MAORI MISSION WORK.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLVIII, Issue 7988, 14 May 1904, Page 2

MAORI MISSION WORK.

At a meeting held at New Plymouth on Wednesday evening (the Herald reports), the Rev. F. A. Bennett reported that the past year had been most successful, which was in marked contrast to the preceding years of the mission. The first three years had been devoted to making enquiries and visiting the whole district in order to find out the best spots at which to concentrate their efforts. Those years in a sense were like the duties of a scout who went out and spied out the country, and then returned to the base to repprt. He was glad to know that 'they had a good b^se afe w^ich tip. report," and they we/c, thankful for s.uglj 'influence jui'd. h.e>lp. mW$ %b past yej*f tftejir efforts had. been fcqnnned principally tg y?« settlements, at WiWterfv and, nqrthward, Jn their w§rk they had ft good deal of prejudice to ov«rcp,me, fls,~th& Mao,ri§ had been bia§ed tp apma extent* The Maoris placed great rejianee in him when they submitted legal points to him, or when they sought his nelp as interpreter, but when he spoke of religion the natives appeared to become dull. In other ways they sought his. aid, s,uqh as settling domestic differences, and on one occasion he was. able tp pursup and bring back a husband who had left his wife, As a rule the Maoris seemed to place more reliance in Te Whiti so far as religion was concerned, because they believed the prophet of Parihaka had more power to regenerate the Maori race than he (the speaker) had with his religion. . Notwithstanding all these drawbacks, they had made progress When he was at Purangi they had 30 or 40 natives at daily service, and about 40 at the Sunday services. At Tarata settlement good progress had also been made m religious work. At Waitara and northward there was no actual opposition to their teachings, thdugh there was a great deal of indifference, but things were changing. Even at Urenui, a stronghold of Te Whiti-ism, they were making some advance. Opnositipn, was broken down, and' he hopelf soon that the indifference of the Maoris would be overcome, and that they would ere long take an interest in religious duties. He than referred in detail to the work done at Waitara, Waihi (the headquarters of the Maori Council), and other places in that part of Taranaki. . . . Qne young man had dpne jjpmd good work at Qn&r'aVifln visWhfc jwSB wkAs w SHE and Domtintfottt that no light had yet come from Parihaka, although his people had been waiting so long to see the light from that place. The speaker then referred to the religious work generally, and also in spreading temperance principles among the natives. He also referred to the question of accommodating Maoris, and said that in ponspguflnce. of ifjipris tom tyWKty S^WflgS W Ne* Plymouth, if hjw been decided to erect ft fcosj telry there, and this, would' seon be finished, This heistelpy had been erected on account of representations that had been made to the Government. He instanced the case of two Maori young women, respectable paople, who. arrived here by a late steamer, and although they tried hard they could not get lodgings in New Plymouth, but .were refused, and they had to walk along the railway line, in drenching rain, after midnight, andv^vAtFStT his Dlace a.j> fy\\ Mock, drenched to the skin, at' 6 a.m. It was cases like this that created a feeling of resentment among the Maoris, and also justified the erection of the native house. .■ The speaker then referred to the need of health supervision over the natives, and ha was pleased to say that a doctor Had W e ri ajmoh^ad to treat thg Tlg^v^V Dip Mq^lejlaiia had been apnolnted VheNatiye Health Officer. Hpw•evpr. urn aid not go far. enongh, acd a ■petition had been sent to the op.vejn>nient. asking that a dpptor shp^l^ be appointed fcO viqit the kwn«w, and tfee Native Ministec had prpmised thai l)c Buck, whphfd qualified,, w^uldb§ 'appointed aftey h« hp bad twq years' sepvic^ % hfispitftl werft. He alno yeferiied t* th» xeod work of the Maori Councils, and said that a meeting WOHld Portly be hd«J ftt Wattli, *