NATIVE RACE’S PART IN CENTENNIAL

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 66, 10 December 1938, Page 13

NATIVE RACE’S PART IN CENTENNIAL

Two National Celebrations

WAITANGI AND AKAROA AS SITES

The re-enactment of the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi, on February 6. 1940. and the exercise of sovereignty in Akaroa, on August 11. 1940, are to be conducted as national celebrations, according to a recommendation from the National .Maori Centennial Celebrations Committee referred to the Government: for favourable consideration by the National Centennial Council at its meeting in Wellington tills week. At Hie waitaugi celebration it: is proposed that the entertainment be provided by the Ngaptihi tribe and that Hie representatives of other tribes to be invited to the actual ceremony should not exceed 500. Tlie National Maori Centennial Celebrations Committee further recommended that in tlie event of arrangements being made for a visit of a member of the Royal Family to New Zealand during centennial year, the native reception to the Royal representative in Rotorua be regarded as a national celebration. Giving Effect io Decisions. For national Maori centennial celebs Hons the members of the House of Representatives representing Maori constituencies, together with Mr. Rangi Mawhete. M.L.C., and Mr. H. R. H. Balneavis, arc to bo associated with departmental representatives in ■giving effect to the decisions of the National Centennial Council. Other centennial celebrations in which natives will take a'prominent part, it; is recommended, should rank with provincial and local celebrations under the control of the respective provincial centennial councils and be eligible to be considered for the £1 for £3 subsidy to be provided for celebrations other than national celebrations. These recommendations by the National Maori Centennial Celebrations Committee were also referred to the Government for favourable consideration. Art of Canoe Building. The committee reported that it had recorded its high appreciation of the efforts being made by Princess Te Puea Herangi to resuscitate the art of canoe building among the Maori people and to have a number of canoes completed by 1940 as an earnest expression of tile desire ot the Maori people to commemorate the centennial, the canoes to lie available for pageantry purposes as required. Tlie committee also recorded its appreciation of the assistance already granted by the State Forest Service, Internal Affairs. Native and Labour Departments to further Princess Te Puea’s objective. The Auckland Provincial Centennial Council recommended to the National Centennial Council the suggestion of its Rotorua zone committee that in the event of the national council deciding to hold a national Maori function the venue of the gathering be Rotorua. The Maori meeting-houses of Tamatekapua in Ohinemutu and Walieou in Whakarewarewa are being rebuilt and the new native school in Whakarewarewu is expected to be ready for opening during the centennial period, as are the rebuilt meeting-houses. These meeting-houses, it was stated, were known far and wide by the Maoris throughout New Zealand and were looked upon as being the leading meetinghouses in the Dominion. The Auckland recommendation was held over for later consideration. East Coast The East Coast Provincial Council forwarded an application from the Maori people for a grant of £5OO to subsidize the cost of erecting carved meeting-houses in Whakato and Muriwai. The opening of these meetinghouses during the centennial celebrations would create considerable interest. the M'niifituke and Mnriwai Maori people had stated, and would ensure a large gathering of the race in Gisborne.

The application wes held over for further consideration.