MAORI CONGRESS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 255, 21 July 1908, Page 9

MAORI CONGRESS.

NATIVES AND DOMESTIC SERVICE , AN INTERESTING DISCUSSION. FINAL RESOLUTIONS. The final session of tho Maori Congress was. ,- held, yesterdaymorning m -tho Municipal Concert-,Chambor, Mr. J.- Thornton prissid- . :.ing.;! >■; _ . Tho discussion on tho suitability of Pakohn ■).: domestic service for' Maori girls was resumed. ' - Lady stout explains. liiva.lotter..addressed to Mr. A; T.iNgata, M-P., secretary.of:tho Congress; Lady Stout, who was unable ,to bo present, explained a .few points on which, slip said, there had boon rrFii'st/" 'she had' -never : sa.id 'tbat 'all; tho girls who wero .. .V*:traih6d an'tho'''domestic colleges -should go into domestic service. Sho had , said. that;.all who'were. fitted; for training as lltirses, missionaries, and teachers should be Bent ori' to'the.^xisiing.cpllpges'tOibe 1 further' • : .trained m special .work.; Sho also though);' ■ ,' that.some should be cduca.ted for .the medical profession, as all w-omon,-tho Pakeha as • -well as the Maori,- should havo tho opportu.'.i Hity .of - consulting! a,.doctor of-their., own sex. Her suggestion was that all who wero •.•/; v:'n6t ! . ;.fOr these- professions, : could . be. .' taken''.-into7'-,' European':- homes '' 'asAdpiiiesiiSc- '••• :.yjEhe .'sta'tomen£ : /that-/, it. Was ..desired to make slaves of tho Maorivgirls was absurd, as anyono who knew anything of European domestic life undorstood.thatthe maid' , Jiad a very much, easier and less responsible /';."ppsitionf r ttah';tho jmisiross,.. especially in . . households .where therewere children. : For. , ; proof,- thero was the fact that.-the Domestio .\WWkers',.Union had fallen to.piecos, . the girls found that undor Union rules thoy would'not have the • same liberty or privi--leges: that-: they: now.-:cm]oyed.. v "Ono of the Family." ' • -. •- Secondly j- no woman - with ■ any self-respect would wish to sit at'the-same table, with lier employers. Sho would wish to bo independent.; and would not caro to intrude at the . ;. .■ -possible''for* tho wife and family,of a professional "man to be-alone "^tif^e^her.Sv.SlieI'would-:1 'would- : also";'feel flurried and' • :' uncomfortable if. she was obliged to sit down • - to! herTTneals. while 1 ' sho had 'tho'] responsibility .'of - dishing '-.hbr -dinner; " --The' '"one .of ...tho ' 'family''""condition only -insisted '.upon -. "by-the 'class-who Avero incompetent, and; did • not understand- orderly'methods of'domestic management, or those who had ' -failed as domestic helps,, and who .generally proved, neither "helps' nor ladiesV' ; -She had found* : Maorifgirls engaged in domestic. t \y - ork in had the manners and stylo v: .of ladies',' -and' wero,-competent helps. ; Tho Allogod Colour Linfi,' 1 ■.■:As-to the>oolour question, there had-never :; been any such, feeling 'except, among' the class; ■ called snobs, Si class which, from tho- tone of a. recont speaker at tho Congress, shershould ■ think was. not- exclusively Pakeha. The ..tram-. "■ ing .which- she, proposed for the Maori, girls ■ , . ■ was.' compulsbry. fqr. every 'girl in Germany, Royal 'Princesses; included;;.'- Sho would liko. . '" to' - see; it; made' compulsory for .'English 'girls .'. of;' every/class; 'who 1 should'-; Dot-be allowed.to. marty unless'they; could shpwthat thoy we're' . in", every' department of domestic . life jand and care of children.' , '.SKe ,had.wanted the.Maori girls to have' the:Z\ i^ancp/as ; they:.had; no*, other opportu-.-'-"riitj'i''. to. ~ f '- .'pf,.t[io;.race, : ~.: Instead' of'.domestic Work; lowering;tho 'status . of! Maori- girls ."proved the-linearis of ': ;th'at .-was! ': '"Biipposea.--io'.fexist,- andjrem.'ovingr' false', ideas -from 'Sho-tlought.. -.tho ; Congress ' ._w:is'''a mistakeV; ;Tho;c6lle'ges'already gave ;as y'mifeh instruction Has'.was necessary; in domes-' 5' 'moVe for - higher, ;of the. wo--as-well 'fitted- as -tlio men'.': All- -' girls would not go on to tho' colloges, so a ; -.