TE WHITI'S INFLUENCE.
"SHEATHING THE SWORD." OPPOSITION OF MAORIS TO RECRUITING. (SPECIAL TO "THE. PRESS ") WELLINGTON, July 28, Sergeant Pini. of the Native Section of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force, who has been on a recruiting tour along this coast during tho last week, admits the fruitlcssness of his mission. Tho Natives, ho says, have dug up an old prophecy of Te Whiti's about war. and the sheathing of the sword for ever, from which nothing will turn them. Tho ojd men shako their heads and solemnly quote the words of thc old see r and law-giver, and if pushed by, argument or remonstrance, they become excited and violent. They will not, they say, allow their young men to go abroad to fight, but if the Germans come to New Zealand they will arm and i ;ht them to the death. Tho attitude of the Maori women is even more decisive and emphatic, whilo th© young men seem, to havo been effectively* schooled into a reverent acceptance of the old superstition, and present a dogged obstinacy that nothing can move. "I have been right up and down tho coast," says Sergeant Pini, "and I have been able to secur© only two or three altogether."
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Bibliographic details
Press, Volume LI, Issue 15313, 29 July 1915, Page 7
Word Count
204TE WHITI'S INFLUENCE. Press, Volume LI, Issue 15313, 29 July 1915, Page 7
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