LONELY OUTPOST

Waikato Times, Volume 122, Issue 20510, 28 May 1938, Page 10

LONELY OUTPOST

LITTLE-KNOWN TAHAROA OLD MAORI SETTLEMENT HISTORICAL ASSOCIATIONS Nestling in the security of rugged hill country, cut off from civilisation by a large and deep lake, and with little but the roar of the Tasman Sea from over vast sand dunes to disturb the serenity of the settlement, Taharoa has been until tills week a littleknown village which finds name on none but the most detailed maps of New Zealand. Actually, however, it is an old settlement having historical associations. When the fTrst Maori settlers arrived on the West Coast about 1350 after the voyage in the Aotea canoe, Taharoa Lake was a harbour connected to the Tasman Sea by a narrow estuary. The Maoris of the Aotea canoe landed at the Kawhia heads, settling around that harbour where the remains of the canoe can still be seen marked by large head and foot stones. Later some members of the tribe settled at Taharoa, arriving in the harbour through that narrow estuary. The peacefulness of the settlement has often been disturbed by battle cries. Still to be seen midway along the northern shore of the lake adjacent to where the police camp was established yesterday, is a large Maori redoubt built on a hill and terraced to the water’s edge. Other than the formation of the hill there is now nothing suggesting a fortress. The hill is a landmark to direct boats across the lake to the private landing stage and boathouse of Bhagvanji Desai, compatriot of the missing man. At Taharoa there are still descendents of the Aotea tribe. Serpentine Canals When the estuary became silted up and the raupo blocked the access to the sea, a lake was formed and the route to Kawhia by boat was eliminated. Then the Maoris had to cross the lake by canoe and build a track over the hill country. Canals were built through the dense raupo bordering the edges of the lake. They were cut in serpentine fashion so that rising waters would not easily destroy them. To-day, winding through that half floating and sodden masses of swamp growth, the canals still remain. The journey from the road through the raupo to open water occupies over half-an-hour, the boat being poled through the winding passage. But for two small stores and a school on the brow of a hill there Is no indication that there is a settlement at Taharoa. On arrival across the lake there is no road, not even a track. The stores, one conducted by the Indians and the other by a Maori, Kiwi Retemeyer, are seemingly placed haphazard in two separate paddocks, while the school and teacher’s residence is just above the store owned by Desai. The schoolmaster, Mr H. Rogers and Mrs Rogers, returned to the settlement when they heard that the police officers were requiring the use of the schoolroom and the two detectives were billeted by them. Mr Rogers also placed his boat at the disposal of the police and has assisted them in numerous ways.