PROGRESS OF MAORIS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18026, 27 February 1922, Page 8

PROGRESS OF MAORIS.

•— — [ METHODIST MISSION WORK. PEOBLEMS TO BE SOLVED. ' Some interesting comments upon mission work among the Maoris are contained in the Maori Mission report presented to the Methodist' Conference on Saturday. " The most interesting event in Maori affairs during the current year was the publication of the census returns," states the report. "Not only do the figures show that the rate of increase recorded by the previous four returns has been maintained, but the official reports all give encouraging information as to the progress of the natives in education and industry. There is, however, serious cause to fear that the ethical and religious progress of the people is, to say the least, not keeping pace with the material progress. " This is a grave situation for us to face, for it is in this phase of Maori life that wo shall find the real test of our eftcienoy as an historic mission with great traditional prestige and corresponding responsibility. There are indeed grounds for the contention that the New Zealand Church can never have the full blessing of God upon her until she has fairly faced the Maori problem, arid is dealing adequately with \i Almost all Europeans go to either one of two extremes in their view of the Maori. They either assume that the Maori can in this generation Teach English standards in religion and ethics, or thsy go to the other extreme, and, despising the Maori, say that he cannot be lifted out of his ignorance, superstition, and non-morality. " The Maori is one of the highest types of primitive people and a potential equal, but he has not yet attained, and :>n the very nature of things, cannot yet attain. But in the future he may, if we render him the assistance that is his due as our child in the Christian faith. We ba.ve before us, in the Maori Mi&sion an intensely interesting test of our ability as a Church to grapple successfully with one of the world's most difficult mission problems, Our Church is responsible before God and man, for the Christian development of the 12,000 descendants of the tribes that God gave our pioneer missionaries. We must nerve ourselves for a stern and protracted struggle." . The Waikatos afld certain of the King Country and Taranaki people were still bitterly prejudiced gainst the pakeha Government, continued the report, and against the Protestant churches, whose representatives persuaded the native chiefs to sign the Treaty of Waitangi. _ Much difficult diplomatic work still remained to \be accomplished. That the confidence oi these people was being won might reasonably be inferred from the fact that the mission had been invited to hold its next quarterly meeting in Northern Taranaki, and that in the Waikato, "King" Tc Bata invited the general superintendent and 6tafi to spend a week-end in conference at his own kainga. Some 25 new SuwCay-schools had beer started during the year, and there was almost unlimited possibilities of extensior in this direction when workers had beer trained. Splendid work was being don< by the deaconesses, and many Europear children in the isoJated districts, as we! 3$ native women and children, were profit ing much by their devoted and untiring labours. The executive had published I catechism in the Maori language for us< among adults as well as children, and this had been well received, nearly 1000 copies having already been sold.