Lord Galway Presides At Last Centennial Function

Northern Advocate, 18 November 1940, Page 3

Lord Galway Presides At Last Centennial Function

[Special to “Northern Advocate’’]. ROTORUA, This Day.

The Governor-General (Viscount Galway), opened the Wahiao meetinghouse at Wl>akarew,arewa on Saturday, which was the closing celebration of the New Zealand Centennial year.

The ceremony began at 7 a.m. with the ancient kawa ceremony for the removal of the tapu, and was followed by the dedication of service. The meet-ing-house was opened by Lord Galway shortly before lunch. Arawas Give £IOOO. During the afternoon a cheque for £IOOO was handed to Lord Galway by Mr H. Tai Mitchell, C.M.G., on behalf of the Arawa people. Half was given as a straight-out gift to the National Patriotic Fund, and half as an interest-free loan for the duration of. the war. A loyal address for presentation to the King and Queen was delivered to the care of Lord Galway, and it was stated that messages for the officers and men of the Maori Battalion would be sent to His Excellency later. Lord Galway then opened the door of the meeting-house, and his eldest daughter, the Hon. Mary Monckton, was conducted over the threshold by a chieftainess, Te Whata Ruka, being j the first European woman to enter the restored building. Not Doing Enough, Ngata Says. Sir Apirana Ngata, in the course of a speech, said: “Much has been said of the Maori all-in war effort, but, i out of 90,000 people only 1000 have volunteered for service. “That is not enough. Of the pakehas, less than 50,000 men out of j 1,600,000 people have been called up. i “The country is not doing all it can or should. “There are plenty of young men golfing, playing tennis and rowing, just as they did before they ever heard of Hitler.”