-thafe domestic instruction- "shoiild- be .given; ' : '-*;-..during..-the;-X)rimary course; Itvwa's more.neces- ' " saryfor. , -,th&S6 --who- 'from Mvant' of ■ mental- -'; or. other ; circumstances' wefei unable - : . to- attend,"college. ; It was from those - Slaori. girls who- were, obliged 'tb; earn' their living • / that;' thgf European' ladies/.hopedto .-'-v'tt^sisttoWfih^tHidr''-S6iiiji:-n;a^e!dOT ;"':pro^e^ / ''supervisi6illfori , tli&'girls- vihight be making "the .Women's ■ Christian /Temperance Unions . :i 'thoir.; 'guar-: ;i \, ADVERSE OPINIONS. • ' Archdeacon Graco (Blenheim) pointed out that during their period ; of domestic service . thb; Maori'-girls'.woiild,: have',for/friends and ._ :^ii||w6Ds,"{ E^gli^ a .dbmesirc servants, .which: the; case .of girls who ' '■'■ wero .'afterwards' -to' - marry'• 'doctors, lawyers, • 'and.clerg'yineii. :. '•■*•'.' •'' ' r , >|..; Dr.-Ppm are - expressed' bis'regret'v tliat,-Lady/ , was l 'riot/ present;'--To;- uplift ..Maori tirgedj-.what was required was not-''•the.-Kfeheii' .the' influence'• of \' .- -the vdrawing-robrii; with','its "refinement and ,j"V.-oif 1 turd.-'*'- Wero .tho butcher'slboy'.Qhe' baker's. - '.'.' : '-; boy;. .ind:other.'backyard-'acquaintances the '-,v-'-.; ; bfest-^i> , >Vpan"y'.-for';t.heir i JUadri'girlß'P /."v'Alrea'dy^ : 1 ' BomeV-Maortlgifls'-.-had/entere'd rdbmestic sor- ,.: because"' their' ■ assoojatos.-.-had- ' not "■ b&en ' those : of the . . - drawing-room,'.;but : tlibso ' of' ' the 'back-- '-' -ydrdr-j, l Pakeha,^ ,'ftS' s . e T^ girl-.was-looked : down-'upou as an;, Wuatever was said in-"reply,-that '- was tho-fact. .He . had -asked Lady.-■' Stou- if ""^^ woii| d:allow;.; one : of. thtso - Maori girls,. • ,wh'om;-she.-vvas' anxious-'to uplift, to-'sit'jat her , own; table.'' - 1 Sho,' : replied, , certainly " not, it course,:'it ; -:.-would l)o-inMnvenient,-and that was; tlie crux' .- .of'-tho whole position." What they wanted- was eaiication,T'andi-increasedi attentioii! .i-' to/ domestic'.subjects in' the Maori'girls' col--}^e^^-v t /''-V.-v i .-...-'v,- ::., r -:' PROPOSED. ''SEHVICE COTTAGES." ■ Kohero • (Gisborne) stated JJitchen- 1 atmosphero was not worse %•••• than| the ywoplshed. atmosphere.:' There- wore 6 ,r ' s engaged in - domestic service in bisborno, and in their case the experiment; had proved most-'successful. He had advo- • 1;, c ~. l Ci domestic service system for towns, like , uisborne, in tha: absence of something better;..but he,would'not advcca'tO'"'it for tho Cities.. moved:-"..'- .' ' V ' ■-r-That/' this' Congress' prays ' that'i.tho ; authorities of the Ilukaroro,; Turakina, . St.' Joseph's' and Victoria - schools, be .- =' ; - asked 'to, establish' -what' are called"' s'ervice'.'cottages.--: at 'these-'schools:, for-', tho ' - instruction, 1 of.; Maori domp3fcio ■' duties',; and that'rtho ; Government; ha :■ asked to subsidise these. cottagos.'' : , ' i Parairo Tpm6an'a"(Hawko's Bay) seconded - . the.motion'. ; "l ■- ■ .Miss Stirling;(To Auto) did not altogether,! agree that. Slaori . girls 'should ' go "out as ..servants, but they' must bo taught, from -tthei r early, years,-to lovo 'and..',look after . v th(.,.home;:-She thought.that-if,- in.tho' Govv. eminent schools-i in - ; t!io pas,classes: wero . . established, -fo^jNative girls : and, domestic work- was toughfc, that ivould : „do a great deal ; for the Maori, Avho went to seri'ice in the cities did not: cafo to return . ■ to- tho: dull s life of. the 'Kainga.",; . Amendments were in turn proposed that the Turakina Native, school,' Victoria, Girls' College, St. Joseph's Collpco- (Napier), and Hukaroro College, should bo out of the- motion, on tho ground that domestio instruction was already given in those cs- .' > tablishments. . . ' . Under these, circumstances Mr.. Kohero asked .loav.e. to withdra\r. his motion, of which, indeed, thero would have been nothing left.- . : '; Permission was' given,'' arid tho motion wa3 withdrawn. ■ ' Dr. Pomaro moved': >" That this CongrcM is of opinion that the r employmdnt. of Maori girls as domestic servants ;amongst tho Euro-, pt-ans is not desirable as a'general practice;" Archdeacon -Grave' (Blenheim) also proposed . ... a motion on the. subject.-, . ■ ' , Dr. -Buck opposed Pakeha service fo" the Maoris , as- a general'-system; --' It might' work well in individual cases.

