MAORI GIRLS’ COLLEGE

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXV, Issue 161, 24 June 1935, Page 11

MAORI GIRLS’ COLLEGE

Opening at Greenmeadows ARCHBISHOP’S ADDRESS The Spiritual in Education The new St. Joseph’s Maori Girls’ College at Greenmeadows, erected to replace the institution in Napier, which has carried on a very fine work during the last half century, was officially opened yesterday afternoon by His Grace, Archbishop O’Shea, Metropolitan of New Zealand, in the presence of a large attendance of the public and visiting clergy and sisters.

Among those on the platform were His Grace the Archbishop, the Rev. Dean Holly, who presided, the Rev. father Riordan, Superior of the Maori Mission, Mr W. E. Barnard, M.P., and Mrs Barnard, Mr C. 0. Morse, Mayor of Napier, and Mrs Morse, Mr J. Williamson, chairman of the Taradale Town Board, and a number of the Roman Catholic clergy from the Seminary, Greenmeadows, Napier and Hastings. The buildings, which were designed by Messrs Finch and Westerholm, architects, of Napier, and erected by Mr E. Perrin, contractor, are a most imposing block and will provide for the enlargement of the work carried out by the Sisters of the Mission for the bettorment of the Maori race.

His Grace, who was accorded a very hearty reception, said he rarely assisted in any function with as much pleasure r« this occasion gave him. The education of the Maori girls had been carried on in Napier for many years by the do voted Sisters of the Mission. He could remember their great work from the days of his boyhood at school in Napier. The institution in Napier had sent out many girls to all parts of the Dominion, who had carried with them the blessings they had received at St. Joseph’s, and they had helped to uplift the fellow members of their race. Through the archdiocese he had a first-hand knowledge of the good work that had been done by ex-students from St Joseph's, and it was a record of worthy endeavour. HELPING THE MAORIS. The Maoris were the original owners of the land, and one of the bright spots associated with the colonisation was the work done by the various religious bodies, who did their best to impart the teachings of Christianity to the natives. Unfortunately, all was not achieved that might have been. During the century materialism had tried to put God out of the scheme of life and consequently all had not been done which should have been for the natives.

The Catholic r 'hurch, as a body, was doing what it could for the Maoris, but it was hampered in many ways. Unfortunately, the Government of many years ago did not realise the need for real education, with the result that the system of secularism was adopted. To the Catholic Church this system was not satisfying, and it had gone in for its own schools. To have these it had been necessary for them to tax them, selves in addition to paying taxes to support the State schools. Any system of education which did not include God would not prosper, said the Archbishop. The policy of materialism had not brought prosperity, and as the Lord said centuries ago rust and moth would consume it. His Grace expressed the hope that the people of the world would reconsidei their policy and return to the policy of centuries ago when men made allowances tor the spiritual life as well as for the material.

Religion in the school was invaluable, as it brought children nearer to the true happiness. The Catholic Church was determined to carry on this all important work and as far as possible extend all the benefits enjoyed by the pakeha children to the Maori children. The new college would do credit to any centre in the Dominion, and in its delightful surroundings the work of the institution would be carried on with even greater success than in the past. The debt that the public owed to the Sisters of the Mission, His Grace said, was a big one. Their wonderful self-sacrifice of the material things of life enabled them to confer great spiritual benefits upon their pupils. The Sisters carried on their work quietly, in fact, their names were hardly known, but their labours revealed their worth. The Sisters deserved not only congratulations, but assistance, and His Grace was confident that not only the people of Napier, but those throughout ♦he dioeese, would in their congratnla tions assist materially as far as their means would permit.

Hip Grace then declared the institu tion opened. TRIBUTE TO NOBLE WORK.

Mr Williamson paid tribute to the noble work carried on by the Sisters of the Mission, which was done quietly, unostentatiously and with deep sincerity. He referred to the noble work of the late Rev. Mother Joseph Aubert, who was a second Florence Nightingale. She spread her ministrations beyond the sphere of the Catholic Church. He was pleased to extend his congratulations to all concerned upon the fine institution, which was destined to do wonderful work in

the future. Mr W. E. Barnard, M.P., in adding his congratulations, said that the erection of the buildings had been achieved after many difficulties had been overcome. Speaking as a non-Catholic, Mr Barnard said that among Protestants there was a sincere appreciation of the noble and self-sacrificing work of the Sisters of the Mission. He agreed with the remarks made bv Archbishop O'Shea that the Maori people, on the whole, had not received a fair deal from the pakehas. When Christianity was introduced the old chiefs were pleased because they believed that the Gospel would put an end to the internal tribal wars which were destroying their race. He was glad to see that so much was being done in this community in order to give Maori girls a fair opportunity. Mr Barnard expressed the hope that the way would be made easy for the paving off of the debt on the institution, and in this he was inclined to think that the State had some duty. Mr Morse also added his congratulations to the Sisters of the Mission on their fine new college. Their splendid work in the past, he said,' had produced some excellent types of Maori

women. This was due to the Sisters’ work being so thorough and so perfect in all its parts. DEBT TO SISTERS. The Rev. Father Riordan expressed his thanks’ to Archbishop O’Shea tor officially opening the buildings, and for his blessing. The Maoris welcomed him as the Captain ot the Barque oi the Faithful. The Sisters of the Mission were to be congratulated on what they had done. They had no resources, except in the Bank of Providence and for their labours during the last halt century the whole church pt New Zealland owed them a debt of gratitude. In the hearts of the Maoris were two —Mother Annuntiata and Sister bt. Bernardine—who had gone to their reward but whose ministrations would never be forgotten. Father Riordan then made an appeal on behalf of the Sisters of the Mission which he said, had every claim ot justice behind it. He paid tribute to the way the Maoris had marched side by side’with the patella in the civilisation of the country and to the part they played during the Great War. lhe buildings, equipment and grounds had cost £lO,OOO, and the Sisters had no resources other than the labour ot their own hands. Assistance given was not simply a donation to charity but a worthy investment. Rewards came not from the promise of men but from the promise of God, who said, “My word will not pass away.” The buildings were afterwards thrown open for inspection and appropriate selections were played by the Napier Technical Band.