Henare Rukingi

On page 3 of the Wanganui Chronicle, 18 March 1915, the following article appeared:Message from the Sea - Maori Soldier's Greeting Enclosed in a BottleRotorua, March 15A message from a Rotorua member of the Maori Contingent has been received under very jnteresting circumstances. The soldier in question, Private H. Rukingi, enclosed it in a bottle and threw it overboard from the troopship. On February 7, Mr John Thomas McLean, of Airey's Inlet, on the coast of Victoria, found, the bottle on the beach, and it was sent, to the editor of the Geelong Advertiser. He transmitted it to the editor of the N.Z. Times, who, in turn, sent it to the Rotorua Times. Inquiries for the relatives of the writer of the message were set afoot when it reached Rotorua on Thursday afternoon, and within a couple of hours after it had been received it was placed in the hands of the soldier’s brother.The message was written with ink-pencil on two leaves from a small note-book. One of these bore the words: "Troopship No. 20, 20-2-1915. Anybody picking this up communicate this message to my people in Rotorua, North Island, to Mr Rukingi. All well, from your loving son, H. Rukingi.” On the other sheet was written: “Love to everybody in New Zealand from Private H. Rukingi. For Madame Liverpool. May God. bless you.”Click here to view the original article.