LECTURE BY REV. W. GITTOS,

Tuapeka Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 4901, 19 October 1901, Page 3

LECTURE BY REV. W. GITTOS,

The Eev. W. Gittos, Maori Missionary of tbe Wesleyan denomination, who is visiting the various circuits in the Otago district in the interest of the Home Mission Fund, delivered an address in the Wesleyan Church on Tuesday evening dealing with his experiences as a Maori missionary extending over nearly half a century. Mr Gittoo was accompanied by a young Maori convert, Neho Henri Papakakura, a student from Three Kings Coll<=g*. who for the past 18 , months has been labor id g among the Maoris from Kaipoi in the north to Stewart Island in the south. The Eev. Mr Ellis briefly introduced Mr Gittos who, he said, was a man whom everyone (no matter of what denomination) interested in mission work among tbe Native race should delight to honor. It was the first time he had visited this district but his nam6 in connection with his mission work and influence with the Native race was well known the whole colony. Mr Gittos said it was 87 years ago since the first missionaries came from the adjacent continent — Samuel Marsden and others who, | overflowing with love to their fellows, came with their lives in their hands to preach to and convert a cannibal people. They labored for 18 years going in Bud out amooget them before there was any apparent success. He related some incidents that had come under his own observation in oonneotion with the rescue by the missionaries of some who otherwise would have been the victims of a cannibal feast. In one case a double-barrelled gun was exchanged for a man's life and in another a blanket for a woman's. In oivilising and teaching the Maoris the missionaries emphasised the necessity for conversion and did all their work from that standpoint. It was very important to get the chiefs first, because of the law of prestige (mana) obtaining amongst the Natives. A powerful chief of the Ngapuhi tribe was the first to give his adhesion to the Christian faith, and he remained to the end of hie days the faithful ally of England as well as a good servant of Christ. Referring to the difficulties in prosecuting mission work amongst the natives, he said that one of the hardest things was to combat the evils brought in by onr so-called civilisation, and the Maoris oiteo said " yoa bring as good i things in one hand and evil things in the other." The evil of the bad example of Europeans, too frequently shown, was such that the Natives very frequently say " you must oonvert your own people first." He related some amusing incidents of his experience in building a house, forming a school, making clothes for the children, and teaching them how to look after themselves and provide houses and other things, and they were not slow to benefit from them. The Maori character was lacking in perseverance. They worked well for a time, but they frequently re- , lapsed, like the ebb and flow of the tide. They worked in periods only. This oharioter the; displayed in their moral and spiritual development. There were constant backslidings, but onHhe whole there was much cause for congratulation on their upward march. In the Kaipara and Hokianga districts the Natives were nearly all total abstainers and non-smokers. He referred to the grand loyal .reception given to the Duke and Duohass of Cornwall at Botorualast June. The Maoris were there in great numbers from ail parts.and the affair was a great success. He was very pleaßed to have been one of the number. He was not, however, present at the exhibition of haka, poi, and war dances, as the missionaries, knowing well tbe debasing and demoralising influence of these dances, had set their faces against them aad had taught the Maoris to forget them. At tbe close of Mr Gittos' address, which was of a very interesting character, he sang a duet in the Maori language in eo»jn»©ii/>» with Neho Henri, Papakakura, the agent of the Southern Maori Mission. Hemi is an ex-pupil of the Three Kings School, the Maori school in Auckland, conducted by the Wesleyans, and he afterwards gave a brief I address in review of the work he is pursuing amongst the Maoris in the South and, like all, or nearly all, the Native race who address European congregations he lamented the fact that the Maori race was dying out and that strong drink was doing so much to destroy them. His observations at the Bluff were painful evidence of the evil being ' wrought by liquor. Votes of thanks were pasßed upon the motion of Mr Vivian and Mr Elimau aud the meeting terminated in 4he üßual way.

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