WAITANGI MAORI CAMP.

Taranaki Daily News, 31 January 1934, Page 5

WAITANGI MAORI CAMP.

WHY SITE WAS CHOSEN ANCIENT MEETING PLACE. • CATERING-ON HUGE SCALE. -- Waitangi, Jan. 26. The great Maori camp on the point at the mouth of - the Waitangi River is now practically complete, except for the erection of about 15 more large marquees to house the . representatives of the Southern tribes, who are to arrive in'the latter part of next week, says the Auckland Herald. The Northern Maoris have been assembling for days, and now over 400 are in camp. It is evident that when all the tents •re up, there will be no surplus, room on Ti point, but for reasons of tradition, no other site could have been chosen for the great gathering. The point has long been, the recognised place for native assemblages, and old residents can remember many held there under very different circumstances from those of the coming celebrations, with a mere handful of Europeans as onlookers. For this reason, the' Northern tribes erected there' more- than 50 years ago a monument to commemorate the Waitangi Treaty, together with a meeting hall, which has since been replaced by a substantial concrete building. This is to be used as sleeping quarters for the delegation of Rarotongan Arikis and their retinue/ an honour which the visitors will no doubt fully appreciate. RIVER BRIDGE ALMOST COMPLETE. Except for about 30 feet of decking and the completion of the side rails, the bridge over the Waitangi River is now complete, and it will be ready for use well before 'the main body of visitors arrives. The Northern natives, who have been coming in daily, for the most part on their own motor-lorries, are sleeping in marquees to the west of the road. The arrangements for feeding 5000 or more people are on a scale never before seen in-a Maori encampment, large as many past gatherings have been. The native visitors will have their meals under a huge tent -provided with benches and long tables, seating 1200 at a time. A smaller marquee, seating about 200, has been erected for the use of the Parliamentary party and other notable visitors. Along one side of the main dining tent is a-long serving counter, which is also to be used for washing up thousands of pieces of crockery and cutlery. This Is provided with wooden washing tubs and a row of laundry boilers for heating the water. • ' VIANDS BY TRAMWAY. Meat, vegetables and puddings will be cooked across the road in the open air in a row of hangi ovens and an open trench. The food will be brought to the dining tent by means of a tramway. A large temporary iion building has been erected as a servery and contains a room with a most capacious iron fireplace, where cakes and small goods will be baked. A long, screened shed has been provided for hanging one day’s supply of meat from the Moerewa freezing works. Already there is a huge stack of a hundred cords of dry manuka firewood cut for the purpose several months ago. Some 30 tons of potatoes are stored in typical Maori fashion, with bundles of flax covering the heaps. Further stocks are held at Opua and elsewhere, making a total of fully 100 tons, all of which will, probaby not be needed. It is certain that the peeing will keep most of the Northern women occupied while the visitors are in camp. It was evident to-day that this task makes the same agreeable opportunity for gossip as a sewing party among Europeans women. All the bread, amounting to 15,000 loaves or more, is being supplied Under contract from WhangareL There is a possibility of a trawler being, engaged next week to provide fish. Abundant pipis can be had on the banks of, the Waitangi River. There are two large runs full of fowls, with more to come. . ' ; - NATIVES A' HAPPY PARTY. A post and-telegraph office was opened in. the camp this morning/ Outdoor lighting is provided by a petrol plant and water is being pumped from two wells, in addition to a spring in the valley near by. It is expected that the supply will prove sufficient, but will have to be used economically. The Maoris in camp are an extremely happy party and are thoroughly enjoying themselves. The occasion serves, a useful purpose in bringing all the Northern tribes together for the discussion of common interests, particularly land settlement schemes. Undoubtedly, this purpose will be achieved on a wider scale when the Southern delegations arrive. In fact, the gathering promises to be a very notable milestone on the road of Maori progress in these rapidly changing times. . . - ...