MAORI CULTURE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 246, 15 September 1936, Page 5

MAORI CULTURE.

CONSERVATOR lUM PLAN. CENTENNIAL MEMORIAL. Per Press Association. ROTORUA, Sept. 14. A Maori eonservatorium of music and of arts and crafts as the Maori portion of the Centennial Memorial, was suggested to the Minister ol Internal Affairs (Hon. W. E. Parry) by a deputation from the_ Rotorua Borough Council which waited upon him to-day. The Mayor of Rotorua (Mr T. Jackson), who acted as spokesman, suggested that the Government should consider giving assistance to erect a suitable building at Rotorua which could bo made a research for all form of Maori lore, music and legend. The council had considered the matter and suggested that a suitable man to place in charge of such an undertaking would be the well-known New Zealand composer, Mr Alfred Hill. The council was so impressed with the possibilities that it would agree to provide one-third of Mr Hill’s annual salary if it was found possible to engage'him. He considered that the Centennial would be the most suitable occasion to erect the memorial, which would not be of brick or stone but engraved in the hearts and minds of Maori people. The time had arrived when a, concrete effort should be nicide to preserve the many wonderful legends of the Maori and to develop his music and culture. A building such as he suggested could be used for this purpose. The Minister said that ho was impressed with the idea and suggested that it he submitted through the District Centennial Committee to the National Committee in Wellington for consideration. The Government was anxious to do everything, in its power to preserve tho culture of the Maori and also to convince the natives that they would bo placed on an equal footing with Europeans in every respect.