KORERORERO TORONGA.

Taranaki Daily News, 29 May 1920, Page 10

KORERORERO TORONGA.

Tales that are told of Maori and Pakeha for the Taranaki Daily News. By "Ingoa Hore " (Rights Reserved.) TU-RAXGA-PITO OF RANGI-TI-KEI. Away back in the sixties there came to the district a sturdy old Scot and his good wife, and many a straggling settler or traveller owed them a debt of gratitude for kindly help in times when many were needy and money was needed. Coming from a land where schools were few, to one where scholars were fewer, Tu-ranga-pito, as he was affectionately known, depended solely upon a phenomenal memory for his store, of knowledge, and in this he resembled the old time Maori. It was said that he could recite any chapter of the old Testament, a feat impossible since the decline of oral teaching and the substitution of eye for ear memory. He earrie'd on foot the first overland mail between Wellington, Rangi-ti-kei, Manawatu, Tura-kina and Wanga-nui, travelling mostly by the beach, making the return journey all the year round twice a month, which meant that he maintained a tramp averaging 23 miles a day and covering 7000 miles each year. Considering that he could neither ride nor swim, the feat was truly herculean. The many rivers were crossed at the mouth, with the aid of a large bundle of dried korari, or flax stick under each armpit, the mails and his clothes being safely stowed on his shoulders. The Maori sleeping huts en route were shunned because of the numerous small "company." Tu-ranga-pito provided his own shelter above high water mark, by making a small heap of the dry surface sand with which to line a hollow in the drift wherein he covered himself to the neck with sand, and slept as only an old salt may- Thus he saved both the canoe feea and the cost of a bed, and much ho had need to, out of the total subsidy of £1 per week. There was however a little perquisite by which he eked out quite a substantial bonus. He purchased two gallons of O.P. rum at each end of the journey, supplied shilling nohblers all the way up or down the coast, and sold the two gallon keg (still full!) before reaching each journey's end! The model home of these good settlers was, on one occasion at least, the scene of historic greeting and hearty laughter between two eminent men- Major Harry Atkinson, our only fighting Defence Minister and Colonial Treasurer, on his way from the active Taranaki front, met Sir James Fergusson, the newly arrived Governor, by appointment at the ferry over the Rangi-ti-kei. Sir James admired the spotless kitchen and the clean white pine uncovered table and floor, and insisted upon the novelty of dining just there. Before the meal was over they were joined by a couple of j stock drivers who were introduced by the proud host thus: "This is Major Etkinson, oor graate financical meenister, and this is Sir James Fairgusson, a fine affable fellow." Hearty exchange of laughter, greeting, and reminiscence followed, and these were remembered by Sir James to the day of his departure, perhaps even to the time of his death, which occurred during an earthquake in Florence. Among the many bits of information acquired by His Excellency at that sitting, was the origin of the name of that small village on the coast near Pai-kaka-riki, called Paka-ra-wai-no, which name has since disappeared from the maps. The cheery host told the Governor that an old whaler took his newly wed Maori wa-liine to this spot, built the wiare, and when ready for its occupants, she, Maori like, seeing the prospect good, asked by what appropriate , name their new Kainga should be known. The old salt in perplexity scratched his head, and expressed in his emphatic lingo the negation of knowled"e. The sound being pleasing to ' the" Maori ear, "Pakara-wai-no" found its way on to the official maps as a ' Maori place name, until the recital of ' this story by His Excellency the Gov- ! ornor very properly brought about its " removal therefrom. In later years, this old pioneer learned to ride, and when tlie I Rano-i-ii-kei race meeting was in pro--5 gress, just after a three mile run, the > straight was roped across at both ends s to prevent the crowd from jostling the ' well blown grass fed horses and amateur 1 or gentleman riders- Tu-ranga-pito on " "Mistake" was taking a preliminary 1 round of the course, when, as he de--1 scrjbed it, "the hoss saw the rope before I did, and landed me on the other side, < fair on my back." i. The pleasures of those days were ini tensified 'by their rarity, and 110 one y could possibly become surfeited, their :- enjoyment therefore was of the fullest e find simplest. Men, women and children made the country race meeting a 5, day's picnic. Class distinctions there e were none, not even among the competh injg horaei or ihei { "gentlemen" riders.