ORGANISED PLAN BY SOCIETY TO FIND EARLY HISTORY

Taupo Times, Volume XIV, Issue 57, 22 July 1965, Page 4

ORGANISED PLAN BY SOCIETY TO FIND EARLY HISTORY

Early Maori history in the Taupo area is a constant source of interest to members of the Taupo Historical Society. Careful study has been made of the early recorded visits to Taupo by missionaries, explorers and scientists. The rou'tes of each are being traced on a map with which there will be notes of particular places, natural features and the person mentioned. By this means the society hopes to establish, with reasonable certainty, the locations of the prin-

ciple pass. The society regards this as important if a reliable history is to be written. The council of the society is at present investigating the visits of a number of people to the Taupo area from 1839 to 1845. Study of the dialects spoken by the Maoris of the district is receiving attention, and a paper is in course of preparation. In this connection the society has received photostatic copies of letters written from Taupo in 1848 and 1849 by Maoris to Bishop Selwyn. These letters have raised important questions which are being investigated, as for instance that of the education of the writers of the letters. The final disposition of the original letters is a matter which is causing the council some concern. The council has been requested to express its view as to the ultimate position with regard to the old military and settlers' cemetery, and to assist in an effort to discover the names of those buried there. The council had no hesitation in expressing the view that the cemetery should be preserved as such for all time and that the maintenanee should be the responsibility of the borough of Taupo.