MAORI MEMORIES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 27 May 1940, Page 3

MAORI MEMORIES

THE MAORI RULE. (Recorded by J.H.S., o£ Palmerston North, for the “Times-Age.”)

On the death of Governor Hobson, Mr Shortland held the reins of his office. Just .then a Maori Makctu tribal party lost their trading brig to a party 1 from Tauranga, the reason given being that they had broken the law of Tapu by eating potatoes grown near a grave.

In this "religious difference'' between the two tribes the new Governor was about to take a part which would have invoked the hostility of both. At this critical period Bishop Selwyn and Justice Martin arrived on the scene, and after an interview with the Chiefs persuaded the Governor to desist. Many lives were thus saved and the dispute ended in “the taste of blood.” The Chiefs concerned appealed to the Attorney-General against their being regarded as thieves as they had not even signed the Treaty of Waitangi. In this several legal authorities

supported them. The Secretary of State. Lord Stanley, -was in favour of reprisals, but at I the risk of -being dismissed the At--1 torney, Mr Swainson, supported the Maori view and again averted a war I which would almost certainly have sacrificed at least one half of the white people before military aid could be made available from overseas. In June. 1843. the Supremo Court acquitted a white man charged with the murder of a Maori woman. Her relative Rangi Haeata, who claimed utu (satisfaction) under the ancient Maori law of an eye for an eye, directed the historic massacre of Tua Marfina in which 22 settlers were killed. Neither Rangi Haeata nor his notorious associate. Rauparaha, were brought to justice. _____