A once important Native tribe

A Maori funeral which took place in Waimate on Friday attracted a good deal of attention (says the local Times) as it passed down Queen Street to the burial ground near the old Maori pa, on the bank of the Waimate creek.

The funeral had come from Morven, and the followers were mostly driving in vehicles, while two were on horseback, and the younger generation rode bicycles.

At one time the Maori burial-ground was fenced round and contained many wooden tablets in memory of deceased Natives who were buried there.

But these have been cleared away many years ago, and no indication given of where the burying-place was situated, and European residents had almost forgotten the spot.

But after a considerable lapse of time a fresh grave was opened on the ancient ground and another Maori laid to rest among the great majority who have passed beyond - members of a once important Native tribe.

• The steamer Clyde has now got the bulk of last season's grain all brought down the Molyneux River, and most of the sheds up river are practically empty for the time being.

There is, however, plenty of work for the steamer (says the Clutha Leader), and at the railway station there are about 10 trucks of timber, fencing posts, wire, etc, for shipment up river.

As soon as the cargo eases off the boat will take in hand the groin at the Douglas landing.

• Fifty-two million ladybirds, reared in the State Insectary, Sacramento, and weighing over a ton, are being transported free of charge in special railway carriages to the melon fields in Imperial Valley, California.

Their mission is to browse upon the aphides and other pests that are destroying the melon crops.

• On Wednesday an auxiliary whaleboat, built by Messrs Millar Bros, of Port Chalmers, was launched for the fishing industry at Tautuku.

The boat is fitted with a four-horse engine.

There is good fishing ground at Tautuku, but the distance from a railway and bad roads retard the full development of it.

• Mr Ballantyne, inspector under the Taranaki Education Board has expressed the opinion that the older Maori children attending country schools showed more ability as a rule than European children in writing and drawing.

In English they were much below them.

This, of course, was only to be expected, for few if any of the Maori children ever hear English spoken in their homes.

- ODT, 1.8.1910.