NATIVE MISSION WORK.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 14000, 4 March 1909, Page 6

NATIVE MISSION WORK.

DISCUSSED BY METHODIST CONFERENCE. HOW THE MAORI IS SLIGHTED. [BY TELEGRAM!.— OWN CORRESPONDENT.] ■• ' "•' Wellington, Wednesday. At the New Zealand Methodist Conference yesterday the report of the principal of Thr-e; Kings College; Auckland, was brought down and adopted. In presenting the report, the principal (Rev. J. H. Simmonds, M'.A.) said -hat they had now £2341 to the credit of the building fund, but they could- not start operations until they had £3000. He appealed to his hearers not to speak to the natives in their own language, but to preach to them in English. Most of diem understood English, and the evidence that the Church was interested in them woum* be appreciated. The Maoris were a proud people, and did not wish for .any condescension. •<".' In seconding the motion for the adoption of the report, the Rev. T. G. Hammond (Patea) made some pointed remarks regarding the altitude of Europeans to the Maoris.'.'■; Referring to the recent Maori conference in Wellington, he said that it was very noticeable the way in which the Europeans received ■ the natives. For a coupe of days their enthusiasm was most astonishing. This was rather distasteful to the Church workers. They had worked among the natives for years, and had kept up their enthusiasm, . but the ' Wei-" lington people's interest lasted merely for a day or two, and then died away. At other times the things which some of the Europeans did to the natives were simply abominable. An instance of this had been related by the Rev. R. Hadden, of Hawera. One day that gentleman was sitting in a railway carnage,. when two European women came in, looked at each other, and • then one of them exclaimed, " Oh! Let's go out of here ; there's a beast of a Maori." ("Shame!") In his everyday work Mr.' Hadden had to- put up-with "all sorts of abuse and impertinence from Europeans, who called themselves men, simply : because he was a Maori. In conclusion, Mr. Hammond urged that they should extend their native mission work. He knew of a dozen young Maori men who would be glad to spend a year at the Three Kings College, in order to learn to read and write. If they were admitted they would come out greatly benefited, and would be of much more use in the community. {■~■. The report was adopted, and a vote of thanks and appreciation was accorded Mr. Simmonds for" the splendid -y. manner {in which he had carried out the work at Three Kings. •■- ;;'.:. ■ : - : '- ] :'."'- ' -