MAORI MEMORIES.

Wairarapa Times-Age, 16 May 1938, Page 5

MAORI MEMORIES.

REASON OR INSTINCT.

(Recorded by J.H.S. for "Times-Age”) Hongi Hika was one who produced revolution in New Zealand history. Imbued with the hereditary instinct of his ancestors and impressed by the material benefits of our religious training, he could not be consistent. As a youth he became famous as a great fighting man. In the prime of life in 1814 he went to Sydney with Ruatara as a guest of Samuel Marsden, and returned to New Zealand as a patron and protector of all creeds of Christians and their missionaries.

On the plea of ending the heathen beliefs of his ancestors, he carried out deadly raids against rival tribes in Rotorua, Hokianga, and Whangaroa. In 1820, weary of idleness for want of more conquests, he offered to accompany the Reverend Kendall to England, with the avowed object of “seeing King George and bringing back missionaries, carpenters, blacksmiths, and twenty well armed guards.” Hongi’s bright intelligence and Mr Kendall's skill as an interpreter enabled Professor Lee of Cambridge to give to the Maori tongue and memory the simplest written language in all. the world.

King George presented him with a suit of armour and many valuable souvenirs. His greatest interest was to inspect the troops and military stores, to listen to the exploits of Napoleon, and to watch the great elephant at the Zoo.

The Queen’s trial was then the talk of the country. Hongi could not understand why the great King of England could not manage one wife, while he himself ruled over five.

On reaching Sydney, he learned that his son-in-law had been slain in battle in the Bay of Plenty. Though Hongi posed as a devout Christian in England mother instinct demanded reprisal, which will be the subject of tomorrow's Memory.