GREAT MAORI BURIED

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1065, 1 September 1930, Page 1

GREAT MAORI BURIED

FUNERAL OF SIR MAUI POMARE IMPRESSIVE CEREMONY Press Association NEW PLYMOUTH, Today. The ashes of Sir Maui Pomare were committed to the vault at Manukorihi Pa yesterday. It was an unforgettable scene and a feature of it was the wonderful singing and poi dancing of the Maoris. Te Kapinga, who extended a welcome to the official party, greeted the ashes and Lady Pomare’ and received the representative of the Governor-General, Lieut. T L Elsworthy. The Hon. O. F. Nelson and his daughters, representing Samoa, also arrived and were typically greeted as cousins. They brought to the pa presents of tapa mats made from the fibre of the island trees and they expressed the Samoans’ grief and sympathy in their own form. In the afternoon, -the last ceremony was performed. The casket was borne into the open to the accompaniment of wailing and moaning. It was placed in the centre and the Anglican service was taken in Maori. Most of the Maoris joined in the singing of a hymn and the sound was like that of a huge organ, gloriously sweet. Canon K. Karaka led the service and it was taken up by Archdeacon G. L. Gavin and the Rev. R. T. Haddon. Others of the clergy taking part were Archdeacon H. Haiti. Canon Williams and the Rev. K. Hadfield. Other religious denominations were also represented. The scene during the service, with hundreds of people singing and the soft chanting of the mourners, was unforgettable. One Wanganui party of singers formed a wonderful choir to lead the singing. “OUR LAST THOUGHTS”

The Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates addressed the gathering after the service: “This is an occasion when we can express our last thoughts of and respects to a man held in high esteem and close affection for his service to his country, to the Maori people afiid to the Pakeha. This is an occasion when I can remember tlie man bimself, his courteous manner, his eductaion in Christianity, which proves a steppingstone to the highest ideal in human life. “Those in Taranaki understand that the mighty totara has fallen with a sound that will reach to every part of New Zealand, and it will reach farther than that, for we know the respect paid and the attention given him when he visited America recently in the hope that the trip would help him back to health. In his loss has gone the help of a stalwart man whose life was given to help the Maori and Pakeha people. His name will live.” THE FUNERAL CORTEGE Bearers of the casket moved slowly forward, with the choir and mourners behind to form the corte[,e. It was led by Tau Henare in front of the casket) which was borne by Sir Apirana Ngata and Mr. Tuiti Makitanara, M.P. (Southern Maori), at the head, the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates and Mr. K. S. Williams,. M.P. (East Coast) at the back. Immediately behind followed Lady Pomare, her daughter, and her two sons. The wailing and chanting increased in volume as the vault was reached. The committal of the ashes was read with solemn state and the casket was taken into the vault and the mats and wreaths laid on the roof. There still remained for a long time the low murmur of grief from the older wahines. Thousands of people from every part, of the province thronged the pa and the speechmaking continued all day yesterday.