Maori Children’s Splendid Loyalty

Manawatu Times, Volume 66, Issue 121, 23 May 1941, Page 9

Maori Children’s Splendid Loyalty

WEM4FPTOF, May 21. An appeal made bv the Education Department toward the end of last year to pupils of native schools to buy and equip a mobile canteen for the Maori Battalion serving overseas has met wit.’i a splendid response. The Minister of Education, in an interview to-night, said that just over £9OO had been rased for this purpose, representing an average of Is 8d a head of the school population. Mr. Mason said the keenness of the ptuidren to contribute their pennies

(never too plentiful) toward this fund had been fully exemplified by numerous letters. One school in the North Aucklan ddistrict, with a roll of little more than 00 pupils, had sent a contribution of £7O to the fund, and in quite a number of cases more than 5s a head, was realised. “The Government fully appreciates the warm-hearted response that has been made by the children, which is a very fitting demonstration of the loyalty of the Maori race,” said the Minister, “and demonstrates in no uncertain manner the keenness of the children to give every assistance to their older brothers and in many cases their fathers who are so gallantly upholding the fighting traditions of their race in the Middly East.’ 7 .