598 Transactions. — Miscellaneous. 



Art. LXVIII. — The Modern History of a Block of Green- 

 stone. 



By W. Colenso, F.E.S., F.L.S. (Lond.), &c. 



[Read before the Hawke's Bay Philosophical Institute, 12th November, 



1894.] 



A few peculiar public occurrences of this present time (the 

 middle of September, 1894) have set me a-thinking at almost 

 a right angle — in a strange kind of way. But first, and very 

 briefly, of the said occurrences, which are four in number: 

 (1) The death of the Maori king, Tawhiao, at his own village 

 in Parawera ; (2) the death of Henare Matua, a chief of the 

 Ngatipahoro family, an able and popular man, well known 

 in the Native Land Courts, and at many public political 

 Maori meetings, both far and near, with whom many of our 

 early settlers have had extensive dealings ; (3) the death at 

 the same time (7th September) of a well-known and respected 

 aged Maori of note, Noa Huke, for several years (1848-53) 

 a useful and faithful Christian teacher of mine ; and (4) his 

 burial at Omaahu on the 18th September. These events, 

 taken together, have produced within me " things unattempted 

 yet in prose or rhyme," and, united, are the efficient cause of 

 my writing this paper, as you may see. 



(Here I quote from my old Maori-written relation:) "Of 

 the huge stone: Many years ago this big lump of greenstone 

 =pounamu was purchased from a European in Cook's Strait 

 by the Ngatiraukawa Tribe there residing, and from that time 

 it lay quietly in their possession until the death of Moses 

 Tarapuhi.* When the Hawke's Bay tribe (Ngatikahungunu) 

 heard of his death they arose in a large body from these 

 parts, as far as Porangahau inclusive, and travelled to Mana- 

 watu, and on to the west coast to Foxton, to the funeral; 

 and while there the big greenstone was publicly brought for- 

 ward and ceremonially placed and presented by the Ngati- 

 raukawa Tribe to their visitors from Hawke's Bay, at the 

 same time naming the said stone ' The Tears of Ngatirau- 

 kawa. '+ On their visitors leaving, the big lump was put on 

 board of a canoe, which was poled up the Eiver Manawatu to 

 Moutoa. From this village it was fetched by the Ngatipaka- 



* Moses Tarapuhi was a chief of some note who had formerly, and for 

 some years, resided in the Bay of Islands. A few years after I had settled 

 in Hawke's Bay he and his wife, who had known me there, arrived here, 

 and, after staying some time, went on to the west coast, near Foxton. 



f " Ka tapaetia te tapae, ' Nga Roimata o Ngatiraukawa.' " 



