CORPORAL # 16/477 MIKAERA TE MOANANUI
UNVEILING MONUMENT
TO THE MEMORY OF
CORPORAL MIKAERA TE MOANANUI.
INTERESTING CEREMONY,
An unveiling ceremony took place on Christmas Day at Taharua meeting house on Te Aroha Road, Paeroa, where a large crowd assembled. Mr G. Wickliffe, in a neat speech, welcomed those present. He said they had tnat day gathered together to unveil a monument to the memory of the late Corporal Mikaera Te Moananui (grandson of the late Meha Te Moananui), who died at sea while on his way to fight the Germans.
The ceremony took place at three o’clock.
Te Tihitapu Te Moananui, father of the deceased soldier, unveiling the memorial. The monument, made by Parkinson, of Auckland, is a fine piece of workmanship. The inscription in English on one side and in Maori on another, was:
"In loving memory
by the people of his tribe
for this lad, who died at sea
on the 6th day of March, in the year 1915
on his way to fight against Germany.
He is a Chief of his Tribe.
His name is
MIKAERA TE MOANANUI
aged 23.
Two enlarged photographs of the late Corporal Mikaera Te Moananui were placed on the monument, one in uniform and the other in his civilian clothes. The service was conducted by a Native lay reader, Mr Himiona Herawani, and consisted of the Maori translation of the hymn "For Ever with the Lord," the Lord's Prayer, followed by the collect for All Saint's Day. After the ceremony refreshments, supplied by the natives, were partaken of.
Public - Lorraine Mona - Researcher - 20 November 2023 - OHINEMURI GAZETTE, VOLUME XXVIII, ISSUE 3863, 28 DECEMBER 1917, PAGE 2