After some discussion, it was agreed to telescope the two motions, and tho following resolution was adopted SCHEME THROWN OUT. ," That this .Congress fully sympathises with the object that Lady' Stout has ill view, and is of opinion, that-tho ..domestic , ' training of. Maori girls is to be encour--1 aged as a part of tho general schome for . uplifting, tlie Maori, race, .but that the • employment of- Maori , gitls ,as ..domestio " ,-servants, amongst Europeans is not .desir- " ,; able as, a-goneral, practico."' •'*Mrs. 'Pomare., moved, • and Mrs. ■ Carroll seconded a motion: — , u That this Congress, recognising tho " . keen. interest, Lady Stoiit has taken in ' . tho question; of !'tW training of Maori.-. girls, begs to tender .her its .'sincere:. thanks for her efforts in that direction." ' ' PROTECTION OF MAORI TRADE. ' Mr. J. Thornton moved "That, having regard to tho appalling extent to which .'ignorant improvident Maoris are defraudod and victimised'by ''; unscrupulous traders, storekoopers and tho liko, by unjust exactions and ertor- : ' tionato prices, this Congress is of opinion . that it is highly advisable : that a Maori V Trade 'Protection Society should be. formed;'with'the object of-securing tho. Maoris'agaipst . such fradulcnt practices,, . ' and recommends the-.To Auto Association to take steps* towards tho formation. -, of somo such body,". • i Tlio motion was seconded by Otena Paora, and carried. -.' , ■; COMMUNAL .FARMS. , : ' • Th'e'following motions, brought "forward by; a special committee, wero adopted■ ' "That tho Secretary' bo directed to ■ ■ forward a letter of thanks from tho.Congress to tho' Hon. It. M'Nati'For,his• ad- ■■ . dress ...of. Wednesday, July 15, and nioro r , particularly, for the assistance promised from tho. D'opartmerit of '.Agriculturo' in ; - furthering'the cause of agriculture among ' . t-ho Maoris." : : ' V ~ "That'.this Congress - is.' 'of'.opinion ■: that:', tlio' most desirablo method, and tho ono according best with tho'actual 1 of ; , tho Maori people; is to havo communal farms iii" different centres' bii land char- - ' acteristic of the average quality of lands in .the district under, competent instruc- ; tion supplied by tho State, or .any othor' . , . organisation, which would. also -be rpspon- ' "sible for tho maintenance and h'ousing,of . t-hp instructors.'! . ; . ' • "Preference should be'givenj : as'far as , possible, .oil each .communal farm to'the , ■' owners' of the land, or tlie Maoris of'each district, .land to .be' security-for ad-.--'.. '' : vances that- may. ,b'o. required -.'to • finance ; each communal farm." . ' "That, in "order that the Maori farming communities > may tho more readily : understand - tho v.resources -'literary,' instructional, and otherwise of,, tho ,-De-'," . partment of' Agriculture, tho . Minister for Agriculture bo-respectfully roquested V, - to-issue a: circular in Maori explaining ' (a) Tho objects for which; the mont -was created; (b) ' Thb different' departments of agricultural' and pastoral work controlled' by'it ; .'(c) The .'different . v departments of. agriculture undertaken ;, by the State-oxperimfental'farms." 1 "That a'further circular be prepared , by tho Agricultural, Department in order V to mako it-gerieraJly known,to tho Maoris • > that it is opeh to 'them to -apply- : for in--,- . formation.from the Department, 'for; as- V- ' .' sistance from its/instructors and'experts.; • in the, special: mfitters"-,withiii : ' tho' juris-:.diction-of :tho'-.'Department." •'•'/> "That, in' tli'q opinion of this -Congress,- : : • .-.it-is desirablo. bo ' made for' selected Maori, cadets ' (a) to-' 1 .: be' traincd-in son(e; : of.- the-State'iexperi-.mental farms, and (b) to acquiro •i.cal experience". on-Aacc'redited;-.