UNVEILING MONUMENT TO THE MEMORY OF CORPORAL MIKAERA TE MOANANUI.

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 Chietf 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 off 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.

Ohinemuri Gazette, Volume XXVIII, Issue 3863, 28 December 1917, Page 2

Riwia Fox