PHILANTROPHIC SCHEME.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXV, Issue 78, 9 April 1913, Page 7

PHILANTROPHIC SCHEME.

TO EDUCATE MAORI BOYS

Hastings, April 7

Between five and six thousand people, including the 1700 Maoris who are attending the “hui” by, were present at the opening of the Korangata (Bridge Pa) Mormon College on Sunday. The buildings, which stand in their own grounds of some 100 acres in extent, consist of a schoolhouse, with a lecture hall and a church adjacent, and a workshop at the back for students. They are up-to-date in every respect. The cost of the buildings runs into something like £12,000, and the expenditure on land and for the farm implements for farming and furnishings for the college will bring the total cost somewhere near £17,000. Jt is hoped to stain school work on Wednesday next ; but tne authorities are uncertain yet what course of academic instruction will be pursued. The students will, of course, have to take up the study of agriculture, which is the primary purpose of the college. Professor Johnson, who has charge of the colleges, comes direct from the United States to assume the presidency. He is a bright young University graduate, and holds degrees in physiology and pedagogy. Yesterday ne gave a. stirring speech on the church as an educational factor. “One of the great mottoes,” he said, “constantly held up before the young people was that the glory of God was in telligence. The great prophet of tin church had said that mon and women could not be saved in ignorance—the; could only be saved when they gainec knowledge. With those principles be fore them, no one could be surprise! that the pioneers in the history of tin Mormon Church in the United States had erected school buildings. If anyone could visit their cities, towns oi hamlets, he would find on every prominent corner a school building devoted to the educational development of tin.

young people. The erection of thh college was inspired by the same spirit that had dominated the erection ol their other schools, which had for theii proper object the training of young people in all matters pertaining tc morals and secular branches of education. The New Zealand college ban been opened for the exclusive use o. Maori boys. Young Maori boys who belonged to another church would be welcomed at the college, and would be taught in the as other students, though their present religion would not be interefred with. Europeans would not be admitted to tut school. Their sole object in erecting the school was to give assistance in the better training and education of Maori boys, in order that they might take their place in the activities of th 6 commercial world and as intelii gent citizens. There was no selfisl raotive underlying their college, which was philanthropic ■in its purposes. When it was said that the cost to the student for his schooling, board, room, and the use of all modern convenience', for a year was only £l2, it would be seen that the church had net gone into the question for the pufpose ol making money.