes dio Avere suitably armed to withstand nvasii.n. The Mokaus found that liev were not strong enough to hold lie' Wairarapa, and after frequent aids by the HaAvke's Bay tribes, Avho were anxious to restore the non-belli-gerent Wairarapa tribes to their original holdings, Wharepouri, one of the. principal chieftains of the Mokaus, declared peace, and the stone Avas erected :o mark the occasion.

Mr. Barton remarked that the board had recently protected several sites in Waikato which were not of real historical interest, and he felt that something should be done to preserve this interesting emblem of peace betAveen the Natives of the East Coast of the North Island.