ORAKAU.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 209, 4 March 1914, Page 6

ORAKAU.

JUBILEE CELEBRATION'S. Mr. 1'". El-nest Smith, chairman of the Orakau Jubilee Committee, writes us follows: A- committee representing the whole of the Waikato district has been set up to fittingly celebrate, the. great light at Orakau, and move particularly the liftv < years of peace we have all enjoyed since. I have been appointed by this committee to inform the Maori tribes who were then in arms against us of what is proposed, and to ask them to join with us in celebrating tliese great events. The Europeans will attend to their side of the celebration, and 1 am to ask the Maori tribes to organise their side, so that they will be suitably represented at Orakau on April 1, 1014. The Battle of Orakau was fought on March 31 and April 1 and "2, 18U-t. The European committee have unanimously selected April 1, the middle of this glorious fight, in preference .to April 2, when Orakau fell, as a tribute to a brave and gallant foe, and to show that It is not the fall of Orakau that they want to celebrate, but the splendid defence made by the Maoris. • The Government have erected a monument on the site at Orakau, but it has not yet been unveiled (a ceremony carried out by Europeans with monuments erected to celebrate great occasions). The Governor, as representative of our King, has agreed to <lo this unveiling, and besides the general public there will be present .Ministers of the Government, and a large body of troops under General Oodlcy. the commanding officer. The Government have been asked to put on one side of the monument the name of the liritish commander in this fight, General Carey, and on the other side the name of Hewi Maniapoto, the great commander. The Waikato regiment have adopted Kcwi's brave words when lie was asked to surrender as their motto, which are now imprinted on their colors, and the second great ceremony of this gathering will be the presentation of these colors to the Hitli Waikato Regiment, in which our sons, and your sons, are serving side by sidi'. We Europeans have always considered that the defence of Orakau was the grandest light made by the Maoris, and Kcwi's brave words, "Ka whawhai •tonu matou, Ake! Ake! Ake!" (We will light oil for ever and ever) spoken on the last day of the light, will never be forgotten, and will be valued as out: common possession as long as our country lasts. We are trying to make the unveiling of the Orakau monument on the jubilee of this grand light worthy of this great occasion, and we want you Maoris to worthily represent the brave man who fought and died there, as you have every reason to be proud of what your fathers did at Orakau. ' That we Europeans are always ready to apprccjae a gallant foe is shown from the following extract from General Cameron's despatch re the Orakau Battle, at which lie wa> present, but did not take command: —"It is impossible not to admire the heroic courage and devotion of the Maoris in defending themselves so long against overwhelming numbers. Surrounded on all sides, cut off froTn their .supply of water, and deprived of all hope of succor, they resolutely held (heir ground for more than two days, and did not abandon the position until (he sap-had reached the last entrenchment. They had probably not less than 15(1 killed out of a garrison not exceeding 30(1." These arc words for you to be proud of. anil I hope they will be an incentive to you to show that you can still stand shoulder to shoulder with the European in the activities of the. present day. As already mentioned, the committee wish you to clearly understand that they are leaving the question of Maori representation at Orakau entirely in .your hands, also the question of transport and provisioning; but this committee will lie only 100 pleased to work with any committee that you may appoint, and for any of your representatives to attend die committee meetings ■in Hamilton if you desire. The time is short, and I ask you to go straight to work and make the Maori side of this great celebration worthy of your ancestors and yourselves,