FIRST VISIT TO CITY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22819, 28 August 1937, Page 14

FIRST VISIT TO CITY

PARTY OF MAORI CHILDREN KEEN "INTEREST SHOWN A party of 31 Maori children, not one of whom had ever been in a town of any size before, has been visiting the city during the past week and will return to their homes in the Opononi district, more than 200 miles north of Auckland, to-day. Ranging in ago from 10 to 16, the children come from two schools, Pakanao and Koutu, and are in tho care of three teachers, Messrs. A. J. Flatt and F. H. Harrison and Miss K. Diamond. For tho children, who arrived iti Auckland on Monday, the past few days have been' crammed with thrills and excitement. They considered last night that the biggest moment of their visit occurred at the Central Fire Station yesterday morning when, wliilo the children were carrying out a tour of inspection, an alarm was sounded and they had tho highly exciting experience of watching tho machines leave at speed. Another moment of suspense, which was also greatly enjoyed, took placo when tho children went up ill a lift in the Power Board Buildings. Last night they wcro still talking of thoir rapid ascent. Sights around tho city, which residents consider as commonplace, were to these native children marvels almost beyond description. On Thursday tho children wore tho guests of tho Auckland Rotary Club for a motor drive, which included' a visit to tho Mangero aerodrome, whoro tho party saw the arrival of the Union Airways monoplane from the south. Yesterday afternoon a visit was paid to the Auckland Zoo. In order to make the trip to Auckland each child had to find £1 6s 6d to cover part of tho cost, while the rest of the money necessary was raised in the Opononi. district by moans of socials, and similar functions, £23 being collected.