-farms and sheep runs." , ... : ."That; in order to ' provido expert '."' Maori , the- Maoris, appli- ' cat-jpn'Jio mask AP flffl EduoatjoHs : ment for "tho establishment of-.-oiib or tho ' Lincoln Agricultural College'Vf or" Maori . Youths." ; . -.' ~r "In order/ to I 'consolidate' the result's'!'" "' of this Congress;-'and"in order : that from':..time to timo the resoliftions arrived at . , may be; 'carried':itttb'-effect in ' ji' : practical manner,- the 'Cpngress|'co'nfirms'.tho : ap-K-pointment .of: the ..existing executive com- -... mitteo and directs such committeo to ■ i , ; tako such steps' as-it'inay deem desirablo.' ; for furthering, the .objects of this Con-,-." .'• 'gross-aud carrying'its' resolutions into effect." , , ~ , - /: r '" HEALTH SUBJECTS. . , The following motions were adopted dn this', suggestion of tlio; Conference of Sanitary Inspectors:—, i - * ; :.. "That in ,viW. : of;thp ravaijos of con-. ,- sumption amongst the Maori -people, breathing exercises be .tauglit in .all tho » ' Native schools.'■ ' ■ ' i '.'That the medical: ..oxamination, of ■ schools .be intrbduced .into the - Native ' ' schools." - ' v' : "'' ' "That the • bo approached ' ; to grant ; a' sum , of money, to assist , in ■ procuring' "suitablofoods for'" indigent.;. Maoris, as iri 'the 'easo of medical sup- • plies." ; •" 1 " ■ •• ;"That .wliero- it' is ' possible in a district containing , many-, old-age .pensionors,. old men's home's be" established in lieu, of 1 th'p'pdhsipns, in order ,that"-they.- •• y, may receivc' bettor attention.?.' ■ ,'j I'-:."'-'.."That" -the" J Maori Council .'districts ; , ' throughout "the Dominion be' gazetted as '•■ .■ health "districts under thb Public Health ■' ! ':Aotj' in order to facilitate-'the enforcing, .: where necessary,-of sanitary, reform." . • j . " That in tho opinion' of tins' Congress' nursing homes should bo established in v populous Maori districts, and that efforts should bo instituted- in such disticts to -r - obtain: grants of land, and' to' raise money t towards -achieving such an object." ; : 1 ""That registration of births," deaths, and'iinarriages' bo made compulsory, and - ..'' that ;the' Native " census in", fiiturp bo'-' ' taken for Maori Council", districts, and. : -'not for European counties as, hitherto.'.'' - "That the Public "Health Act, 1900," ' with all its amendments, be translated ' into Maori." . EARLY MARRIACES.' ' On the motion of Mr.'W. :W. Bird, seconded by tho. Rev. Nikora Tautau. (Gisborno), it wau agreed;—- ; : '' , : . ■ ■ : "That in tlio, interests of the race,. ; ; and especially tho women, tho 'marriiiffo'-" ; of girls belou-. the Sge of sixteen should-. be discouraged.?' : 1 THANKS. Tho following resolution was passed:— "That this Congress/recognising that,education is orio' of:the greatest factors-':- ; in tho .uplifting of tho Maori' raco, wishos ■to express to tho Nativo School Depart- ' ment and through them to'the Nativo ' ' school,_:teachors and inspectors; its high - 1 appreciation of; and confidence in, tho • work instituted, and being carried out ■ by the Department." , - , - . •. .Numerous other persons Were included iii -resolutions of thanks. DONATIONS. Mr.' Ngata made. acknowiodgmont of tho following . additional donations towards Congress expenses Mr. ''Tripe,"'£1 } Hawko's Bay Maoris, £10 2s. Gd.; Hukanui Wateno (Waimaha) £2; Hokianga Maoris, £2; Mrs. Carroll;'. £2; Miss Pitt, £1; Hon, Wi Pero £1, E. To Kura, £1; and Hemi Malonga (Waikanae). £10. STATEMENT BY MR! NGATA, M P. A REPLY TO; CRITICISMS. 'I have read the/criticism which .appoars in The Dominion this morning over the namo of Mr.- C. A. Young. Mr. Young has attended the meetings of tho Maori Congresi and doss not scorn to hare got quit-o into "touch- with the nature of the representation., If he only understood a fow details, not only of tho-inception of tho Congress, but of the effort' of' their Maori representation, ho would not- have voiced iii tho manner lie did so many'views,.' It is my" duty, as secretary to tho Congress, to put a fo'w

