PRACTICAL PSYCHOLOGY.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LII, Issue 229, 27 August 1932, Page 2

PRACTICAL PSYCHOLOGY.

PALMERSTON NORTH CLUB. Last evening Mr J. H. Stevens, who is known to many in Palmerston North as a student and admirer of the Native race entertained members and friends of tlie local Psychology Club with sketches and reminiscences illustrative of “The Characteristics of Maori and Pakeh'a.”

In referring to the Maori tongue, Mr Stevens said it was a matter for •regret that a language of such beauty and simplicity should be forgotten or corrupted. In 1858, £7OOO had been voted by Parliament to teach English to the Maoris, but not a penny had been spent in teaching Maori to the English. The memory of tho Maori was phenomenal; no doubt because he had not been accustomed to rely on pen and pencil. His imagination readily responded to our fairy tales lint the giants mentioned to him were literal, and in speaking of birds he had been accustomed to think of the moa which stood from 12 to 11- loot in height. A fact of interest mentioned was that no plant native to Now Zealand had a blue flower and no Maori had been known to have blue eyes. There was, therefore, no word in Maori to represent this colour and one had been coined which was a corruption of the. English “puru.” Although the marriage customs of tho Maori did not exactly correspond with ours, they were a moral race and the penalty lor infidelity was death. The Maori liaka so commonly given by football teams had arisen from an incident connected with the pursuit of a Maori fugitive, To Toko 'Warn, who escaped the death penalty for infidelity. It was a marvel to the Maori that British surgeons should tend to the wounds of their enemies, but the British method of executing men for murder was to him barbaric. The unßritish method of tarring and feathering criminals of a low type was, however, appreciated by him. In matters of astronomy the Maori showed wonderful knowledge, though it was a complete mystery how he had gained it. In speaking of the law of tapu, Mr Stevens expressed the opinion that it was a pity this law had been suppressed. It was a means of exercising restraint upon the Maori people. Owing to the original customs of the Natives there was no temptation nor desire to steal. Food belonged to the tribe, the land to all, and clothing was for tho most part made by the individual who wore it. Many anecdotes of interest were told and in the hour which passed all too quickly Mr Stevens proved himself worthy of the somewhat doubtful compliment —according to his own version—paid to him by a little girl he had once met on board ship when she described him as the “greatest story teller in the world.” A vote of thanks to Mr Stevens, proposed by Mr Harwood, was heartily responded to.