THE MAORI

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVIII, Issue 202, 9 August 1928, Page 8

THE MAORI

AS AN AGRICULTURIST.

RATANA’S DREAM.

- A well-known Hawke’s Bay native, who has just returned to Hastings after paying a visit to Ratana, the headquarters of the influential Maori chieftain and spiritual leader, from whom the township takes its name, writes, under the nom-de-plume of “Advance Ratana,” of his experiences there:—

“I found,” he says, “that Ratana possesses not only an exalted spiritual vision of the uplifting of his race, but that he is, in addition, endowed with a practicability of purpose and a force of common-sense character which is being directed towards disciplining the Maoris in diligent industrv in the cultivation of the soil and which bids fair, within a measurable time, to establish them as valuable factors in the community of New Zealand producers. WASTE LAND TURNED TO PROFIT. “In the Ratana district I found that 600 acres of virgin land, which four short months ago was a waste, under a dense growth of gorse, has now been cleared by Ratana’s morehu (adherents). Out of that 600 acres, 400 acres are now under wheat, a hundred acres in maize and potatoes and a hundred in oats, pumpkins and other vegetables. For this the highest credit must be accorded to Ratant by Maori and pakeha alike, Because of his faith, his enthusiasm and his perseverance in his work of inspiring the natives with a spirit of independence and of national service, whilst the ready response made by his people testifies to the fact that the native race, under guidance, have a future before them in which they will achieve a place in agriculture at least equal to that of theii- European brethren. It was a fine accomplishment on the part of these Maoris to break in this stubborn area from its lawless state to its present condition of first-class land. MORE WORK STILL TO BE DONE.

“There are 300 or 400 more acres of country thickly infested with gorse still to be dealt with, and this is at present being freed by some 2uu men, who expect to complete their work by the end of October. All the pakeha visitors to this district who have seen this work of transformation, are generous in their commendation of Ratana’s steadfast resolution to instruct these descendants of a virile race in the science and practice of farming, so a's to equip them with the industry and capability necessary to win the full measure due to their labour from a reluctant soil

WELL-KEPT PA. “The pa is well kept, sanitary and orderly to a degree, the one drawback being the water supply, which is derived from rain tanks and, when these are empty, the residents have to bring their water from the Turakina river, about four miles away. Some time ago Dr. Ellison visited the pa and he suggested that an ample supply could be procured from an artesian well, or wells, sunk at Whangehu, a few miles distant, on the Wanganui side. He considered that the Government should help in this direction by subsidising the amount of money necessary for the boring and for the cost of piping to connect the water with the pa. The Ratana pa is a large one, accommodating about 700 people, and an adequate water supply is a vital necessity.”