SIDE BY SIDE

Northern Advocate, 6 February 1934, Page 4

SIDE BY SIDE

FOR OVER A CENTURY SPIRIT OF GOODWILLL. MAO I? IS‘ 1M I'RE SSI VE DISPLAY. (Special to “Northern Advocate.”) WAITANGI, This Day. Jn thfinlting the Maoris for the warm welcome accorded the Parliamentary party yesterday morning, Mr Forbes said that no words of his could give expression to the sentiment of the occasion in the way the Maoris had exemplified it in their fine haltas, pois and melodious singing. He was very proud to see such a fine gathering of the Maori people and to know the trouble they had gone to and the care taken to represent the race at the gathering. “For over 100 years Pakeha and Maori have been living side by side/ 7 Mr Forbes continued, “and it is a fine tribute to the character of both peoples that we can meet in a gathering like this with the utmost friendship on both sides. With the passing of the years have come many changes aeroplanes, cars, motor launches —which have come about since the first meeting of the Pakehas and Maoris on these shores. The Maori people are proud of their traditions, and it is a fine thing to see them reproducing the customs of a hundred years ago. The Maoris have to thank their leaders, and we have it 6 do so too for keeping these customs alive.' ’ To his friend, Sir Apirana Ngata, and Messrs Taiti Te Tomo and Tan Henare, who had represented the Maori race so well in the Parliament of the country, the Maoris were indebted, and so wore also the Pakehas. Speaking on behalf of the Government, Mr Forbes said they wanted to do all they possible could to assist the Maori to develop his land and to face the conditions of life better in future. There should be no doubts in the minds of the Maoris about the friendship of the people of New Zealand when they looked around and saw the crowd which had come to do honour to the occasion, even representatives who had come from Australia. , The Maoris had the utmost goodwill of the Government, and whatever it could do to enable them to become prosperous and worthy citizens, they could rely on it doing.’ 7 (War cries, and cheers.) Twin Destinies Shaped. The Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates tendered his sincere thanks to the Ngapuhis for the welcome on their own courtyard. It was with a curious feeling (that he looked on the gathering, for these hills and slopes of Waitangi beheld such a gathering 94 years ago, ;On this ground, the twin destinies of ,Pakeha and Maori were shaped. Over the years which had passed, great things had been achieved in New Zealand and in the unity between the two races. It was the Treaty of Waitangi which was responsible for that. “What we have in our minds is not so much the words, hut the spirit of the Treaty made when the Pakeha and Maori first came together, 77 said Mr Coates. The Pakeha had his way of doing tilings and the Maori had his, but he (Mr Coates) at any rate, and most of those present, and the Maoris were all New Zealanders, always trying, as two races, to advance the cause of each and both. It had been said that the Maori could best progress by retaining his traditions and customs, but who was to be the judge of the best of the customs. Only a couple of generations ago the Pakeha was considered quite a dainty morsel. Mr Coates said it was for the PakeJia to help the. Maori. The great undertaking which had been initiated in the last few years was doing much to get the Maori back to the land. If he had not the land, it must be got for him, for the War taught the Empire that there was no more loyal citizen than the Maori. Making Common Cause. The Leader of the Opposition, Mr M, J. Savage, said they all met in a. common cause, and he wanted to join with the Prime Minister and Mr Coates in expressing sincere thanks to the Maoris for their very warm welcome. Sir Apirana Ngata had said that they reflected the spirit of Waitangi, and ho (Mr Savage) congratulated them heartily on that. very, fine spirit. lie could assure the Maoris that that spirit lived iu the breast of I lie Pakeha as it did in the breasts of the 'Maori race.

if flir T’akehas pledged themselves lo give effect to the spirit as well as to 'the letter of tJio Treaty, all would he well. if, on the other hand, the Paketiaa returned to their homes from

Waitangi and loft any doubts in the minds of their Maori friends, they ■would have let down the spirit of those who had made settlement in -New Zealand possible. It behoved all Pakehas present to give that assurance to Their Excellencies, whose very valuable gift had ■made the gathering possible, and also to the Maori race. With the co-oper-ation of the Maori race, full effect would be given to the spirit and letter of Waitangi, and there will be an indissoluble combination whicli would exist long after the present generation had passed away. . i Trans-Tasman Voices. The Hon. F. H. Stewart, representing the Commonwealth, and the Hon. R. W. D. Weavev, representing New South Wales, also spoke, conveying greetings of goodwill from their Governments and peoples on the other side of the Tasman, Afterwards the Parliamentary party was entertained to lunch, the food for which Avas cooked in the kapa Maori style.