THE COMING OF THE PAKEHA.

Taranaki Daily News, 15 December 1922, Page 4 (Supplement)

THE COMING OF THE PAKEHA.

TO TARANAKI. (By Ella Brightwell). Roll and rush of mighty waters, Onward, onward, to the shore, Bearing to thy feet their offering, Taranaki, evermore! Pise and fall of waving forest, Rolling softly to the sea, And thy still and hoary summit Taranaki, bold and free! Guard thou standst, in silent splendour, Bathed in sunlight, wild and lone, Where the Maori shuns the tapu Laid upon thee, sacred cone! Down thou gazest on thy children, Called Ngamotu, rocky isles, And that strange, tall peak uprising, paritutu, in sunshine smiles. Lonely, silent, sacred mountain, Savage brown men, round thy base, Held in bonds of brutish terrors, Shrinking, hide them from thy face. Strange the sights and sounds arising, Wild and sudden battle-cry, Wail of tangi, wail of greeting, While the tong, long days go by. Ah! but stranger sights, shall greet thee, Newer sounds shall rise to thee, When the great white wings come bearing, Unknown offering from the sea. Huatoki, Te Henui, Flowing softly to the sands, When upon your banks are rising Homes of men from other lands! Roll and rush and roar of waters, Lightnings play on Paritutu, Storms roll on, and leave the islands Midst their waters, stern and mute. And, around their mighty bases, Stern to conquer, brave in might, Circling there, the white man views thee, Taranaki, lifting white! From fair lands across the ocean, Comes he now to lands more fair, Brings he knowledge and ambition, To a land of beauty rare. Taranaki! In thy grandeur, Lone and silent, once again, Ah! but broken now the tapu, And across the mighty main, White, white hands are reaching for thee Hearts that soon will call thee “home," Near and near the mighty ocean Bears to thee across the foam. Stand upon your decks, ye pilgrims! Pioneers, all staunch and brave, See the unknown lands uprolling, Scrub and bushland, wave on wave. See, ah! See that sacred mountain, That shall hold you evermore, As around its base you labour, Breaking, tilling from the shore; Till, where mighty trees are standing Farms and homes shall peaceful reign, And strange forms of man's inventions Move in power o’er the plain. Till the great brown race shall know you, Shall accept the paths of light, And ye gladly call them brother, In the world's great upward fight, And the land shall claim you, hold you, Far and far although ye roam, Laughiing waters, fruitful meadows, Taranaki, mountain home! Rush and roll and song of waters Creeping softly to thy shore, They shall bear thee fame and power, Taranaki, evermore!