FUTURE OF MAORI

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31441, 7 August 1967, Page 8

FUTURE OF MAORI

Responsibility Of Young The young would keep the Maori language alive in the years ahead, the GovernorGeneral (Sir Bernard Fergusson) told the girls of the Te Wai Pounamu College in Ferry road on Saturday morning. He would be interested to see how much the girls would keep the Maori language going, Sir Bernard Fergusson said. He addressed the girls in Maori, and listened to a reply in Maori by the head prefect, Isohel Phillips, of Blenheim. Cries of “Haeremai” and a Maori song of welcome greeted Sir Bernard Fergusson and Lady Fergusson when they arrived at the college for a visit of an hour. After the addresses the girls sang several Maori action songs. If they ever found their lessons becoming boring. Sir Bernard Fergusson told the girls, they should think of the Royal children on the opposite side of the world who were also learning to fit themselves for their future jobs. Sir Bernard Fergusson and Lady Fergusson were met at the college by the principals (Mr and Mrs R. R. Beauchamp), the Dean of Christchurch (the Rt Rev. M. L. Underhill), the principal of Avonside Girls’ High School (Miss M. Stephenson), and the chairman of the Friends of Te Wai Pounamu College (Mrs L. C. I*. Averill). Also present were members of the college board, and of the Friends of the College.