UPLIFT OF MAORI RACE.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 39, 15 February 1929, Page 5

UPLIFT OF MAORI RACE.

RURAL TRAINING FOR YOUTHS

THE NORTHCOTE SCHOOL.

INSPECTION BY HON. H. ATMORE.

The St. Peter's Rural School for Maori Boys in College Road, Northcote, which was opened by the Right Hon. J. G. Coates last June, was visited by the Minister of Education, tho Hon. H. Atmore, yesterday afternoon.

The Minister was welcomed by Bishop H. W. Cleary, the Mayor of Northcote (Mr. A. E. Greenslade) and the Mayor of Takapuna (Mr. J. W. Williamson), who was accompanied by Mrs. Williamson. The Rev. Father Spierings, the principal of the college, and the tutors accompanied the Ministerial party on the inspection of the institution, with which all were delighted.

An address was presented to the Minister on behalf of the students, this being read with excellent English pronunciation by one of the pupils. Mr. Atmore addressed the gathering, referring to the splendid traditions and history of the Maori race and mentioning some of those among that people who had won fame and an honoured place in the Dominion and the Parliament of New Zealand. Hβ referred to unemployment and to its obvious causes. It was useless training their youth for secondary industries and professions to the extent of excessively overloading the absorption capacity of such. The greater number should be equipped to follow occupations connected with the primary industries. The young Maoris before him would, at the end of the period of their training, doubtless return to their villages to act as emissaries to tbeir own people, and, he doubted not, much good would result therefrom. No matter under what auspices such training and instruction were given, the Education Department was interested in the work of such institutions and he was satisfied that those responsible for the management of St. Peter's College were guiding the Maori youths in the direction of becoming useful settlers and of uplifting their own people by leading them to participate in the benefits which science and education had secured to tnem. #