THE KAKA IN DAYS GONE BY.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9707, 1 February 1910, Page 4

THE KAKA IN DAYS GONE BY.

"In 1861 and 1862," writes Mr A. H. Clark, of Waibi, "I was employed on board a small schooner trading between Nelson and the Buller River, when there were a number of gold diggings up the river, and at a creek about nine miles north of it. In the summer months, when the rata trees were in full bloom, when we sailed along the coast we heard multitudes of kakas calling. They made so much noise that the sound could be heard some miles off the coast. Considerable numbers of Madris lived around the Buller and at the Grey. At the proper seasons they snared great quantities of these birds. On the southern side of the river, close to a lagoon, tht.ra was a solitary and lofty dfiad rata. T*o Maoris cjimbed to the topofthei.ee, and made a smallwhare there with poles and rushes. In it a fowler would sit, usually with a tame kaka, which he used as a decoy, fastened to a pole. The bird was tormented till it screeched. Another kaka would come to see what .the matter was, and would also be caught. All the captives would set up a screeching, and the tree would become alive with kakas. Mr Clark 'says that he has known a Maori girl to snare as many as 120 kakas in one afternoon. In those day 3 it was usual for the Maoris to have several tame kakas in a settlement. The birds were great favourites, the women and children carrying them around in their journeys on short poles, with a rir.g over one foot and fastened to the pole. Whep a. kaka was properly tamed it never displayed a disposition to return to the wild state. The Maoris also attracted the attention of kakas without the assistance of

decoys, by imitating the calls. With practice, Mr Clark became quite ait adept at this himself, and when, three years later, he went gold dig* ging up the New River, in tha Grey district, it Was part of his day's work to provide as many, kakas and pigeons as possible for 4 party of four.