OUR LITERATURE

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVII, 27 September 1927, Page 6

OUR LITERATURE

FOUND CLOSE AT HAND.

POLITICIAN’S CONTENTION

The main objection ot the author) ties to tho inclusion of Maori as a de gree subject in the University of New Zealand was that there was no Maori literature, said the Hon. Sir Api rana Ngata, in an address at Canterbury College. This, he declared, was quite untrue. There was plenty of prose to satisfy all the needs of ths students, and there was also poetry He had tho task of preparing a text book of Maori poetry, and found it extremely interesting and also extro mely difficult. Some people denied that there was Maori poetry. Those who wore steeped in Milton. Tenny son, Browning, might think that the Maori efforts were beneath contempt. “But,” said the speaker, with a smile, “I used tn find a lot of funny things in Milton.” Classical allusions were not easily understood by the na lives. “Why. if vou didn’t know who Prometheus wns you were a heathen!” He hoped that it would not be long before people would bn proud lo understand allusions tn the ancient Maori mythology. Others declared that the Maoris had never got as for ss rhyme. There were only five vowels in Maori, he explain ed and as every word must end in a vowel, rhyme would become very monotonous. “The Maori has a good car and sense of euphony, so he decided not to rhyme. This is n plan sible .‘/planation, and T hope that the future Professor of Maori will lake it from me” concluded Sir Apirana Ngntu.