A Century-old Episode.

Down on the beach between Paraparaumu and the mouth of the Waikanae River is the point where a young Maori chieftainess named Te Rau-o-te-Rangi landed after a swim from Kapiti Island, a heroic episode of a little over a century ago. Te Rau swam from the island in the night, with her little daughter fastened on a mat on her shoulders; the distance was about six miles. A great fleet of enemy war-canoes was approaching Kapiti from the north, and the swim was undertaken not only to escape from enemies but to give warning to the people on the mainland to come to the help of the islanders, for a canoe would have been seen. The invaders were defeated on the following day. The brave Rau-o-te-Rangi lived to have a family of seventeen or eighteen children; some of her descendants are living in Wellington and Auckland to-day.

The best clear view from the railway of Kapiti Island, the State sanctuary for native birds, is just before reaching Paekakariki. Better still, and nearer, is the view from the beach at the mouth of the Waikanae River. It looks a perfect refuge place and safe retreat, and the Government is gradually making it an excellent example of a regenerated sanctuary of bush and birds. It is rather curious to remember that there was once an official proposal, some thirty years ago, to make Kapiti a leper island, and to transfer here the two or three lepers on Quail Island, in Lyttelton Harbour. But all in favour of the birds said No, and the Noes had it.

Those who take one of the side-routes down to the beach, will find a haunt of history round about the mouth of the Waikanae River. There was a great fortified village of the Ngati-Awa tribe here once, and old Maoris describe its high palisade crowned with grim carved heads, with huge glittering pawa shell eyes, which the action of wind-driven sand kept always bright and polished. There was a battle fought here in 1839, between the people of this pa and the Ngati-Raukawa tribe, of Otaki, and the

The Famous Maori Church At Otaki.
Interior of the Mission Church shewing the massive pillars and a portion of the painted ridge-pole and the scroll patterns on the rafters.
(Photos, A. P. Godber.)
The original “Jubilee Pole,” on which was painted in spiral form the year dates 1840–1880, representing the period of active mission work in the village.

surgeon from the Wakefields' pioneer ship Tory, who came to Waikanae from Wellington, attended to some of the wounded.