CONDITIONS AT PIHA.
TWO DEATHS ON FRIDAY.
The various settlements associated with the State sawmill at Piha have suffered severely from influenza. It is believed that the infection was introduced by an employee who visited the city at the beginning of last week and stayed one night at a house where there were two sick people. Mr. H. Knutzen, manager of the mill, stated yesterday that the 12 bushmen who developed the disease are all recovering. Only three of the millhands were slightly affected, and all are making good progress. The men employed on the transport form a small settlement three miles from the mill, and every adult member of this little community has been prostrated. Two deaths occurred on Friday—Mrs. Hannah Napier, wife of one of the employees, and Mr. John Mutu, an engine-driver. There are six serious cases of pneumonia. Mr. Knutzen added that he will notify the relatives of any cases in which serious conditions developed.
“Mrs Hannah Napier” referred to in the article is actually Hana Nepia who lies here. She is buried with Mohi Mutu aged 4 and an unknown female with the surname of Mutu. The unmarked plot behind Hana has 4 bodies with the surname Mutu.
There had been a report on 11th November that claimed 2 men, 3 women and five children were infected, then, 3 days later on the 14th November that there were only 3 slight cases. Our research could find nothing about any deaths occurring at this camp in the interim. But we do know that there was also at least one other flu victim from this settlement, Peter Burns, a millhand who died 2 days after Hana and is buried in row 7.
It wasn’t uncommon to try and conceal exactly how many deaths were occurring in Auckland, as local government was trying to prevent mass panic.
It will never truly be known exactly just how many New Zealanders did die in the epidemic. What is known is that Maori suffered heavily and their overall rate of death was about eight times that of Europeans. In one community in the Waikato about 50 out of 200 local Maori died.
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| Grave of Hana Nepia, with unmarked Mutu grave directly behind Photo by Kath Kingswood |
The wording on Hana’s headstone, when translated, roughly says:
Hana H Nepia
she died November 8th 1918 age 22
she was a woman with great love for her people,
go friend to the father God our refuge our strength is food (like sustenance)
cherish our link close to the song 46.
(Song 46 possibly relates to the hymn “Drop, drop, slow tears” composed by Orlando Gibbons)
Anglican Division E, Row 8
Plot 59: Hanna Nepia (29) 8/11/1918 – Influenza, Pneumonia
Female Mutu (?) 11/11/1918 – Influenza, Pneumonia
Mohi Mutu (4) 13/11/1918 – Influenza, Pneumonia
Sources:
PapersPast
New Zealand History
https://nzhistory.govt.nz/culture/1918-influenza-pandemic/death-ratesCompiled by Geri Eccles - Discover Waikumete
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