Orignal meeting house at Te Koura. PHOTO SUPPLIED
WHEN the Spanish flu pandemic hit the King Country more than 100 years ago, some folk went the extra mile to care for others, Taumarunui historian Ron Cooke said.
Ron said the 1918 pandemic was devasting in the King Country, killing 185 Pakeha and 162 Māori in just a matter of weeks.
A story from Ngapuke, a former logging town in the Pungapunga valley near Taumarunui, illustrated the “tough love” a Pākehā woman named Eliza Williamson exercised to prevent infection among local Māori.
Eliza’s son, the late Jack Williamson, recalled his mother as a generous soul who regularly lent a helping hand to distressed neighbours and friends and who always had a full house regardless of her guests’ colour or creed.
But in “Black November”, soon after the Spanish Flu arrived at Taumarunui, public gatherings were banned.
“Mum also well known for the day she smoked out lots of Māori who had congregated at the Kauriki Marae during the pandemic in 1918,” Jack told Ron.
“Mum knew that if one caught the flu the rest would go down, so she covered the chimney and started a huge smoky fire to break up the crowd. They cursed and moaned but were grateful later, when they realised this move had probably saved most of their lives.”
Ron said he was looking through some notes he made when putting together coverage of the 1918 flu epidemic for his book, Patients First, around 20 years ago and noticed similar responses to Covid 19.
“A local news report on November 4, 1918, advised readers that the epidemic had reached Taumarunui but there was no cause for panic.
“A week later, ‘Influenza Sunday’ had arrived, with November 10 being remembered as one of the strangest days of 1918, when almost every home had been hit.
“The town was deserted, like a ghost town, with only three attending an Anglican Church service.
“Several days later it was realised that ‘filthy banknotes’ had been overlooked as the most prolific carrier known for spreading the dreaded virus. A rumour also spread that smoking helped to kill the flu germs and at dusk women could be seen taking an evening walk and ‘enjoying a puff.”
Ron said the disease was also known as the “Māori Itch”, because Māori deaths were amongst the highest in New Zealand.
Dr Geoffrey Rice, author of the book Black November, who was born in Taumarunui, said the town was one of the more active centres in the degree of concern shown for its Māori neighbours with the promptness of response indicating the good relations that existed.
Another hero of the pandemic was Presbyterian Minister John Egerton Ward, who insisted Māori received equal healthcare to Pākehā at Taumarunui.
Rev Ward and sawmill manager William Wackrow toured the outlying isolated areas on horseback, distributing medical supplies to small Māori villages where many people were sick.
“Rev Ward was devastated at how many Māori people died in the pandemic,” Ron said.
“We can see this from an obituary he wrote at the passing of so many Māori who caught Spanish flu.”
In the first week of December 1918, local newspapers carried Rev Ward’s tribute, as follows:
“Among the natives who were taken by the recent epidemic was Mr Temo Hiko. He was a young man of great promise – aged about 21. As a river captain he guided various boats committed to his care with great skill. Courteous and kind to all travellers on the Wanganui, his genial smile and helpful response will be very much missed by the travelling public.
“Mr Henare Rota, who deceased at the age of 36, was a great footballer. He represented various clubs at Thames, where he was well and favourably known. He was a “rep” in the all-Māori rugby league team which toured Australia in 1908. Coming to the King Country in 1909, he worked for various sawmilling companies. He leaves a widow and a child.
“Turaki Maikuku, deceased at the age of 60 years, was a local chieftainess of some note. She was sister of the late Miriama Kahukarewao, and she was well known to the early settlers in Taumarunui.
“She is the last of a well-to-do family and is well respected by Māori and pakeha. She leaves four sons and two daughters and a number of grandchildren.
“Te Turiwhatu Wereta, aged about 21 years, was a daughter of Turaki Maikuku. She leaves a son.
“Te Rata Matakitaki, aged about 52, was the wife of Ngāti Te Mamaku. She leaves three sons and two daughters and a number of grandchildren.
“Te Pei Hekaia, a well-known athlete and footballer, did good work in the local sports association and was a notable runner.
“Tuarua Waiora, aged about 60 years, was a well-known medicine man. He leaves a daughter.”
