THE ORIGIN OF THE YOUNG MAORI PARTY.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LV, Issue 13992, 25 August 1909, Page 4

THE ORIGIN OF THE YOUNG MAORI PARTY.

More than thirty years ago (in 1878). when the educational usefulness of IV Ante Native School had for a time declined, the late Archdeacon Samuel Williams, who had identified himselt' so much with ,th% missionary education of the Native race, secured the services and able professional assistance of Mr. John Thornton as head master. The idea with which the new head master appears to have, out with was tn provide the Maori youth « ith an opportunity to qualify for the leurm"] orofessioiw, and generally to uplift the Native race — a truly humane and philanthropic idea. Hope was in the ascendant, and failure was not dreamed, of; and so, after a time (1885), every student was educated to face ihe university matriculation examination. During these thirty years more than 500 youths have passed under the head master's hands the pick of all the Government and of the Anglican Church missionary schools — and those who have succeeded in assimilating a university education can be counted on the fingers of one band. Much attention was paid to their religious education, but little or none to technical and manual training. The many were sacrificed to the few . everything Maori was to be eliminated, and these youths Europeanised in one' generation — a hopeless task. No provision was made for those who fell by the way. Out of the bountiful provision made for general education in the shape of some 700 acres of ricli land, granted by th»» Governor. Sir George Grey, and the local Maoris, no provision was made to utilise the many who fell'out in the race for the university, by educating them in agriculture or a Sc nowledge of the manual crafts. ' It could not have been foreseen that sb miriy would fail, but it might have been foreseen that of the few who attained success and became lawyers and doctors the Pakeha feminine would have none of the latter and the pakeln masculine none of the former, while the Maori would only accept the porrf* munistic service of either — withor.l payment.