THE MAORI BATTALION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24337, 29 June 1940, Page 13

THE MAORI BATTALION

TO THE EDITOR

Sir, —Allow me a little space in your paper to correct a statement which I overheard yesterday. In the last few days we have read with much pride about our Maori Battalion in England. I had the good fortune to be in Palmerston North during the final five weeks of the battalion's stay in camp. I want to state that the Maori boys are a credit to their race and to New Zealand. I would like to let it be known to those who think that the South Island is not represented that attached to the Maori Battalion there are 14 South Island Maori boys. Just a handful, Sir, but that is expected, as we have so few Maoris in the South. The point is that Otago is represented in the Maori Battalion. My husband, Kawana Matthews, who is the eldest son of Hoani Matui of Karitane, was the only Maori from Otago to leave New Zealand with the Maori Battalion. He volunteered with his brother at the outbreak of the war and spent part of his training at Burnham with the Special Force before he transferred to the battalion. Unfortunately his brother was medically urifit. When I overheard it said recently that none of the Maoris from the south had left with the battalion I thought it was time that the Otago pakehas and Maoris knew that Otago is not minus a representative. I felt that I must correct this statement publicly. We in the south are just as proud of our Maori representative as the north are proud of their representatives. These are the words of the Maori Battalion song. I don't think they have been published in any of the South Island papers: Maori Battalion march to victory. Maori Battalion staunch and true. Maori Battalion march to glory. Take the honour of the people witb you. And you'll march, march, march to . the enemy, - - - And you'll fight right to the end. For God, for King and for country. Ake, Ake, Kia Kaha E. —I am, etc., M. Matthews. Dunedin, June 26.