MAORIS' FUTURE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22356, 29 February 1936, Page 14

MAORIS' FUTURE

LORD BLEDISLOE'S PLEA CRISIS IN THEIR HISTORY BRITISH SYMPATHY URGED STATUS OF THE RACE By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Received February 28, 6.5 p.m.) LONDON, Feb. 27 In the course of an address to the Dominions and Colonies section of the Royal Society of Arts, Viscount Bledisloe, formerly Governor-Gen-eral of New Zealand, described the Maoris as the most interesting, most attractive' and potentially the most civilisable of the so-called native peoples of the world. Lord Bledisloe said his five years' sojourn in New Zealand had left him with the conviction that the Maoris had reached a crisis in their history, which, in the absence of great understanding on the part of Britain, might eventuate in their irretrievable decadence, if not their racial obliteration. He appealed for the sympathy of the white co-partners of the British Empire. ' Continuing, Lord Bledisloe said he hoped the New Zealand centenary, four years hence, might be characterised bv the Maoris' conviction that their future was assured, their equality of status nnder British sovereignty unchallenged and their mental and spiritual outlook understood and catered for in national administration consistent with national .progress and cultural development. NATIONAL UNITY IDEAL COMMENDED CONTINUED REGENERATION (Received February 28, 6.5 p.m.) Time* Cable LONDON, Feb. 9< , Commenting on Lord Bledisloe's address the Times mentions the names of Sir Maui Pomare, Sir Apirana Ngata and Dr. Peter Buck, as showing how many members of the Maori race are participating as citizens of New Zealsind on terms of equality. It says the great promise for the continued regeneration of the Maori people from within lies' in the ideal of Maori national unity as distinct from separate tribal organisation which they have fostered. The Times concludes: "Whereas their forefathers wielded the war club or grew the sweet potato, some of the present day Maoris display prowess at Rugby football and produce butter for <the London markets."