MAORI LANGUAGE

Manawatu Standard, Volume L, Issue 117, 14 April 1930, Page 2

MAORI LANGUAGE

(To the Editor.) Sir, —Your correspondent, “New Zealander,” still flounders about on the surface of the subject without producing any substantial legitimate facts to prove that the establishing of a “Maori” class at the Technical School would not be advantageous to certain, people—including, of course, the- “ Wielders of picks.” Well, even if it could not make the wielders’ picks pick half as fast again, it might perhaps prove an interesting intellectual pastime for some of them in their leisure hours —few though they certainly are. Of course, due credit must bo given for “New Zealander’s” sympathy with those unfortunates so crushed by sordid materialism and-the lust for gold that they have no desire or capability for any other interest in life. But then, this hallucinary horde cannot forever be pampered with fanatical enthusiasm. In fact, nearly every one of us is sure in liis own mind, right now, and at numerous other times, that he is the most hard-done-by individual on earth, victim of all- the animosity of fate; yet there is the desire to try to find time to forget material tilings for a pleasant intellectual pursuit.' If the unfortunate pickwielder sees that this study would not shorten his hours and increase his pay and production, he will not be compelled, as was pointed out previously, to take up such a course. He will be at liberty to silently steal away and leave it for those non-producers,, the drones, tho blessed idols of fate, tho pen-pushers, those fortunate ones who can afford to titillate their fancies with such idle pleasures. If some find the learning of the language an intriguing thing, _ and some cranky philosophical mystics see even more than this in it, why deny them their pleasure, even though it may not help materially to swell the district’s export of productions. However despicable the pursuit may be, it is at least ■ not the supremely terrible one, “the narrow lust for gold,” which appears to strike fear into the heart of “New Zealander.”—l am, etc., MAORI. Palmerston North, Aipril 11, 1930.