HOMAGE PAID

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVI, Issue 85, 7 October 1943, Page 6

HOMAGE PAID

MAORI SOLDIERS

V.C. INVESTITURE

(By "The Post's" Special Reporter.) RUATORIA, This Day. For the Maori people yesterday was a memorable occasion in their long history. Large numbers of them met at Whajkarua Park, Ruatoria, for the presentation of awards won in battle in the present war by .members of the Maori Battalion. Chief among these awards was the Victoria Cross, won by; the late Second-Lieutenant Moanaj Nui-a-Kiwa Ngarimu, who came from the Ruatoria district. It was presented at the end of the day to Mr. Hamuera Ngarimu, the late Lieutenant Ngarimu's father. , While the gathering was essentially Maori in character to enable honour to be done to the late Lieutenant Ngarimu by the representatives of his people, pakehas' joined with their Maori brothers in paying homage to this gallant young Maori and to the others who have brought lustre to the Maori Battalion and their race. THE DEED THAT WON THE V.C. It was for his great gallantry, courage, and inspiring example m the action at the Tebaga Gap in the Tunisian campaign towards the end of last March that Lieutenant Ngarimu was awarded the Victoria Cross.* He commanded a platoon in an attack on a vital hill feature in the face of intense mortar and machine-gun nre, captured the position, and, m spite or being twice wounded, hung on throughout the night with the remnants of his platoon, beating off fierce enemy counter-attacks. In the morning the enemy again counter-attacked, and it was during this attack that Lieutenant Ngarimu was killed. The citation to his award concluded with these words: "He was killed on his feet, defiantly facing the enemy with his tommy-gun at his hip. As he fell he came to rest almost on top of those of the enemy, who had fallen to his gun, and the number of whom testified to his outstanding courage and fortiUThose present at Ruatoria included the Prime Minister (Mr. Fraser) and Mrs. Fraser, the Leader of the Opposition (Mr. Holland) and Mrs. Holland, other representatives of both Houses of the Legislature, Service chiefs, and diplomatic and consular representatives, all of whom had made the long journey from Wellington by rail and road. , COLOURFUL CEREMONIAL. The whole of the morning and early part of the afternoon were occupied with hakas, action songs, and dances of welcome by Maori men, women, and girls. Unfortunately during-the day there were some heavy showers which made conditions unpleasant and helped to turn the turf, under the tread of thousands of feet, into a quagmire. The mud stuck to the shoes of.the distinguished visitors as readily as it did to the bare feet of the Native dancers and singers, but none, performers and spectators alike from his Excellency down to the smallest child, allowed the conditions to interfere with their .enjoyment of the gathering. . It was^ as his Excellency said, a gathering which, because of the number of items, their variety, and their great interest, could not be completely spoiled by the rain that fell-in between patches of warm sunshine.., From six thousand to seven thousand' were present. Sir Apirana Ngata was master of ceremonies, and so great a part did he play in directing activities and keeping the large audience advised of the various items that the show seemed to revolve about him. The action songs and dances by the women and girls and the hakas by the men made a deep impression on the visitors and received the enthusiastic rounds of applause they richly deserved. All responsible for the preparations and training of the performers and also Sir Apirana Ngata had reason.to feel satisfied with the performances. : The people of Gisborne played no small part in the success of the gathering by their hospitality to the visitors and in transporting them on the long but picturesque journey from Gisborne to Ruatoria and back again in the evening. Before the official party boarded, the, train for Wellington they were met by the Mayor •of Gisborne (Mr. N. Bull) and Mrs; Bull, to whom the American Charge d'Affaires (Mr. Raymond Cox) and. Sir Harry Batterbee, High Commissioner for the United Kingdom,- returned thanks. GOVERNOR'S THANKS. "Thank you from the bottom of my heart, for this wonderful welcome you have given me today .and 'all the guests," said his Excellency, replying to the reception given in the morning.'He said it had been a really wonderful show which not even the rain that had fallen could spoil. His Excellency also returned thanks for the presents hie had received. They had seen an exhibition of rhyme.-rhythm, and song . that probably had not been equalled before. Sir Apirana Ngata had said that some of the items presented might perhaps never be seen again. . "I say, why not?'" continued his Excellency.. He added that if such things were let go it would be a disaster. The singing and dancing that had been provided were an inspiration to them all. MESSAGE TO CHILDREN. Speaking to the children 'as the King's representative, his Excellency said he deeply appreciated their expressions of loyalty to his Majesty. "When I return to Wellington," he continued, "I shall write a letter to the King and I shall tell him all about the ceremonies. I shall tell him" too about you, for the King is indeed the father of his peoples and wishes to hear all he can about them, especially about the young ones." His Excellency praised the children's singing and dancing, and asked; them to . promise him that throughout their lives they would do their utmost to see that the Maori songs and dances were never forgotten, and also asked them to be particularly careful, not to be drawn away from the old Maori music. Their traditional tunes were a heritage beyond all price. One old Maori song was w.orth all the jazz and "swing" ever composed. _ "We have met here on ground which is hallowed in your history, near to the sacred mountain Hikourangi, which of all places in the British Empire is the first to see the sun rise every morning," said his Excellency. "Let us pledge ourselves here and now to follow worthily in the footsteps of Ngarimu and his comrades of the Maori Battalion. Let us vow that we will spare no efforts. We will not weaken for a moment until the. King's enemies are utterly defeated, and until the sun when it first lights up the twin peaks of Hikourangi shall shine on a country and a worjd which are at peace." THE INVESTITURE. The investiture took place after lunch on a raised wooden stage in the ] centre of the ground that had been i used for the welcome ceremonial. His Excellency was accompanied by Cap- I tain H. G. Helmore, A.D.C., Commo- ! dore Yeatman, Lieutenant-General i Puttick, and Air Vice Marshal Isitt. I Others present included the Prime Minister (Mr. Fraser), Sir Apirana Ngata, the Hon. E. T. Tirikatene, and the Bishop of Aotearoa (Bishop Bennett). With Mr. Hamuera Ngarimu were his wife and Mrs. Materoa Reedy, aunt of the late Lieutenant Ngarimu. Also on the platform were the other members of the Maori Battalion to receive awards. The investiture was preceded by a religious service conducted by, Bishop Bennett and which was opened by the singing of the hymn "Oh God Our Help In Ages Past." Addresses were given by the Bishop, an elder of the Ringatu Church, the Prime Minister, and by his Excellency. A Maori hymn of lament and a Maori soldiers' hymn were sung in Maori unaccompanied, and; the great gathering of Maoris standing all around the ground filled the air with their pure, appealing voices. Two sides of the platform were flanked by Maori reinforcement | troops and members of the Home Guard.

