THE HON. G. FOWLDS

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 167, 8 April 1908, Page 7

THE HON. G. FOWLDS

VISIT TO OTACO. EDUCATION OF • THE MAORIS. (BY T£LEGIiAI'JI.—I*II2SS ASSOCIATION.) mutt i Dunedin, April 7 , H ° n - G. Fowlds and party to-day in"Pected tho Orokamu Home at Waitati. tho bcaclitt Mental Hospital, and the Waikouaiti Native School. Afterwards tho Minister was accorded an enthusiastic welcome by Maoris of I ukoteraki, and banqueted by .them at the wharo of the Council of Araitiuru. At tho .Nativo school an address, of welcome was read by Mr. T. li. Parata, who said that tho fact tlmt tho Native schools were administered directly under the control of the Minister for Education was in a great measure tho reason that they were so well abreast of modern educational requirements. Mr. Parata asked the Minister to set. his faco against any attempt to hand Nativo schools' ovor 'to tho Education Boards. Ho drew attention to tho matter of a High School being established m tho South Island. They felt sure by his past actions that they would not appeal in' vain, to him to do something for higher education of Native boys and girls. Mr. Fowlds urged the scholars on to lay hold on education so as to tako their places in tho work of tho country on tho same footing as Europeans. Ho could make no promises, about a High School, but ho would do his best towards gotting tho best possiblo higher education within easy reach of Na- . tivo children. ...... Tho party were welcomed to the wharo by women waving handkerchiefs and shouting Native greetings. Tho banquet was 011 a lavish scale. 111 proposing tho toast of tho Government, Dr. Truby King took occasion to warn the Maoris against shutting tho air from their dwellings at night. Thero was nothing about their raco to make it liablo to tuberculosis; but having adopted certain fashions of Europeans, they must go'further and adopt their precautions to ensuro health. Mr. Fowlds also laid stress on this point," and assured them that the Government had tho truo interests of tho Maoris at heart. Tho Minister returned to Dunedin to-night.