WHITE CUFFS MASSACRE

Taranaki Daily News, 14 February 1919, Page 4

WHITE CUFFS MASSACRE

MEMORIAL MEETING AT WffITBUE? HALL. Yesterday being the 50th anniversary of the massacre which took place at White Cliffs, in which the Rev. John Whitelcy, the then Weslevan missionary, to the Maoris, was one of the victims, & meeting was held in Whiteley Hall last night to mark the occasion and to honor the memory of the late Mr. WSiteley. There was a good attendance. Prior to handing the meeting over to Rev. W. Cannell, the Rev. W A. Sinclair offered apologies for the absence of the Rev. T. G. Hammond (superintendent of | Maori missions) and the Rev. Robert Hadden (a native missionary). Mr. Cannell, who was heartily ap« plauded, said he came to New Plymouth in 18C0, and had been associated w ; "i Mrw Whiteley in his work, and m. .aited many of the hardships and dangers en« dured during the time of the wars. He paid a high tribute to the worth and character of Mr. Whiteley and the members of his family, the memory of wkoift. was still a fragrant perfume amongst those who had known them. Mr. W. A. Coliis, whose memory of matters connected with the Whiteley Church carried back as far as 1872, was also reminiscent in his remarks. He referred to the ministers who had served the local church, and stated that the fact that quite a number of them had been Inter laised to the presidential chair of the conference was an evidence of the excellent training of the work her# for . ■ greater work in years. Mr. O&llis % also refreshed the memories of present in the matter of the establishment of the Coast mission, now carried on in what is known as the Cape Egmont circuit. In conclusion he urged those now carrying on the work to maintain the high reputation made by the pioneers in the Whiteley Church. Mr. 15. Dixon (Hawera), vice-president of the conference, was cordially received, and recounted Bome of his early aaeocia- - tions with Taranaki Methodism. In referring to the mission work amongst the Maoris—especially those in Taranaki—he said it was a mistake for some people to talk (as they did) about failures. He said no one who read the records of the early work, like that accomplished by Mr. Whiteley, could talk of failure. He also said the work of the present missionaries to the Maoris wag in no sense a faitare. The failure was in the practical example of .religion set the natives by the palMha. He eulogised the pioneering wont done by the early Methodist Church in fl#w Zealand, and Bpoke of the great heritlge that they had handed down to the church of to-day, and urged that the responsibility of continuing that work should be taken up and fulfilled by the people of the present. Mr. J. Veale (Auckland), who Was the next speaker, gave an explanation of the death of Mr. Whiteley, which he characterised as the act of a martyr. He said he believed Mr Whiteley need Hot have been murdered, but for his own deliberate refusal to turn back. It had been suggested to him, Mr V'cale said, that Mr. Whiteley knew that if he turned hftfk, as the natives ordered him to, it probably follow that the Maoris amfmgst whom he lived would forsake hitt and join the Mokau Maojfls in a general massacre of the settles right down as far as Tikorangi, whereas by going on and facing deatli he had shown them he ffns not afraid to die even for their Bikes, and he (the speaker) believed that was the reason why Mr \Vliiteley had not turned back The Rev W A. Sinclair briefly spoke, relating some incidents associated with the life of Mr Whiteley and the early history of the church in New Plymouth, as recorded in some valuable letters which had been written to or by the late Mr. YVhiteley, and were now in the possession of one of his grandsons—M#. H. Rawson, of New Plymouth—who had kindly placed them at his disposal. Oil Sunday next special reference will bo made to the occasion at the church services, and in the morning there Will be a parado of the Veterans' Association.