SOUL OF INDIA

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19700, 4 August 1938, Page 8

SOUL OF INDIA

TWO DARK RACES MEET INDIANS AND MAORIS POITO-O-RAWIRI WELCOME CIVIC RECEPTION A civic reception, combined with a Maori Welcome, was given to the Manavadar Indian State hockey team at Poho-o-Rawiri this morning, where the visitors were met with a song of welcome. At. the conclusion of the official welcome the visitors and members of the Hockey Association were entertained at morning tea in the dininghall, where Maori dances were given. The refreshments concluded with an impromptu dance programme m which members of the visiting team danced with Maori girls. Mr. H. A. Armstrong, president of the Poverty Bay Hockey Association presided, and in introducing the visitors regretted the absence of the Prince of Manavadar, who sponsored the tour but who was unable to accompany the team because of the illness of his son. The civic reception was extended by the Deputy-Mayor, Mr. J. H. Hall, who apologised lor tiie absence of the Mayor, Mr. D. W. Coleman, M.P., who was attending to his Parliamentary duties in Wellington. Mr. Hall hoped that the visitors would appreciate the heartiness of the welcome, despite the bad weather conditions. Gisborne would take second place to none in its sincerity of welcome. International Brotherhood The visit would be very valuable to tiie game of hockey in Gisborne, Mr. Hall continued, and would help the game forward by local players gaining a knowledge of the Indians’ science. The tour also would allow the Indians to come in closer touch with the people. New Zealanders would be able to know the members of the team and would be able, through them, to know the people of India and to draw closer to the aim of international brotherhood. Mr. Armstrong, on behalf of the Hockey Association, also extended a welcome, and said that tiie Gisborne people held pleasant recollections ot the 1935 visit and of the welcome by tiie Maori people. The warmth of the welcome would help, he hoped, to mitigate the unpleasant weather conditions. He thanked the Maori people for staging such a wonderful welcome to the visitors. Overwhelming Reception Professor Jagan Nath said that the reception had been so "overwhelmingly immense” that even the elements could not drown it by opening the floodgates from above. When the prince accepted the invitation to tour New Zealand, he had a number of ideas in his mind. In the frst place be had the idea of missionary work in hockey. The prince was keen to come to New Zealand, but unfortunately circumstances prevented him travelling with both the 1935 and 1938 teams. The prince was very keen to establish contact with the people of New Zealand, for the visits would be conducive to the soul of India being made known to tiie people outside. India was old in civilisation, lie added. Civilisations had risen and disappeared. He was trying to explain India to the people of New Zealand and to endeavour to extend the spirit of brotherhood in this important part of the British Empire. The welcome from the Maori people was an important step in furthering that spirit. The darker races were great races in their own way ,and the British Empire was the binding race. The different races were the bricks, and the British Empire was the mortalbinding the the different races together in one bond in the interests of the Empire to face any crisis that might be coming. On the call of Mr. P. Tureia, the visitors were given three cheers. Maoris Entertain Afterwards, the guests were entertained at morning tea in the Poho-o-Rawiri dining hall, and some Maori songs and hakas were given. In reply, Lagpat Rai gave an imitation of a stringed instrument by manipulating his fingers on nose and lips. In extending a welcome, Mr. Tureia recalled the names of three members of the team who were in Gisborne in 1935, S. M. Hussain, Shahabuddin, and Peter Fernandez. They would long remember the great goal scored in 1935 by Peter Fernandez, who, in bare feet, ran down the left wing, and sent a back-handshot into the net. Continuing, Mr. Tureia said that the Indian and Maori people must have descended from a common stock. In New Zealand European and Maori people mingled together as one.— (Applause). Professor Jagan Nath thanked the Maoris for their wonderful welcome. He recalled the receptw-ft given by the Maoris to Captain Cook, and instead of giving the name of Poverty Bay, as Captain Cook had done, the Indian visitors would call the place the Bay of Plenty, for there was plenty of warmth from the heart and plenty of water from above. (Laughter). The two races meeting to-day were undoubtedly descended from a common stock some time in the distant past, and their hearts leaped for joy in mingling with some of their own blood. He hoped the ties would be strengthened in their common relationship through the British Empire The dances performed had appealed to him, and so had the sweet-voiced songs, which resembled somewhat the old Indian songs. He was glad the Maoris had accepted the Indians as their own. ________