3YA ANNOUNCING

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 21986, 9 January 1937, Page 17

3YA ANNOUNCING

TO TUB KDITOR OP TUB TRUSS. Sir.—l have only the word of “Indignant Lover of the True Maori” that he is a Maori scholar. It was much easier to adopt a supercilious attitude and resort to vulgar abuse than it was to attempt to refute the statements made in my letter. Your correspondent is, I suppose, the “Maori expert to whom letters should be submitted: he is too modest. Having so little-use-ful to contribute to the controversy he should himself have alsp kept a dignified silence. I did not appeal for Maori support. Thinking that the Maoris knew something of their own language, I left it to them to say whether I was right or wrong. It sometimes pays to maintain a “dignified silence." I shall reply as briefly as possible to the courteous letter of “T.A.S.” I lived for many years amongst the Maoris in Hawke’s Bay and learned something of the language. It was a Maori who taught me the alphabet and the rules for pronouncing Maori' words. He, himself, was educated at Te Aute College, so if I err, I err in good company. George Nepia most certainly pronounces his name Nay Pe A fNapier), and so does every other Maori in Hawke’s Bay. The “Maori Scholar” to the contrary, what 1 wrote about the pronunciation of Maori words was quite correct. 1 wish Mr James Cowan or some other authority (not “Indignant Lover of the True Maori”) could be induced to write an article on the Maori language. I have no fear of the result.— Yours, etc., PAKEHA. January 8, 1937.