THE MAORI HOUSE

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23087, 1 August 1940, Page 10

THE MAORI HOUSE

TO THE EDITOR OT THE PRESS. Sir,—Should the Government decide to present the “carved Maori house” to the Maori people of the South Island, I will suggest that the meetinghouse be erected at Arowhehua Maori pa, Temuka. A section at Arowhenua pa (situated on the Main North-South road, has been offered free of cost as a building site. The site mentioned has many advantages in its favour. 1. The Maori people themselves would then be able to make full use of the meeting-house, and so benefit by the gift from , the Government. 2. The meeting-house would then be in its correct environment. 3. The site makes it possible for tourists and travellers to inspect the building should they desire to' do so. A small fee could be charged, which could go towards the upkeep of the building, etc. 4. There is a beautiful church right at the main entrance to Arowhenua pa, which arrests the attention of all travellers, and opposite it are the memorial steps leading up to a model pa. . The latter was only in the making during my last visit there, but for all that the general appearance of the whole pa is one of steady progress. The points I have mentioned in favour of Arowhenua pa should be judged free of bias by our people, because if there are points in favour of other pas, I invite them to'make them known through ' this paper. If the “carved Maori house” is .to be a gift from the Government to the Maori people, anyone with common sense cannot help concluding that the Maori pa (I suggest Temuka) is the correct place'for such a house. On the other hand, if the “carved Maori house should be erected on the Hagley Park Site (or anywhere in Christchurch, for that matter), all sane people must admit that the Government would be making a gift of the meeting-house to the pakehas. Why?— Yours, etc KIA ORA AROWHENUA. July 26. 1940.