MAORI SOLDIERS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 52, 1 March 1916, Page 8

MAORI SOLDIERS.

WANT TO FIGHT TOGETHEII, RESOLUTION.. ;OF TRIBAL-' > ■ REPRESENTATIVES. ..-■'-.". (By ' Telegrapl.-Special. to "Stat , •) " WELLINGTON, this day. Wherever • there are .Native aettiV ments the. question as the" fate °- the Maori contingent as a separate unit is being discussed with great seriou ; ness .Recruiting among the Maori* V not likely to go ahead smartly' untT this matter, is-settled by-the author tw +i - f \7 W - ekS ag ° jt «Port?d that the Maoris were to be-placed together again in one unit,"nut a<rth> report failed to receive prompt officia, confirmation, it was discussed - : > at "- meeting of Maori tribal representativi at Otaki last week following '■ the funeral, of the late Teuma-Kaihah Taipua, son of the late Hoani'TaipuiL who was formerly the member,-for the western Maori electorate. The result was the following resolution: . "That this representative gathering of natives strongly resent the splitting of the Maori Contingent now at the front, respectfully draws the attention of the Government to the-fact, and requests that the Maori Contingent and reinforcements be again reconstituted as a separate unit as heretofore." ' This resolution gains importance froit the fact that it is subscribed "to by, the representatives of ten ' Xortb.' Island tribes, this being a majority-of the tribes, and that it includes. the Wanganui, -who have sent the largest number of men to the front.. . • :;