facts by way of reply to this criticism. It is true that tho conferences of tho Maori Councils and Sanitary Inspectors woro summoned by tho Native Department of Public Health, but. that was by arrangement with tho Executive of tho Congress, who approached tho Minister in chargo of theso Departments to convene such conferences, to bo hold in Wellington at tho samo timo and in conjunction with tho Maori Congress. Tlio , chief reason was for tho attcndanco of men whoso representative' character' cannot bo questioned, with the least- expense in Wellington. ; The To Aute Element. • It is true also .that tho idea of the Congress originated with Mr. Thornton, as president of the To. Auto. Association. It was nccossary that spmeono should bo prime mover,, but .tho T® -.Auto element numerically is- not by any means-the -strongest'of. the' Congress, for the other day :at t-lio'Te Aute dinner, which - was a. re-union of past and .present students,, it was .found that-there were only thirty of tho To Aute Association present, forming one-ninth only of this largo Congress. Ths Religious Bodies. ' With regard to. the church element, the various missions, with tho exception of tlio Romanists, are fully represented in tho gathering. Each church wn.s invited to nominate delegates.- Tho Wosleyan Mission was placed entirely in tlio hands of tho Rev. Mr!- Gittos, witli Maoris represented by four of the . Wesle.van . clergy representing the -.Mission...on the AVost Coast, in the King Country, and North of' Auckland. Tho Presbyterians havo no, Maori clergy, but that Missiori ic fully represented by members-of thb clergy' actually engaged in _Maori work and By the head of tho Maori Mission Committee. 'Ilio Anglicans are numerically tho strongest; oach dioceso has sont on an 'average'.-three delegates.' The Ma.ori clergy present of the Anglican persuasion are hot present as representing their, churches, but .in their various'. capacities • as students .of tlio various Nativo secondary schools, chiefs in their own right, and otherwise, as representative Maoris. Throughout, 'the Congress .'no' . attempt has been mado to. obtnido tho views of any ono church. On the. other hand,- the three Missions represented in. tho Congress have boon nforkirig harmoniously tog'etlier iii the department of the Congress work dealing with religious work among the. Maoris. The Maori Association. Something has; been said about the Heu Hou and.tho Maori Association. , . At the opening of tho Maori Association more than ,a.-week ago -tho' relative position of- the Maori Association and of tho Congress was defined.. The Maori Association-'specialises with., regard to .-.tho r question of land; ,the Congress, does not seek in any, way , to be-little-'tho' efforts--of the -Maori Association" with regard , to this particular question. At the; same : timo tho' promoters of ! the Congress thought that in dealing with so many subjects covering' practically the '. wholo department of the. Natives they could not devote' to the f[uestion of Native lands the .amount of timo and attention which a special Conference liko that, of the Maori Association can .do. The leaders of tho , Maori Association are also delegates to tho Congress in -various, capacities.-' - Hou .-Hon himsolf; as, President, -moved the resolution of thanks to -the Governor and other speakers 'at the opening : on: the 14th inst;, in his ; representative capacity as ono of the leading ohiofs of the Maori people. Tho loaders of tho Maori Association nave, beqn working harmonibusly with us of the Congress;'there has not, beon, any overlapping of - subjects.. -;. The Representatives. ■'Wajkato' ;and tho King Country do not lack" representatives' at .this gathering; there aro .11 delegates at preißont in Wellington Vrom the' King Country: and portion of AVaikato..;. Early last woelc.a wire ,was received - from-Taiigaawa, 'one. ofi-tho' AVaikato chiefs stating . that owing to.: ill-health, ho would; not' 1 be - present, at .-.the Congress; meetings, but' hoped ■ to reach Wellington on- the 20th, so as to'attend the'final meeting. To run hurriedly., tbro'uglv tho : list.