Chapter 20:

Elizabeth Matangihau Elers (1890 - 1914)

Elizabeth was the fifth child and third daughter of Carew Thomas Elers and his wife Meri Whakamairu Elers.
As per the entry in Irihapeti’s Bible, Elizabeth was born on 13 July 1890 at Manaia, Masterton..

The Find A Grave record differs slightly on both the birth and death dates

Furthermore, her headstone states 18 July 1914 (later in this chapter)
Any information pertaining to Elizabeth’s short life, (she died at 24 years of age), is almost non-existent.
One fact that is known: Elizabeth and her sister Ethel left Masterton to attend Hukarere School in Napier in the year 1905 (as per the school roll below).

Hukarere College School Roll 1905 - Matangihau & Ethel

As a 15 year old student in that year, Elizabeth met George Henry “Harry” Waite and they had a son and named him James Rupuha Elers.
See Interlude No.4 titled “Who was the father of James Rupuha Elers?” This interlude details the dna testing that was done with Harry’s granddaughter, Yvonne Whittle, to prove once and for all that Harry indeed was the father of James.
This point of parentage is important as there is a family in the Wairarapa that believes their Stephen Broughton was the father of James.

Off to the ball: it is said the two sisters Elizabeth (left) and Ethel (right) were going to a ball at Government House, Wellington.

Elizabeth’s death certificate below shows she died on 14 November 1914 at home, 12 Sussex Street, Masterton.

She was declared as unmarried and that she died of phthisis (pulmonary tuberculosis).
Her death was reported in the Wairarapa Daily Times on the day of her death.

Two days after Elizabeth’s death, her father Carew placed the following obituary in the Wairarapa Age

Elizabeth was buried at Archer Street Cemetery, Masterton, in plot number ME, row F, Old Ground, alongside her great grandfather Retimana Te Korou.

George Henry (“Harry”) Waite, son of William and Julia (Robottom) Waite, was born on 5 August 1882.

In May 1918, Harry applied to join the NZ Expeditionary Force for a second time. The attestation document is nigh unreadable. The following is a list of pertinent points in the application:

He worked at Port Ahuriri, Napier and he was a clerk working for White and Tonkin.
In August 1915 he had applied to join NZEF but was found to be unfit for service.
He was married to his wife Minnie with one child Rita.

According to the 1914 Electoral Roll, Harry, his wife Minnie, his daughter Rita, and his mother Julia were living in Shakespeare Road, Napier.

On 18 January 1927 Harry was tried in the Napier Court and was sentenced to two years in an inebriates’ home for procuring liquor while prohibited.
The NZ Police Gazette in February 1927 below, noted that Harry had a deformed left arm.
This possibly explains his rejection from entering the NZEF in 1915.