AN HISTORIC ENSIGN.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2614, 23 September 1909, Page 3

AN HISTORIC ENSIGN.

PRESENTED TO HON. G. FOWLDS

Some time ago particulars were pr.h'Killed <if the >presentat.<m to the 'He-ii. G&o. Fowlds, Minister for Education, of an historical memento of the Maori war, a battle-worn flag, handed to the Minister by To Poill ini te Kume, a chief residing at Oruanuf. In return, the Hon. Mr Fowlds presented a new ensign of similar character. In a letter to the Minister the Maori chief furnishes an ancestral genealogy, showing the writer to be a> descendant of Tuwliaretoa, eponymous ancestor of the Ngati-Tuwharetoa tribe. He says:—“Hare Poweti to Kume was a man of influence, a man repressing war, a man of land possessions. He was an officer of the Queen during the Hauhau wars. When Sid Donald MdLean was Native Minister he was a minister (of the Church). It was at that time that Sir Donald McLean and Governor Grey gave us the flag under notice. Hare Rcweti was a very mild man, and lie died at Taupe- in the year 1873. Te Poihipi Tukairangi was a leading chief of Taupo, a man of action, who largely influenced the tribes of Ngati-Tuwhare-toa and the Arawa. Ho was very energetic in furthering the cause of the Queen. For instance, ho took an active part in promoting (1) the passage of the mail through the bowels of this fish (North Island) from Napier through Taupo and Te Awamutu; you, pnkelia, will know of the wear, about 1853. I was one of the mail carriers; (2) the establishment of Taupe township; (3) the telegraph line through the bowels of this fish —loyal to the Queen ; (4) fought against the Hauhau at Matata, To Teko—the flag under notice belonged to those engagements. He fought again at Taupo against Te Kooti, and there again was the flag. I was a soldier and a policeman during these wars: I hold my letter of discharge from Mr Lewis, Under-Secretary, Native Department, dated Ist April, 1880. (5) He became a magistrate, advised his people towards goodness, and ever held goodness before them unto the time of liis death, in the year 18S2. As to myself, I have also engaged in a great deal of Government work. Firstly, at the Matata fight and that of Te Teko. Secondly, I took part as a militia-man in the Te Kooti affairs of Karatia, Heruiwi, Taupo, Tapata, Rotorua. Thirdly. I was enrolled in the militia at Napier, and held on until the close of the engagement at Omarunui, when the Ngatihineum tribe was transported to the Chatham Is’ands.