STIRRING SCENES AT GISBORNE

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 141, 11 March 1930, Page 6

STIRRING SCENES AT GISBORNE

OPENING OF NEW MAORI MEETING HOUSE CEREMONIAL WELCOMES By Telegraph—Press Association. Gisborne, Ala reh 10. Stirring scenes were witnessed today at Tepoko o Rawiri, the new Maori meeting-house in Gisborne, which is-to be officially opened to-morrow morning by the Hon. G. W. Forbes. Yesterday and to-day Maoris literally poured into Gisborne from ail parts of the district, very large numbers of visitors coming down from the Waiomatatini hui, which concluded on Sunday. To-morrow morning more Maoris will arrive, and before noon it is expected there will be 1000 natives assembled at the new Haiti pa. The advance guard of Takitimus and Ngatiporous came down first in readiness to receive visitors on their arrival. This morning and this afternoon stirring scenes were witnessed on the marae in front of the meeting-house. As joint hosts to the hui they welcomed in traditional manner the visiting tribes with chants, hakas. speeches, and the customary greetings, which were replied to in kind. The' were the elders of the respective tribes. The tennis courts at the new pa were receiving the last touches this morning in preparation for the special matches and for the continuance of the Maori tennis championships, which will go on to-morrow. At Ruatoria the championships were carried to the round just prior to the semi-finals, and the remaining games will occupy probably two or three days. In addition the More-Hu Cup, played for by teams representing the various districts, under Davis Cup rules, with one minor modification, is to be contested at the new pa.