- of represents!', tives, " it may bo: noted "that tlio North of Auckland is represented by 24 delegates, AV T aikato, . King Country.,; 14 ; Tauranga and Thames, 3; Hot' Lakes' District, inclusive-of Mr!'-Bennett's: choir, -36 ; Taranaki,, ; iHawera:,dnd .Wahganui'j about'4o; ■Turakina, -Palmerstort- and Otaki; about 30';' Bay of Plenty, including' Ur'ewera,' '15 : East"Coast 1 to ..Gis-, bbrrio;'s4'; ahjd Hawke's Bay; 30; the, ; .South.';l?land,' about'* 24.' • The' following organisations _are represented f also:—AA'csloyan Maori'"Mission, 'Presbyterian"Maori Mission; Church of.' England Mission;' the- principals of all" the Maori secondary schbols, namely. Three Kings,' St. Stephens, To Aute, ;; Turakina,. Otaki,\'Clarevillo College, Haukifi; all except .St; Joseph's Convent School,' Napier'i'tlie New Zealand Institute, Polynesian Society; - Native Department; Education Department; tlio Nativo 'Schools ' System ; the Public Health Department.1 A. T. ngata; .; ' Secretary 'of the Executive Committee. ■ AN. UNEXPECTED SUCCESS. . : INDIRECT RESULTS THE CREATEST. "Mr,. J. Thornton, President of tho To Auto Association,' states' that tho 1 success of thb. Congress. has' exceeded all his-, expectations. Ho did npt -thinkJ when the project, was derised,' that so'large and representative an assembly ; would have' been got together, and hp., is well pleased, with the .way inpvhich ina . Maoris havo "discussed, tho important subjects before,them., Ho cbnsidcfs tliat the indirect' results, of .the,. Congress .will bo haps the.most important... The -delegate's, on returning i to their, kaingas", "will discuss tho great. ,event for months to come, and'.as tlie Maori dearly loves a meeting, local gatherings will be held , to weigh tho, ('problems treated.', '. .The assemblage ..and, dispersal of so many delegates from, all parts of the country will bring homo " to. .the Maoris ,a sentiment which has never' sufficiently entered .their,' imaginations,'.;the sentiment that they aro'.a single people... , Hitherto, thoy havo.'becri a sorely divided race, but. tlie Congress should; do .much, Mr.' Thornton thinks, to give them .common, aspirations' and a common sympathy.' It:should,also stimulate tho raco to,, higher things,, than ; it', has:. yet achieved. ' "• ; Mr. A. T. Ngata,'M.P., appeared to -place the same confidence in indirect results, when he: told tho Congress, at the conclusion 1 of its business, that tho importance : the gatherings .would, not - be, found ;to consist in tho, actual .. motions passed, but ..in- the general discussion of common problems \yliich had taken place.. ; Lady Stout, in a letter addressed tbj, Mr. A. T. Ngata, M.P., which was read. a j'the Congress yesterday, expressed her conviction that tho Congress had worked wonders in dispelling raco projudico.. It had dono ,'inore than tho Maoris could imagine, and its effects Svould, she felt suro, bo,lasting. "Shp : |had fcorao to. the : conclusion thp.t .there was .very little .which Pakohas could, te'acH.'; tho Maoris, and that they might learn from the Natives much that had been lost to! tlie Europeans in their complicated lifol*. CONCRESB AND, ASSOCIATION.I Mr. C. Parata, Secretary- of tlio Maori! Association, which is still holding a Conferenco in this city on.the subject of Nativo land restrictions,,states that ho wishes tho loaders of-tho Association and leaders of ..tho. Maori Congreliß ; to nieot together . to-morrow,- j for. tho purpose of formulating proi>osals tollay before,tho Government. Mr. Parata endorses'-the criticisms of -tho Muori Congress made by Captain Young in Thb Doaiimox yesterday. He considers that tho great need of tho Maoris is tho romoyal of tlieir land restrictions, and until thatj is' c/fccted, nil othor schemes for tlieir improvement aro but waste of time. A STUDY IN BROWN. • j SIDELIGHTS ON THE CONCRESS. , (By a Pakeha.) "To put it very bluntly, we are hero ok a show," said Mr. A. T. Ngatn, M.P., at (lie opening of tho Maori Congress. As a show, nil observing Pakeha found this gathering of 200 Maoris subtly interesting. As a slibw, tho Congress has not yet been reported.' Tlie public has had almost a surfeit of speeches, it has read what tho Maori can do as'a farmer, tradesman, or urofessionul man; it lias ]

