TRIBUTE PAID TO NATIVE BISHOP.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18627, 3 December 1928, Page 8

TRIBUTE PAID TO NATIVE BISHOP.

LARGE GATHERING HELD IN HAWKE’S BAY, (Special to the “Star.”) HASTINGS, December 3. A large gathering of Maoris in the North Island including Sir Apirana Ngata, boys from Te Aute College, girls from Hukurere School, as well as visiting bishops and a number of pakehas assembled at Paki Paki yesterday afternoon to pay a tribute to the Rev F. Bennett, the new bishop of Aotearoa. Speeches delivered by local and visiting chieftains. Sir Apirana Ngata, on behalf of the natives, thanked the General Synod for creating an assistant bishop to supervise the work amongst the Maoris and said that in response the Maori people would have to make good. The new bishop was faced with tremendous responsibilities, but with the goodwill and support of the Maori clergy and laity his w r ork would be made much easier. He emphasised the fact that the work of the church must be adapted to the needs of the Maori race white the fundamentals remained intact. The Primate, in reply, said that it was well to learn to walk before to run, but he knew that some desired to see a step yet further forward. Ha hoped that if the present experiment was a success to establish a definitely Maori Diocese. It would depend on how the Maoris backed it up.