Back to the Beginning—A Maori Newspaper

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 56, 28 May 1927, Page 19 (Supplement)

Back to the Beginning — A Maori Newspaper

(Written /or THE SUN by

N. A. WINTER.)

is saasas acAoas. OR 3Jlaon Vol. lit. 3 AUCKLAND, MAY 14, 1863. AKARANA, MEI 14, .ISC3. r.No

0 have between one’s hands a copy of a newspaper printed over i I years ago in New Zealand is unusual and interesting.

Mr. Guy Blaudford , of Auckland, who is a lover of Maori antiquities, has lent me a copy of “Te Karere Maori” (or Maori Messenger”) which was published in Auckland on May 14, 1863, and contains parallel columns of English and Maori.

It is of quarto size, about 9 inches by 7 inches, and contains 16 pages. Its title page is surmounted by the Royal Arms but there no imprint. A few notes on some of the principal settlements in New Zealand suggest the primitive condition in which they were at that time and make droll reading at the present day. Referring to YVhangarei. the paper states: “Our friends will be glad to learn that a line of way, sixteen miles in length, from the Whangarei Heads to the river Wairoa, which empties itself into the great Kaipara estuaryon the West Coast, has been surveyed, and workmen are now busily engaged in forming the road. The chiefs Te Tirarau and Hori Kingi, who own a considerable portion of the land through which the road passes, have generously allowed the Government to proceed with its work without compensation.”

With regard to Raglan (called Whaingaroa in the Maori version), a report states that the trunk road leading from the settlement to the Wai.tetuna river has been nearly completed by the native workmen.

In Napier an affray took place between the natives and some of the townspeople. This might have proved serious but for the timely intervention of the superintendent. Mr. D. McLean.

At Whanganui (so spelt) the chiefs Pehi and Topiha have assented to the erection of the Queen’s Courthouses upon native territory, after two days’ discussion with the magistrate at Putiki . . . the general feeling is that law among the native tribes at Whanganui wlii soon be paramount. Of a report on the “Schools established by Sir George Grey,” the following is the rather abrupt beginning: “The boys are well fed. They have bread and tea with plenty of milk for breakfast. When ihje firm is fully stocked with cattle, it will cost nothing but x ble to add batter and cheese. F< . dinner they have meat (generally pork) and potatoes, fruit whenever they like to gather and cook it, rice and sugar twice a week, and pea-soup or other vegetable soup twice a week. ... If this diet appears too liberal, it must be remembered that most of the boys during a part of the day engage in physically hard work.” Some of the instructors mentioned are Mr. Glanfield and the Rev. John Morgan. “After 4 o’clock all sorts of games are promoted, bathing, rounders and cricket being the favourites.” The last-named was new to them, but some boys were becoming proficient at it. Carpentry, tailoring, blacksmith’s work, shoe-making and printing were among the trades taught to the boys.