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
Answered_________
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