MAORIS' SALVATION

Evening Post, Volume CXVII, Issue 110, 11 May 1934, Page 8

MAORIS' SALVATION

LAND DEVELOPMENT

INSPIRATION OF MINISTER

BISHOP'S EVIDENCE

(By Telegraph—Press Association.)

■ ROTOKUA, This Day. ' The opinion that the moral de- ' velopment of the Maori race went hand in hand with the development of its land and that the land schemes were working the salvation of the Maori people was ex-' pressed by the Bishop of Aotearoa, the Bt. Rev. A. Bennett, who was the first witness called before the Native Affairs Eoyal Commission when it commenced its sittings at Botorua this morning. His Lordship stated in evidence that his experience of the Maori' people as j a priest extended over a period of 38 years. His work took him into all parts of the Dominion and brought him into contact with all tribes. A generation ago the.Natives had been a primitive people striving to adapt themselves to modern conditions. They were more or less children and had to be treated as such, and were regarded by many as a dying race. The then Young Maori Party with Sir Apirana Ngata (then Mr. Ngata) as travelling secretary, had taken up work which aimed at the.regeneration of the race. The object of that movement had been the preservation of the Maori people. This movement had culminated really in the present land development schemes. FULL OF HOPE, AND KEEN. "In my opinion the spiritual development of the Maori people goes hand in hand with the development of their land," said the witness. Proceeding, his Lordship referred to the growing endeavours of various churches to improve and develop the Maori people. Missionary work and special activity among the churches had arisen independently of, and almost simultaneously with, land development schemes. "I have never, over 38 years' experience as an ordained man, seen the' Maori people so full of hope and so keen as at present," said the bishop. "Before the land schemes were introduced they were living almost hand-to-mouth, they were lethargic, and they did not know what to do, because there was nothing before them, and nothing to hope for." His Lordship said that the Young Maori movement did not desire to Anglicise the Maori. They wanted to give him the.best that European civilisation could give him, but they did not wish to kill his national characteristics. They must strive to preserve the.Native arts and crafts, the Native mythology, and all other essentially Native features of the race. Mr. Justice Smith: How do you view the tangi? Witness: It is going through a process of reformation. It was at one time merely a feasting—a species of Irish wake—but it is now more Christian in its characteristics. i SPIRIT OF UNANIMITY. The bishop referred to the development of the marae, which he said was the centre of the settlement and the .focal point of the community, and in developing it they were working for a spirit of unanimity among the people. The formation of the marae at Ngaruawahia four years ago had signalised the entry of the Waikato people, who had previously held aloof, into the work of other Maori tribes. It was quite impossible for anything to be done without the approval of the rangatiras, for the Natives were still very much under the influence of their tribal leaders. Land schemes could never have gone ahead had the rangatiras\not approved. He considered that the natural avocation of the Maori was that of a farmer. He did not consider there was any possibility of their forsaking the land after it had been developed; they were too enthusiastic and too keen about the work. It • was only ,when people had nothing to do that trouble would arise. From the Maori point of view he felt that nothing but good could.come from the schemes. THE DRIVING FORCE. "Although I don't know what might happen if anything should happen to the Native Minister," added the witness, "I have been more than pleased to find how tremendously keen the Native people are with regard to these schemes. They have given them a new ideal and something to work for, but I doubt whether they would have gone as far as they have done had it not tieen for the inspiration of the Native Minister. He has been the driving force behind it all." ' Making application J.o appear on behalf of Mr. H. Tai Mitchell, Mr. M. H. Hampson said that very grave allegations had been made in the Audit Officer's report regarding his client, and statements to this effect had appeared in the Press. Mr. Mitchell could make a very full and conclusive answer to these charges, and it was but common justice that he should be heard as early as possible. Permission was given for Mr. Hampson to appear. At the luncheon adjournment Joseph Austin Petal, audit inspector, was giving evidence regarding the accounts of the Waiariki Land Board.