MAORI MEMORIES.

Wairarapa Times-Age, 4 June 1938, Page 9

MAORI MEMORIES.

EARLY MISSIONS.

(Recorded by J.H.S. for “Times-Age”)

In 1819 a mission station was formed at Kerikeri, and in 1822 at Whangaroa, among .the tribe who, rightly or wrongly, were'made infamous by the Boyd massacre. Five years later, the missionaries fled in terror of their lives, from some unspoken cause. At the invitation of Patuone they settled at Hokianga. In 1836 Pope Gregory XVI. appointed the Roman Catholic head of New Zealand, in the person of the worthy Bishop Pompallier, with headquarters at Korora i;eka. In 1838 the Church Mission Society had 5 clergy and one farmer, surgeon, printer, wheelwright, stone mason and teacher, a practical means of civilising, unfortunately not followed up. The Wesleyans had five clergy. The Catholic Church had one bishop and 20 priests. When war was declared in 1844, as a protest against robbing the Maori of his land, the clergy were reduced, and in 1855 there were 22 English, 15 Wesleyan and 12 Catholic, all told. Most early missionaries came from the working people, poorer than the clergy occupying the parsonages; few well read in classics or theology. But honour be to them—voluntarily exiled, half starved on other than fast days of the Church, unknown to fame, and cheered only by their high call to help others. i

Owing to Hongi's influence, they were well received at first. Maori work and food were paid for with blankets, shirts and axes, producing self-respect among them. From causes not fully disclosed, the Wesleyan missionaries at Whangaroa, Tauranga and Rotorua were killed in 1827. These wars were not directed against them. They merely suffered in the stress of war by an overwhelming number. No clergyman was ever knowingly killed by a Maori.