YOUTH PAGEANT

New Zealand Herald, Volume 80, Issue 24542, 26 March 1943, Page 4

YOUTH PAGEANT

rotorua_gathering COLOURS PRESENTED MAORI BOiY HONOURED 3.R.) ROTOBUA, Thursday A colourful pageant of youth, in the elightful setting of the grounds of the iow Whakarewa re wa School, took ilacc in bright sunshine this afternoon, ,'hen the Governor-General, Sir Cyril Cewall, and Lady Nowall presented olours to the Te Arawa troop of Boy Scouts and the Rotorua company of] Jirl Guides. A youthful scout leader, iiliari Haia, received from His Exeelencv the Boy Scouts' Association gilt toss in recognition of his prompt, iouragcous and meritorious action in •escuing an infant child from drowning n the Meo Gorge on December 10, 942 ' . . , In addition to scouts, guides, cubs ind brownies, practically all of the jther youth organisations of Rotorua md school detachments paraded on the (laying field below the terrace where, .vitli a background of pines and popiirs turning to gold, the variously .liied uniformed ranks and banners made a living picture that will stand nit in the memory of the spectators \ military band played suitable music for the ceremonial. Wahines Welcome Visitors On their arrival, Their Excellencies spent a considerable time inspecting each troop and detachment and hpd obvious pleasure in meeting the young people in this way. A small boy and a girl, Maori and pakeha, smiled happily, if self-consciously, after receiving a hearty word from the distinguished airman who represents their King. Wahines of the Tuhorangi tribe, who were hosts for the occasion, in Maori costume, welcomed the visitors in traditional style and a spokesman of the tribe delivered an oration, in which poetic fancy had full play Consecration Ceremony The assistant District Commissions of Scouts, Judge J. Harvey, presided, and the speakers were the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. P. Eraser, the Mayor, Air. P. A. Kusabs, Mr. A. .1 White, chairman of the local Boy Scouts' Association. Major It. Vercoe, on behalf of the Arawa Trust Board, handed over tilt colours which, after presentation tt the colour parties, were consccratec with full ceremonial by the Bishop o:

Aotearoa, the Rt. Rev. F. A. Bennett. In his address, tlje GovernorGeneral, through whose appeal as Chief Scout the movement had received a strong impetus in Rotorua, expressed his great pleasure at the wonderful opportunity of seeing together the children, regardless of race or creed, who had the one object of bettering themselves for the responsibilities that would fall upon them later in life. He spoke of the unitydisplayed in the commingling of the young people of the two races Advice to Maoris " You have a great heritage and a great tradition to inspire you," he said. "Take the best from the past." The Maoris, he advised, should cultivate their dances and folk lore. To all present His Excellency adi dressed some wise words upon the i sacred nature of the home and home I life, mentioning a tendency, in spite | of the fact that the young people were | as good to-day as in the past, to dis- | regard home influences. "You have a gem of a country," he concluded. "Take care of it and its heauty." He congratulated Rihari Haia upon his gallant action, when pinning on his breast the cross, and said it reflected I credit on the whole troop.

PATRIOTIC WORK COLLECTIONS FROM MAORIS CRITICISM IN NORTHLAND (0.C.) WHANGAREI, Thursday Criticism of alleged interference by the Maori war effort with inter-zone patriotic work was voiced by delegates at a meeting in Whangarei yesterday of the Northland Zone Patriotic Executive. The secretary, Mr. L. 0. Hall, said inter-zone executives had reported that substantial amounts were being collected for patriotic purposes under the heading of the Maori war effort and were not being paid to the credit of the Auckland provincial patriotic fund. A circular letter from the Minister in charge of the Maori War Effort, the Hon. P. K. Paikea, stated that donations received by him from November 15 to December 21 had been £3149, made up of £490 from the Tokerau district. £1487 from the western district, £B7l from the eastern district and £3OO from the National Patriotic Fund. Disbursements of £1757 had been made up of £ISOO remitted to Egypt, £57 for a draft of soldiers awaiting transport overseas and £2OO to soldiers in a 'Northland district, while the balance had been deposited in a bank. The chairman, Mr. W. Jones, said that a telegram had been received advising that the question of the Maori war effort was under discussion between the National Patriotic Fund Board and the Government. Mr. A. H. Dallas (Otamatea) told the meeting that a Maori committee had obtained consent to conduct a patriotic effort, but the receipts had been held for payment to Mr. Paikea. If this sort, of thing were to continue patriotic work in the north would be ruined. It was suggested that the Provincial Patriotic Council should be advised that as soon as the amount of money collected by the Maori war effort was known it should consider that amount as part of the' Northland patriotic quota. "It is becoming a question of Maori versus pakcha." said Mr. Jones. "This should be avoided, but now the Maori soldier is getting something from the patriotic funds as well as from his own people and that is causing dissatisfaction." A motion expressing alarm at the position was referred to the standing committee to bp sent to the Provincial Patriotic Council. TAXATION ANOMALY " The protest by the Auckland Chamber of Commerce against double taxation of allowances to employees on active service was discussed by the Minister in charge of the Land and Income Tax Department, the Hon. A. H. Nordmeyer, in a letter received at yesterday's meeting of the council of the chamber. Members ol the council considered that the Minister had not understood the purpose of their protest. The effect of recent legislation is to confirm a special provision in the 1939 legislation exempting the employer from taxation upon allowances not exceeding £4 a week, and continuing the liability of the employer to pay income tax' on any amount-in excess of that limit. It also provides that the recipient of the allowance must pay income tax on the whole amount—on both the portion in respect of which the employer is exempt and any additional amount on which the employer has paid income tax. The council has protested against the imposition upon the serviceman of taxation on the latter amount, since ihe employer' lias already paid full tax. It was decided to pursue the matter with tlie Minister.