MAORI SHARE IN CELEBRATIONS

Southland Times, Issue 23840, 10 June 1939, Page 8

MAORI SHARE IN CELEBRATIONS

Arrangements Made For Centennial PEOPLE NOT SHOWING ENTHUSIASM IMPRESSION” OF PART TO BE TAKEN (United Press Association) WELLINGTON, June 9. . The part to be played by the. Maori people in the forthcoming centennial, celebrations was discussed at a meeting of the National Centennial Council. There could be no doubt, said the Minister of Internal Affairs (the Hon. W. E. Parry), who presided, that the Maori celebrations would form a notable feature in most of the celebraSir Apirana Ngata said he had found that the Maoris throughout the country were anything but warming .up o the centennial because of the indefiniteness of the Maori celebrations They appreciated the position about Waitangi, but they had a col }^ sed pression about just where they were to fit in the exhibition, provincial celebrations, local celebrations, and even Waitangi. They felt a one ; da y bration in Waitangi was not enough. People were not going to travel from one end of the North Island to the other for that. A two-day celebration would cost the Government more, but it would make all the difference. Sir Apirana said he had conterre with the exhibition authorities and tne upshot was that he did not know now what part the Maoris were to take. Ihe Samoans would be there in the F ] court, but he did not know about the Maoris. EXPLANATION MADE The Under-Secretary for In te ™al Affairs (Mr J. W. Heenan) said that two days had been visualized for the Waitangi celebrations, one especially for Maoris, including the official opening of the Whare Runanga, and also a day devoted to an historic celebration of the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi. One of the greatest problems of the celebration was accommodation. Visiting Maoris would camp with the Ngapuhi tribe, who would be their hosts. Other - accommodation was severely limited. Efforts were being made for ships to visit the Bay of Islands so the people could stay on board, but for those traveiling by land accommodation was not only limited but almost negligible. Efforts were being made through the National Accommodation Committee to interest people in the surrounding districts so that accommodation might be available in neighbouring homes and farms. That field, however, was limited. . , , x . Concerning the Maori celebrations in other parts, apart from the national celebrations, it was very . largely a question of co-operation with the district centennial organizations. Rotorua must be a scene of Maori celebrations, and in Gisborne, during the Captain ■ Cook celebrations, it would be expected that Maoris would play a prominent part. The National Maori Celebrations Committee would be holding another meeting as soon as possible. “No more time must be lost, said Mr Heenan, “in seeing that the Maori people take part in the centennial, not merely as a part of the general population of New Zealand, but also, as a l * Maori race. They should be given a due place in the celebrations, particularly in those localities where they form a considerable part of the population. Wellington cannot be regarded as a Maori centre, but the Maori people of Petone on the King’s Birthday held a special effort in aid of the Wellington Provincial Memorial. It was wonderfully carried out by the Maori people.”