BIG MAORI GATHERING.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 90, 18 April 1927, Page 9

BIG MAORI GATHERING.

ANNUAL TENNIS TOURNAMENT ADDRESS 15V .AIK. MJATA. ißy Trli-crniph. Own Cm rr>|iiiiuli-iiiJ WANGANI'I, Saturday. ' Hundreds of Maoris, representative of many tribes, are in Wanganui for the New Zealand Maori tennis championships. Among the visitors arc Sir Maiii Poinarc and the Hon. A. T. Ngata, who spoke at a civic reception given the Maori visitors last night. Mr. Ngata said there was a wider significance to the meeting than the series of tennis matches. The best means of enhancing the progress of the Maoris also had to be considered. A great deal had been said about the Maoris losing their love for arts and crafts. This was not so. The members of his race took just as keen an interest in carving, etc., as ever, but the lack of time and opportunity prevented the younger Maoris pursuing their efforts in that direction. During the last fifty years they had been absorbing pnkeha ideas in regard to educational matters the working of their land, and the uplift of the race. All this had required concentration of thought and actions, and it had been impossible under such circumstances for the Maori to give practical expression to his love for arts and crafts.