WANGANUI RIVER MAORIS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17143, 27 December 1929, Page 9

WANGANUI RIVER MAORIS

VISIT BY SIR A. T. NGATA For many months the natives of the Wanganui River have been waiting for the promised visit of the Native Minister, Sir Apirana Ngata, and on Friday a specially chartered boat with a party of 40 arrived at Banana from Wanganui. With the Minister were Jus two daughters, two sons, and private secretary, and a large party from Wanganui. The Minister met the Maoris and discussion centered on the menace '.if a comparatively new pest —ragwort— and also means of transport for produce from Maori farms up-river. The Minister considered that a boat run. niag three times a. week to Wangaiiui was excellent service, mentioning that on the East ('oast many farmers had to rely on launches for picking up cream, and sometimes if the sea was rough the cream was wasted, as the launches could not call. Ragwort was a serious problem, said the Minister. It had apparently started somewhere near I'ipiriki, and the flood waters had washed it right down the river. Stock feeding on it often died, and the loss to dairy farmers was becoming serious. Something would have to be done about it immediately. At 6 o'clock dinner was served at Banana Hall, which had been decorated, one member of the party remarking that both the decorations and the dinner were equal to anything at Christmas. The, Minister, after specting some of the farms, including Morikau, loft on Saturday for tho East Coast, after promising that his best efforts would be used to further in every way the interests of tho Maori farmers on the river. A replica of the famous Moutoa flag was' flown at Banana while the Minister was at the pa.