The Prime Minister said he wished to associate the Government, Parliament, and the people with that day's great occasion. The presence of the representatives of so many nations united in the fight for freedom and democracy could be taken :by the Maori people as another tribute to.the many that the Maori people and the"

men of the Maori Battalion had received in every part of the free world. To Mr. -arid Mrs. Ngarimu they extended on behalf of everyone present their regrets that their boy was not there along with others of his brave comrades standing on the platform to receive their decorations. Mr. and Mrs. Ngarimu's son had given his young life to save New Zealand and to help save the world. They all joined in honouring the memory and great sacrifice-of■ Lieutenant Ngarimu and in honouring his comrades, who, they knew; were characteristic of the men of the Maori' Battalion,, whose fame had resounded round.the globe. Mr. Fraser added that he wished every success to the Ngarimu Scholarship Fund which would be one instrument for the further advancement of young Maoris. ' " DEBT TO MAORI BATTALION. It was fitting that they should consider .the'debt they, all owed to the Maori Battalion, said .his Excellency;. By their deeds of valour they had won for themselves a place in the history of the war, and their deeds would be remembered with gratitude, by free men and women everywhere. Maori tradition was.full of stories of courage, and ■ the sons and daughters had shown that they had inherited that courage to the full. They had also given incontestable proof of the unity of the British' Empire. Some of the Maoris who had gone'to fight in this war would never return; it had fallen to their lot to pay the greatest. sacrifice of all and- had gone to join their warrior ancestors. .To the families of those men they must offer their personal sympathy and'pledge themselves that their sacrifice would not be made in vain. Lieutenant Ngarimu had won the highest decoration for valour, and it was an honour not only to him, but also through him to the Maori Battalion and his country. No words of his could adequately express his admiration for Lieutenant Ngarimu s courage or his. grief in the loss his family had suffered. Before handing the Victoria Cross to Lieutenant Ngarimu's father, his Excellency read the official ■ citation accompanying the award. , , ~ His Excellency also presented the following other awards:— Badge of a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order.—LieutenantColonel C. M. Bennett. ; Insignia of an Officer of the Military Division of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire.—LieutenantColonel G. F. Bertrand. . Military Cross and Bar.—Major Rangi Royal and Captain W. Porter. During the day items were played by the Trentham Military Band.