MAORIS STRANDED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVII, Issue 17459, 1 May 1920, Page 6

MAORIS STRANDED.

UNABLE TO LEAVE CAMP.

PLANS FOB EVACUATION.

AN OUTLET VIA TAURANGA. [bt tkleobaph.— bepobteb.] ROTORUA, Frid»y The evacuation of the great gathering of Maoris at present encamped at Arawa Park is the immediate anxiety of the Native Affairs Department. Sir William Hemes and the Hon. Dr. Pomare, the two Ministers immediately concerned, have been busy all day considering ways and means-

It is of course important that the native* should be despatched as speedily as possible. Apart from other considerations 'their presence entails a heavy expenditure, and the problem of feeding them with all transport disorganised is no light one. Tho present arrangement Is that if the railways remain idle the natives will be transported overland to Tauranga, and thence despatched by sea to their hemes. Th's will apply to the Hawke's Bay and Taranaki parties, equally with the others. . The only contingents which cannot be sent by this means are the Waikatos and die Maniapotos. Meantime the process has not yet been commenced, the authorities holding bad; | for the time being, in the hopes of a i speedy settlement of the strike. ! A small partv of Bay of Plenty natives, J some 150 strong, got away to-day, but; that was all that was attempted in the. Wav of. evacuation. | In the man the Maoris are in good | spirits. Football matches -were in progress at the park practically all day, and to judge by the uproar the spectators had , not exhausted the ; r capacity for excitement by (heir demonstration before the Prince. * If the weather remains as fine I as it has been to-day the conditions in the camp should be good, and the stay they have to make ought not to be in any ! way unpleasant.