ORAKEI VILLAGE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 156, 3 July 1937, Page 8

ORAKEI VILLAGE.

A NATIVE WOMAN'S PLEA. I

(To the Editor.)

An educated Ma orl Christian woman from Oi.ikfi r-pent M .11' ay afternoon in my room. She was heartbroken l-ee-nise of her'peopltand it was hard la comfort Lor. "If the* n>o\e them to a distance from l"he-jr <~ld heai» they will ju-t die. They will gi\ e np trying in live right. and just let themselves go f» the de\ iI. Then. in no time. i.e v wil] oil-." That was her conviction. reiterated. mj evidently heartfelt. Fxperienoe during eighteen years as a mWionary in the^Jomaaj ha- Taught me that she is probably right Aim in and a-a in labour ships have native? fr. in S.inta Cruz »•. other islaada* i-I.iu• I«s. not m. very far a way from theirs. Witi lie >.!her <l:-ea-e but home-jekness and Teaming. they have wilted and sickened. if returned in time. they have laid then d. w n and died. hen an ir- ander gives nil hope. V..U :i..iy as well '1:- his frsve. More than nil. e 1 have stood over a ir.ari and fairly bullied him into ii\ing. "Jf only vtu wil] ' hem s l ay somewhere near their old home they will do as you pakehas tell them about i rn ;"-r limitation and housing. They will do anyiliinp rather -,1,-«n leave/' Then Vhe went ■■n to -av that it was only after the sewage from Auckland came near that enteric ferer came to Orakei. "We helped the pakeha. Our tribe fravo no trouble. Won't yon help i:s now? A\on't yon find some war br ua;-h we may stay somewhere near" out '.i l li'.iiip! W<- are a part of the history of New Zealand. You are interested in our old wars, ami in our crafts. Are you not interested i:i t-a\ ing n- ourselves? \\ e are worth saving. My si-tor ha= pone as a trebly certificated ii-irse to help tlie people of 7-Larotonga_ J jiiv>' lf have r.-sponded to teaching. my p .or relations have rosr-onded if they had had the same chances." All this was said to me with tears and passionate gesticulations. "I; Auckland does this. Auckland will not pro= ;.cr." sai.l poor brown Boadicea. She asks ' .-'•fdinL'= may at least be stayed tiU Mr. Savage o.jues hack. lie promised to do his 1.. -t for them. I have, t-old her storv. If i: t..iK-hes others as it has touched me, some"i;e n.or., influential than T will surely fi D< j a way to help. CLARA WATERSOX.