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The Pamphlet Collection of Sir Robert Stout: Volume 10

[Translation.]

[Translation.]

"Wellington,

"To Mr. George Graham.

"Friend,—Good and bad men are not of to-day; such existed formerly, at the time of my ancestors, at the time of my parents, and now in my time. They gave instructions to their children, as my father also gave instructions to me, to be kind to the people of low degree; this was his teaching to me, as it was also his father's to him, when his uncle Herea was killed by Ngatiraukawa, who was killed as an offering to propitiate (the gods) upon this occasion of the building of their house—Tutuakarewarewa; therefore did he assume the name of Taingakawa.* After the death of Herea Tukutetaiheke came to Horotiu, regardless of the consequences, Taingakawa te Waharoa being absent at the time. When Ngatihaua saw him, they raised a shout. "It is Tukutetaiheke." It was heard from one end of Ngatimaniapoto to the other; some went to carry wood, some to carry covers, some to carry stones, therewith to cook Tuku. When the news reached Taingakawa te Waharoa he went there and found the fire was alight; he went straight to Tuku and gave him his nose (rubbed noses). So Tuku was saved. Then again a war party was sent to Rotorua; Puhirua was attacked, and fell, by Ngatihaua, Ngapuhi, Ngatipaoa. Haere-wharara fled. Now that man belonged to Ngatiraukawa; he was overtaken by the army. When Taingakawa te Waharoa saw it he took him and let him go to his own people (saved his life). Then, again, when Ngapuhi and Ngatiwhatua were at war, and they fled before Hongi Hika, and those which escaped came to Patotere—when Te Waharoa heard of it he took them to Maungakawa, the 140 of Ngatiwhatua, and treated them kindly there; the chiefs were Te Roro o te Eangi, Tamahiki, Pateoro, and Te Tinana. When he sent them back to Kaipara, he said to them—'Go; do not come back in one year, or in two years, but come when you are supplied with guns, powder, and balls (meaning, do not hastily commence war); then come and seek revenge for your dead,' that is for Te Tinana, who had been murdered by the grandfather of Rewi, by Tukorehu.

"At the commencement of the war with Ngatipaoa, he having seen how disposed to evil the chief of his two hapus, Ngatihaua and Ngatikoroki, were (these chiefs were disposed to evil on page 71 account of Ngatipaoa having killed their men, and taken away their lands Horotiu and Maungakawa), then he went to Takurua, chief of Ngatipaoa, and recited his song. This was the song:—"Hiehie, go go, return; lead back your children to your own land; come not here to disturb our tranquillity." He then went thence to Tauranga; after which his people killed Takurua. He returned not to his people, being vexed at their having murdered Takurua, and he suffered his own people to be killed in payment for Takurua. He remained at Tauranga two years. During the second year his sister was killed by Ngatipaoa; then was his heart pained; then he came back to seek redress for the death of his sister. Then fell Ngatipaoa, Ngatimaru, Tamatera, Whanaunga, Te Tawera, and Te Patuwai, and they were caused to go back to their own place, to Hauraki. After this, our man Te Hunga was murdered at Rotorua. Maketu fell in consequence. The women, Tumaia, Tamahuka, Rama, and Peti, were captured. Te Waharoa looked upon them, and sent them back to Rotorua. After this the daughter of Hikairo, Pinenga-a-Riri, married my elder brother. Then the peace was firmly established. After they had lived together for two months, the war party of Taraia rushed upon Waiharakeke, and Pinenga-a-Riri was taken a captive. Ngatihaua stood up to seek payment, but Te Waharoa would not let them. He died in the year 1832, and I grew up: but I did not carry out completely the intentions of my father. After his death Ngatihaua wished to plunder the property of Mr. Brown, minister; my people plundered the whole of his property. I then asked them, and they were all given back. Then I arranged for the robbery (made restoration), four pigs and a piece of land—that was in payment for the large matters stolen. Then, for the wine drunk by my younger brothers, one pig, four baskets of taro, and six nets of potatoes. This was discontinued at that time. I embraced religion. A missionary was now stationed at Tauranga, I urged on the people to cease fighting amongst themselves, but they would not hear. I kept on year by year to urge upon them; at last they all embraced religion. I then turned my attention to establishing schools to examine in class those who were candidates for baptism, and then I used to pass them on to the minister to be baptized. As religion grew, I entertained the idea of having a large church built to be a gathering place for those who up to that time had been antagonistic to each other, so that their animosity might cease. When that house was built it was named Babel, in length it was 24 yards, in breadth 10 yards. Then the Arawa, Waikato, and Ngatipaoa were called; those were the tribes who assembled in that house at that meeting, for the purpose of causing animosity to cease. There were consumed 2,000 baskets of potatoes and kumeras, 3,000 pigs, 20,000 eels, 8 casks of tobacco; one cask of tobacco was contributed by the Government, that is to say by Edward Shortland. Having thus put a stop to old feuds existing between Rotorua and Hauraki, I wished to turn my attention page 72 to Waikato, Mokau, Kawhia, and Rangiaohia, that they might all work in unison. I made the attempt, and succeeded. I made the attempt to become possessed of laws for the suppression of crime, for a partial runanga, and magistrates, but the war at Taranaki intervened. I went there and made peace. I again made the attempt, but I had become weary of those things, and I forsook them in the Waikato war. I forsook law, and forsook religion, neither have I yet become desirous for those two things. (Thompson meant that with war he neglected religion, and he could not think our laws just. We refused to enquire into the cause of the war, and broke faith with him after the fall of Rangiriri by not making peace at Ngaruawahia, where the Governor promised to talk with the Maoris.) Here let my thoughts end. From your friend,

"W. Tamihana Te Waharoa."

* An offering.