NEW MAORI CHURCH

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 12804, 7 March 1936, Page 5

NEW MAORI CHURCH

/DEDICATION ON KAITI. IMPRESSIVE CEREMONY. ■r Well; over 1,000. • Maoris were pre•f sent at Poho-o-Rawiri yesterday, when the dedication took place of the new Maori church, Tokotoru Tapu (Church of the Holy Trinity). Among the visitors were representatives ot the Toro re, Te Kaha, Ruatoki, Hawke's Bay and all Coast tribes, while 'the. clergy participating, besides the Bishop of Waiapu (the Rt. Rev. H. W. Williams) and the Bishop of Aotearoa {tho Rt. Rev. F. A. Bennett), included Canon A. F. Hall, the Rev. T. A. Moresby, Canon Pahewa (Te Kaha), the Revds. Wliaretinc (Tokoma.ru Bay), Kohere (Tikitiki), Wi Pere (Nuliaka), K. Hadfield (Manutuke), Hauwhoko (Tolaga Bay), and' Bangiaho (Ruatoki). The whole of the ceremony was conducted in Maori and proved most impressive, particularly the singing of the Poho-o-Rawiri choir, specially trained by Mr. J.’ Carrington Welby. The Bishop of Waiapu performed the dedication service and the Bishop of Aotearoa delivered the. address, taking his text from the second chapter of St. John. The Rev. Bennett- emphasised teat, while the Maori people how had a church of their own, they should not be content with that-, but should build a temple for Bod in their own hearts. On many occasions .he had seen demonstrations of the desire of the /Maori people to show their appreciation of Christianity, a notable instance being that ot a North Auckland lady, who, on bing confirmed, had insisted on paying for a cnureh in her district. In another! instance two men, from own. savings, had paid the cost of another building devoted to God’ s service. In still another district the Maori people made a fine community effort- by building a church at a cost of only fob, the people purchasing only such materials as they could not make themselves. The dedication that day was the culmination of efforts by both the pr- -cut and earlier generations—early generations had collected substantial sums of money and the fine structure they now were in was made possible. Prior to the dedication service, the visiting tribes were accorded a welcome in typical Maori fashion, the hnkas being led by Mr Ropata Kingi, of To Kalm. MEMORIAL TO MRS. HEI. A memorial to Mrs. Katerina Kei was unveiled, following the dedication seib’iee. This stands near the front entrance to the new church and is a stately granite column. The Bishop- of Waiapu delivered a brief address and then the unveiling, ceremony was performed by members of the family, each of whom took the end of tapes attached’ to the covering white c-loth and pulled this from the monument. The inscription on -he memorial is us follows:--Ho Whakamakaratanga *-(> Kia ■ Katerina Hoi I Mate i te 11 o Akuhata 1935 Ngn tau e 58 He wahine aroh-a- ngakau Mahaki a I mnhi I nga mahi nunui mo te ivi