CLAIMS OF MISSIONS

Taranaki Daily News, 23 December 1930, Page 9

CLAIMS OF MISSIONS

' NEGLECT OF THE MAORIS.

BISHOP GHERRINGTON’S APPEAL.

An appeal for financial support for church, work among the Maoris in the diocese of Waikato was made by- Bishop Cherrington before a yery large Congregation, in" St. Peter’s Cathedral, Hamilton,' on Sunday evening. The bishop said that four years ago Waikato’s quota for the-Maqri Mission was £l5O. The amount given annually had since been trebled but a great deal more was needed. ’ Mahy people, he said, interested themselves in overseas missions and neglected the claims'of those .who need-ed-their help in New Zealand. His Maori clergy had informed him that it was ap acknowledged fact that there were 4000 Maoris in the diocese who practically; looked upon their king as God. It was. dreadful, ; said the bishop, that in thpir ignorance these people were living in such awful blasphemy.

■ Continuing, the preacher said there were now six Maori priests working in the diocese.. Many more were needed. He' was very anxious that the status and stipends of these men should bo raised.

There were also two ladies working for the church among the Maoris, and two others had offered their services. The work the two ladies had done was very greatly appreciated but the}' were all too few for the numbers they were called upon to serve. The bishop said there were no churches for-the Maoris in the diocese. The Maoris would not come to the European churches. He re-

garded the Maori clergy as heroes to carry on as they had done without facilities of any kind. The offertories for Christmas Day throughout the diocese yrpji_ld .be devoted to the Maori Mission, and he appealed to church people with ' alii the emphasis he could command to realise their responsibilities and to contribute generously to the Maori Mission ■_ fund.' ' > ' • ■ ',