THE MAORIS' PRIVILEGE.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 13475, 2 September 1914, Page 8

THE MAORIS' PRIVILEGE.

FIGHTING FOR THE EMPIRE. WILL THEY BE ACCEPTED? SIX HUNDRED ARAWAS AND WAIROAS READY. (Special to Herald.) WELLINGTON, this day. The Prime Minister announced to Parliament last night that m view of the precedent created by the ' Imperial Government m sending, Indian troops to Europ9 for active service, he ' Would have pleasure m making a recommendation to ■the Governor that- the services-- of Maoris should be accepted! for tlie front. They were, he said, free citizeijp of our Empire. They were supposed to share all the privileges and benefits of British citizenship, and he did not think, we could deny them the privilege of fightivfi for -the Empire when such a crisis arose. . .;....- Sir J. Ward _ agreed with- the view expressed by Air Massey, that m view of the relaxation of the former understanding that colored troops should not be used m the Empire's wars, the great majority of people m New Zealand ■would be proud to see the Maoris, who had been such distinguished fighters m. the past, given "an opp6_ tunity of showing their qualities m '? . fence of "the Empire as a. whole, . . THE MAORIS' GOOD POINTS. Tho. Hon. A. T: Ngaita (Eastern Maori •member) declared . that there was undoubtedly a demand on the part of "the Maori to -stand shoulder to shoulder with their British fellow-subjects m ihe pre. sent Avar. (Hear, hear.) - Most Maoris lived outside the ■ territorial training areas, so that if their offer was accepted by the Imperial Government, steps should be taken to immediately- concentrate the volunteers m- training 'camps. In some of the minor campaigning: qualities, coritinued Mir Ngata, smilingly, the Maori Avas well equipped. He Avas a natural scout, and m the matter of commissariat he A\ r as unsurpassed (laughter), and if it came to roughing it he could fill requirements. but the Maori liad to be trained to handle a gun and understand the necessary commands and evolutions, and above all that steadiness which seemed to be the characteristic of that noble army under tlio command.: of General French. Three hundred Ara was and a similar number of the Wairoa natives, both of warlike stock, had volunteered, and if the Maoris' services Avere accepted, sufficient would come forward to fill a troopship. "I am only hoping,", added Mr Ngata.. "that I -might find leisure to accompany them — probably m. the commissariat; m which I should shine."