listened to his claim of intellectual equality v.'ith tho omniscieiifc Pakeha, but the show it has not seen. An attempt is hero made to givo somo impressions of the show. ft Modern Gatliorlng. •On tho lirst three clays and yesterday tho Congress was held in tho Municipal Concert Chamber. In tho largeness of this hall spectacular offiect was lost.. Two hundred delegates, however, and of n different race, could not help providing food for interest, quite apart from anything said. Tho modernity of theso Natives was at onco evident. _ Very few of them showed much tatooing; it was an Urcwera chief who lamented the dccadenco of tho fine old custom of tatooing chiefs, and the. TJrowcra was tho latest district to come under European influence. Except on ceremonial occasions, tho taialia and tho huia's feathers were tho solo emblems of Native dress. The Strenuous Life. 'Thd . intense earnestness of faces was impressive. Tho Maori is often pictured a3 a happy epicurean, who asks tho Fates for little else so long as ho may cat, drink, and lie down in the sun. But these Natives were on business bent. They had set themselves a tremendous order paper for a week's work; a Pakeha Parliament, as the Premier said, 'might havo been afraid to faco it. ' Tho Natives woro determined to get through their business, and they sat'for about eight hours each day to achieve, their object. On tho 'second morning an interval for " smoke-oh " was provided, but, tile weakness was resisted on succeeding days. A Maori often reaches for a cigarotto in infancy, and calls for a pipe when ho'is dying. The spectacle of a largo crowd of Natives sitting for three hours oil end in a cold hall'without smoking was stronger evidence of' their earnestness than many speeches. ■ Palieha and Maori Contrasts. Though four Ministers and several other Europeans addressed. tlio gatherings, it is doubtful if the best wero not made by Maoris. Mr. Ngata's comprehensive speech oii the' industrial conditions of the tribes' all 1 over tho North Island, and tho speech iii which he-showed that tho Maori is not yet ready for tho removal of all legislative distinctions, wqre given first ill English; and woro models of concise and sometimes eloquent. expression. Several of the European speeches wore diffuse beyond all ■Maori example, and often the diffuseness covered very few and obvious thoughts. -0110 European member took these recent savages to New York, Switzerland, and other places,' whero thov must have sadly, lost themselves, and a Pakeha M.P. dragged them in a .rapid progress through pages of dead .Hansards ' Two Ministers ot the • Crown made ostentatious use of the; words "Kia Ora," calculated, to put them at onco on tho best terms with a Maori audience. It was mournful to learn aftonvards that "Kia Ora" is a sort of bar-room slang. "No Flowers." Either the Maori' orator is ' forgetting his poetry, or Ilia mind was too sorious . for poetry, or tho interpreters. considered poetic and imaginative allusions unsuited : to.- tho sober dignity of tho English language, for not- many came to Pakeha ears. Tho Rev. Nikora Tautau (Tauranga) is a vigorous speaker whose mind, is a very hotbed of apt metaphors and natural, illustrations. The "Hon. James • Carroll, who- talks excellent - Maori poetry. on occasion, seemed to have taken.for his motto during tho Congress''"No flowers." One of his later, speeches was, however, a highly .interesting performance, coming from a member, of tho Native race. Slightly misquoting Longfellow, lie referred to tho Maoris of the present day as Standing with trembling feet . Where tho brook and.river meet." A striking expression was seized later from Lord Rosebery about "pegging out, claims for posterity," and further on Mr. Carroll related; -with a delightful American accent, 'an amusing tribute to the