MAORI ENLISTMENTS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 1, Issue 75, 16 October 1939, Page 5

MAORI ENLISTMENTS

GOOD RESPONSE EXPECTED

SOME EARLY DIFFICULTIES

TLeports from various parts of the Dominion show that the response to the appeal for enlistments in a special Maori Battalion are slow, although this is nowhere taken as a sign of lack of interest.

As in the Rotorua district, many of the Maoris are engaged on contracts, roading, or farm work, and

will not have an opportunity of enlisting before the week-end. In some cases where a number of men are camped together, requests have been received for a visit from one of the officers attending to the recruiting.

It is understood that there has 'been a useful response in this district and it is iioped shortly to publish the numbers of recruits and their names. Eight of the first 17 in Northland to volunteer for the Special Maori IBattalion. are married, and if taken, will leave 34 dependents. Up to Thursday night 30 registrations had been received, the quota for No. 3 Military Area (Northland) . beimi 322. ,One Kaitaia volunteer has a wife "and eight children, and another from ..HokianSa has a Avife and live children. Recruiting so far has been :slow. Many post offices in Northland have not as yet been furnished with the registration forms in Maori and English. When these are readily obtainable. as it is hoped they will be 'this week, it Is expected that recruiting will be greatly accelerated.

Defence authorities in Hawke's Bay are confident that there will be a satisfactory response. Wholehearted support to the Government's decision to form such a battalion was accorded at a meeting of the native at Omaha Pa, when representatives of the Maori pas in the district were present. It was explained •lhat the recruiting was open to -single men between the ages of 21 and 35, and lhat it is proposed to establish the camp for the battalion ruear Palmerston North.

The first Wanganui volunteer for the special Maori force being recruited for active service was Mr Kereti McDonnell Scott, whose ancestors fought at the battle of Moutoa, defending Wanganui against a threatened invasion of the settlement by Hau Ilaus. Tlv* battle was fought on the island of Moutoa, several miles up the Wanganui River. One of Mr Scott's ancestors has his name engraced on the monument standing in Moutoa Gardens in mem ory of the friendly natives whose defence saved Wanganui irom destruction.