A Wonderful People

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XIV, Issue 252, 2 October 1924, Page 3

A Wonderful People

MAORI MANNERS AND IDEALS. ADDRESS BY~REV. BENNETT. One needs to hear the Rev. F. A. Bennett speak about the Maoris to realise what a really remarkable race they are. He held the close attention of the members of the Hastings Rotary Club, at their meeting on lues, day and the lime limit was reached with regrettable swiftness. “1 want you to show an interest in this truly wonderful peopie,” he said. “Ihere are certain responsibilities resting upon tne white people—the responsibilities of tne bigger brother to cue little brother. You Rotarians have recognised tnat there are factors for tiie accomplishment on great works and deeus, greater than material things, inc building of the Otira tunnel shows that there are powers in man that can overcome enormous opposition and obstruction. In the building oi that tuunel the individual man did his allotted task, and banded together, each doing his little bit, tney accomplished the whole. Similarly in the insect world. The little coral insect, which can handly be seen, bands together and builds the reef which disperses the greatest wave. There is room in the world for each one of us to do something to help others, and bring about improved conditions. This is known by Rotarians.”

COURAGE TO SPEAK. Continuing, Mr Bennett said that he, for one, thanked God that we have to-day men of sufficient courage to speak out when they see hurtful things happening. At the recent Synod there was some plain speaking, and there has been much correspondence in the papers regarding it. It is known that drinking among women is too common, and it is necessary that some one should speak out. “Let us not be afraid to issue warnings when they are plainly needed to help and lead others to better things.” EARLY MAORI ETHICS. Before the pakeha came the Maori social and moral code was high. Should anyone be guilty of immorality with a woman of rank his life was at stake. The culprit was brought out, given a small stick to defend himself, and the people of the tribe formed up in open ring around him. Then the injured person entered the ring armed with a spear and was allowed one thrust at the culprit, who, if he parried it with his stick, was spared; ih killed, that was the end. With the coming of white people, the oid laws aud customs of the Maoris were destroyed. What have you given in their place? Does not this reveal the pakeha has responsibility?

REGENERATION FROM WITHIN. When the Maori war came the Maoris abandoned the laws of too «nives ana went oack to their old cus. toms, but they did not lorsaae the evil things the whites had introduced, limy took back rum with them, auu in consequence the number of the their people went down from 150,000 to 38,0u0. The Maoris then began to see that they must start some regeneration from within or their race would be doomed, in 1871 and 1872 the nrst Maori schools weie established and in 1890 the Students’ Association gained birth from Te Auee College. Mr Ngata preached reform to his own peopie, and Dr. Buck was an active member. Maoris were encouraged to take up industrial work and the precept was taught that if a man was to live he must be a worker. Unquestionably the old idleness was acceptable in those days. They were selling land rapidly and the proceeds were spent in rum. A tangi was not complete without a big hogshead of beer. These things had been allowed to go on and not a voice against tnem was heard, until the reformers preached that it they wanted to live they must work. They elevated labour as a thing to be honoured. Maori entertainments were then degrading, but you could go now and finu them quite decent. In moral matters they were taught to emulate the higher pakeha ethics. MONEY FOR SOCIAL SERVICE

Mr Bennett then related the successful ngnt ne and others had put up to win back to the Maoris the ownership of the lakes. The incident starting the fight was the fining of a Maori in the Rotorua district for catching a.fisii without a license. A man on his own land and in his own creek was fined £5 and costs for catching a fish for food tor breakfast. This was followed by a challenge to State ownership. They fought their claim to the lakes for fourteen years and in the end the Government purchased them from the Maoris, and the first interest, £6600, on the purchase money was paid last year. This annual payment they are now spending for the benefit of the people as a whole. Among other things it is devoted to: house building subsidy 10s in £; sanitary 20s for 10s; churches £ for £, and grants for improvements to maraes arc considered. £5OO is allocated to aelp people in old age; £5OO to payment of hospital fees, and £5OO is set aside for special or extraordinary requirements. Education is encouraged by providing scholarships. There are tour general scholarships at £3O a year, one agricultural £3O, one tech, uical £5O ? engineering £5O, ministry £5O, nursing £4O, ana one big scholarshi of £l4O. £5OO is also to be devoted to the establishment oh a school of Maori art.

Concluding, Mr Bennett said the whole thing has come from within, and is being carried on by the young educated Maori. “When you see them working for high ideals it is up to vou paxehas to hold out a hand of help and sympathy.” The meeting closed with a very hearty vote of thanks to the speaker, and the singing of the National Anthem.