OHAWE BEACH.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 11 April 1925, Page 8

OHAWE BEACH.

LARGE MAORI CONFERENCE. DISPERSAL ON FRIDAY. Owing. to the political meeting on Wednesday afternoon and the band performance in the evening, the Maori owners assembled at Ohawe had. little opportunity for discussing the immediate business of the beach reserve until Thursday’. During parts of that day and again on Friday morning long discussions were held, the leaders strongly urging that- vigorous and immediate measures, should- be taken to clean up the reserve, and then to plant- and beautify it. But they. stressed verystrongly the need of consultation with the pakelia, so that by- co-operation the best results could be obtained. \ Another matter tliscussd was the appointment of a caretaker to guard the interests of the trustees, and this matter was Arranged. The leading men consider that much good" and useful work lias been done. On Thursday night- owing to the threatening weather, the larger of the marquees was taken down. On Friday afternoon, after the finaT meeting, the Maoris gathered all their impedimenta, took down the other marquee, and during the day- the. large majority got away to their homes, only a very few remaining in the. house on the cliff. Throughout the three -days’ meeting there has been a very commendable order and discipline, and while all have enjoyed the stay, and much jollity and good feeling has been shown, the large number collected in a somewhat small area, have behaved exceedingly well. Their bearing has been much admired by’ the pakelia.