"LOST" MAORIS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22596, 8 December 1936, Page 11

"LOST" MAORIS

WAIKATO AND TAEANAKI BISHOP'S CONTENTION WORK OF CONVERSION APPEAL MADE FOR FUNDS [FROM OUR OWN COUHKSI'ONUKNT] LONDON, Nov. IS Bishop Chorrington, of Waikato, is attempting to raise funds for the Maori Mission in the Diocese of Waikato. In an advertisement published on the front page of the Times it was declared that money was urgently needed to "bring back to Christianity the two Maori tribes Waikato and Taranaki."

"Tho grandparents of these tribes," the advertisement continues, "fell away from Christianity in the last Maori wars. Their reason for doing this is a tslur on the great name of Bishop Selwyn, Apostle of New Zealand. They believed the bishop had betrayed them to the British. He was most anxious to make peace, and succeeded in his efforts with the Maoris, but not with the British authorities. The Maoris, not understanding the position, but believing that one who had been able to persuade them to do the right thing must have been ablo to do the same with his own people, interpreted the fact that he was unable to do so as clear evidence to them that ho never tried, but. instead. that he bade his own people go and give the Maoris a good beating now that they had them at a disadvantage! This is a terrible error, but it. is believed firmly by the Maoris of those two tribes in what is now the third generation. Invaluable work m dono by lady missionaries from England, but there is a danger of our small staff of three being reduced unless additional funds are secured at once."