DEATH OF WAHANUI

Waikato Argus, Volume III, Issue 221, 11 December 1897, Page 2

DEATH OF WAHANUI

The death of the Ngatimaniapoto chief Wahauui on Sunday last was not unexpected, as he had been ailing for a considerable time before his decease. From a man of almost gigantic proportions, he had in the course of the last few years dwindled almost to a shadow, and was scarcely recognisable in his old garments, so shrunken was his frame ; yet he still continued to wear them. Curing the last war and for some years afterwards he filled a prominent position amongst the Maoris. Although not a chief of the highest rank, from his personality, education and unequalled reputation as an orator he stood in the front rank at all their meetings, and was the chief of the late King Tawhiao'a advisers. As a warrior he had no reputation, but at one time, shortly after the murder of the Rev. Mr Whitcly at the White Cliffs, he caused some little notoriety and alarm in the country by raising a party with the avowed intention cf clearing the pakehas out of the Waikato. Reihana, however, as he was at that time named, with his men only came as far as Te Kuiti, and gave up his warlike intentions, and remained there with the King as one of his advisers, and subsequently acted in the same capacity at Hikurangi and Whatiwhatihoe. At all meetings after the war between the representatives of the Government aud the King natives Wahanui's influence was invariably antaconistic to Tawhiao coining to a friendly tettlement with the Europeans, Sir Donald McLean, Sir George Grey and Mr Bryce in their turnß as Native Ministers held frequent meetings with them, the terms offered satisfying Tawhiao, but Wahanui was certain at the end of the meeting, by his counsel to have matters left as they were. Thei-3 is no doubt whatever that for many years he alone prevented the settlement of friendly alliance between the natives and the Government. Mr Bryce was the first Native Minister to recognise this fact, and on November loth, 18S2, after a meeting with Tawhiao, he wrote a letter to Wahanui, which he had printed and circulated amongst the natives, holding him responsible for the unfriendly feeliug between the two races aud for whatever misfortunes might occur in consequence of his hostility to a friendly settlement. The letter, however, had no effect on the mind of Wahanui. It is a well-known fact that the late King Tawhiao was as unselfish a man as ever breathed, his one thought was for the benefit of his people. For himself he never asked anything from the Government. Wahanui, on the contrary, always thought of number one so, as at all the meetings, the Government Representatives had never held out any inducement by way of allowance, etc., to himself, he was always in opposition to the Government, Mr Bryce was the Native Minister who at last had his eyes opened to this fact, and by offering Wahanui a good pension, which the obstructionist accepted, and building him a good house and outbuildings at Alexandra secured that his antagonism to the Government ceased. The house built for him here he only occupied for a short time, aud he eventually sold it to a settler for removal. His pension has since been regularly received, but not, his friends say, expended. Although far from popular of late years amongst his people, there is a large number of natives at and expected to arrive for the tangi, which is_ now going on. The deceased leaves a widow, brothers and half brothers, but no children —(Pirongia Correspondent).