W.C.T.U.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXII, Issue 269, 28 October 1932, Page 5

W.C.T.U.

MAORI DAY CELEBRATED. ADDRESS BY SISTER OLIPHXnT. Maori Day, was celebrated at the monthly meeting of the Hastings branch of the Women’s Christian Temperance Union yesterday afternoon in the Wesley Hall. A paper written by Miss L. C. Adams, Dominion Superintendent of the Maori Work of the W.C.T.U., was read by Miss Hullet. Miss Adams in her paper stressed the need for sympathetic understanding of the needs of the Maori race in relation to European civilisation of to-day. She urged a sisterly interest in the individual Maori, by each member and branch in every part of the Dominion, also the appointment of a Maori super intendent whose duty it would be to organise a meeting among the Maori women and generally to foster the interests of temperance work and ideals in each centre. Sister Oliphant, the District Nurse to the Maoris, was present by invitation, and gave an interesting account of her work in that capacity. Her duties are carried out in connection with the Health Department. The district in which she works is an extensive one, reaching from Taupo to Waimarama and from Te Ante to the coast. The w<snen, Nurse Oliphant said, lived a hard life. They plant corn and potatoes, draw and carry water, and fetch and split the firewood, beside attending to the numerous children which each family has. The life of the pah left much to be desired in thp interests of the health and morality. The sanitation and water supply were matters calling for serious consideration by those who had the best interests of the Maori race at heart. The older generation of Maoris were clean in their habits and conditions, but better facilities were necessary for the younger ones to keep up the standard. The training of the Maori in the care and feeding of the babies was a work requiring much patience and perseverance, and she had endeavoured to do what she could in this direction. Assistance was needed in the various paths in interesting the younger women in the cutting out and making of children’s garments. The care and preparation of food for the younger children was a branch in itself, many of them suffering badly from ricketts and other diseases as a result of malnutrition. Poverty existed among many of the Maoris and fresh milk was not available as it should be in a country like this, boiled flour and water, bread soaked in hot water and potatoes being often the staple food. The Maori temperament presented another difficulty when seeking to introduce modern methods. Epidemics of typhoid had once been common but, owing to the vigilance of the Health Department for whom she acted as a scout, these had been practically stamped out. In dealing with the younger men and women it would be a very great benefit to cut out the use of alcohol, said the nurse, not that there was a great deal of drunkenness but it was a cause of much sickness. Some time ago an effort was made to start a branch of the Red Cross. This was very successful and in the new year it was hoped that those responsible would continue the effort. A tribute was paid by Sister Oliphant to Mrs. Lindsay Gordon for her interest and help in her work, also to those Maoris who, when in- "retrenchment,” the department saw fit to cut out the upkeep of her car, having provided the car, they also undertook its maintenance. A vote of thanks was accorded the speaker on the motion of Mrs. Hickmott. A resolution protesting against the advancing on mortgage of public moneys to provide funds for the erection of the Masonic Hotel, Napier, was carried unanimously.