noble Maori which lio Had heard from the lips of Mark Twain. Mark' said that 'instead of having seventy-six European and four Maori members, tho Houso of Representatives should contain, in his opinion, -seventy-six' Natives and four whito men. ■ . - • -. ■ k v: Fox and; Hounds.!' . Perhaps-'tho.'hardest workers, during the Congress have, been the interpreters.' ' Most pf. tho work of interpretation has been doiio by Mr. Stowcll, Dr. Buck, and Mr. Ngata, and though tlioy had not complained, most ,of, tlio Palceha speakers showed .'thorn very little mercy or consideration. . The generality of tho English speakers seemed to understand this business as a sort. of verbal "fox and hounds."' In tho character of the fleeing fox, they dodged through tortuous avenues of, labyrinthino speech, and hid themselves in deep jungles of overlapping clauses, and confusing parentheses, before tlioy would allow tho anxious "hound" to start on the trail. ■ But their pursuers would not bo discouraged, and as soon as tlioy woro let slip, followed tho long chaso through all tlio ramifications, of tho speaker's flight with a., facility, that did credit to their mental powers. Maori, linguists,; , after -spending all their eloquence to. feet forth a certain position in 0110 ianguago, would cheerfully begin agaiivat the beginning to expound, it in the other. . To tho Pakeha', reporters humblo words like "ten o'clock," "technical instruction," or "Town Hall," gleaming occasionally through the darkness of a long specch in Maori, would seem like specks of genuine gold iii an opprossivo sand-drift. Tho process- of interpretation; showed tho inherent differences of tho languages. English is spoken-with the lips; Maori with .the- lipa," eyes, head, ..and hands. , A speech that sounded flat, and dull enough, in English would'appear.-quite sensational'and exciting when repeated in Maori. It is easier to interpret from English into Maori than tho other way'. Tho Native language is more pliant, and can givo a livelier colour, to any brightness of tho other. Stiff, solemn English frowns at the light fancies of the Maori. A Modal Congress. There were no' wrangles in this Native Parliament., .-Nobody! • disputed oither. tho floor, or tho Chairman's ruling. Tho ; proceedings, were a model of order, earnestness, and. cheerful self-restraint. Interest in tho discussions flagged; there.was hardly any trampling in and out. Before ono'. Native had finished his remarks, a' second; with a curious expression of quiet determina-' tion, would tip-too softly forward and seat himself ,011 the platform steps, where he would wait patiently to succeed him. On tho opening day, tho Maoris found it hard to cut down their ■ time-honoured interminable' greetings, but afterwards they kept ,to tho point fairly well, and expressed themselves at least as concisely, as Europeans. On Fri-' day and Saturday the Congress met in tho City Council Chamber, .where, being less dispersed, its appearance was much'more imposing. It says much for tho assiduity of tho Natives that when the Congress broke up . yesterday they had covered the- whole ! raiigo' of their hu^o- order, paper, with ono small exception, within the time set down— a result not 1 always achiovcd by European conferences. ' -.. v: ■■ '. The organisation of the Congress has been remarkably good. In addition to the general moetings, special conferences of . teachers,. Maori councillors, and sanitary inspectors liavo been hold to consider expert matters and draft resolutions for'tho larger gathering. The principal delegates havo' also found time to mako visits of inspection to most things in tho shape of instruction, which the city has to show them. MivNgata, M.P., has directed and controlled' tho numerous proceedings, as a Japanese General controls a campaign. Calm, quiet, resourceful, smiling, he has forseen everything," prepared for everything, and guided everything without a hint of friction, or the suggestion of self-intrusion. . As a "show," pure and simple, tho Maori Congress has donoi honour to the Maori race.