Matutaera. King Tawhiao.

 

Son of the great fighting general Te Wherowhero, first King of New Zealand. Tawhiao was a man of few words, much in the habit of giving laconic answers to questions. He was a well intentioned man, but like Wahanui he was not noted for bravery or personal prowess. He had a cast in one eye, which caused by being struck with a splinter of wood.

A party of Natives arrived at his settlement and he thought his slaves were dilatory in cooking food for them. He started to cut firewood, and a splinter flew and inflicted a wound on his eye. The bystanders said it was punishment for presuming to do slaves work.

Tawhiao was present at the Rangiriri fight and narrowly escaped capture on that occasion.

Huria Matene - or Katene.

 

Was born at Nelson about 1845. Her father Wiremu Katene te Manu was a chief of the Ngatitama tribe of Taranaki, and her mother Wikitoria te Keha, belonged to the Ngatiawa tribe of the same district. Huria Matene is the holder of a considerate area of valuable land at Nelson, which her father declined to sell to Mr McLean, Chief Land Purchase Commisioner in 1854. She and her husband are very hospitable people and much respected by the European residents at Nelson.

 

RECEIVED

11 AUG 98

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