THE MAORI RACE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 202, 16 July 1936, Page 9

THE MAORI RACE.

A CRITICAL STAGE. IMPACT OF THE PAKEIIA. Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, July 15. Reference to the harm done by some pakeha religious teachers to the Maori race was made at- the opening session of the Methodist Maori Ministerial Synod by the chief pastor, Rev. Robert Tahupotiki Haddon. The religious thought of the Maori, he said, was somewhat indefinite, and was subject to rapid changes at present. “it is too easily carried a wav ny various forms of spiritism,” he added. “Some pakeha teachings of this kind are an unfortunate influence, and some American cults with their criticism of the Christian churches have •done infinite harm ”

The speaker recognised, however, that some of the people who brougnt those teachings to the Maori tribes were well-meaning, thinking they were rendering the Maoris a service, but the best service they could give to the Maoris would be to leave them to the guidance of the traditional Maori .Mission churches, who understood the ■path the Maori mind was following. “Tho Maori finds his life in all its phases vmsettled because of the conflict between the old culture and the new.” Mr Haddon continued. “He suffers from a multiplicity of wellmeaning but. unwise idvisers and some of those who make the gieaiest efforts to help when they are helping unwisely throw development backward. These are critieicd days for tho Maori race.”

Air Haddon added that the race had an almost superhuman task ahead of it in its effort to adjust itsell to an all-too-qiuckly changed environment The Maori envied the Tong m and the Samoan in one respect -Heir development in European customs and modes of life was not so reseed. The Maori respected his pakelia fellow-ciiiuns, but by coming into the country _in such great numbers and transforming it the pakeha had very nearly tiansformed the Maori out of existence. The pace was too rapid for a primitive people. It was a question now of adjustment to European environment or collapsing. Therefore the educational and social work must Le pushed forward with great vigour, and as the Maori was naturally religious this work had to be done with a religious background.