SACRIFICE OF WAR

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 89, Issue 267, 12 November 1945, Page 4

SACRIFICE OF WAR

“IS THIS CIVILISATION WORTH IT?” MAORI BISHOP’S QUESTION MEMORIAL TO THE FALLEN OF MAORI BATTALION (P A.) Wellington, Nov. 11 "Is this civilisation ot ours worth all this sacrifice?" asked the Bishop of Aotearoa, the Rt. Rev. F. A. Bennett, after detailing the war casualties of the Dominion in two wars to a congregation gathered in the Ngatt-Poneke Hall, Wellington, this afternoon for a memorial service for the fallen ot the Maoii Battalion. The Bishop said the Dominion had lost J 6,000 01 the cream of her manhood in the J914-IS war and 9000 in that just concluded. "When I think of all the money which is oeing spent in gambling anil on drink, I ask, 'is this civilisation ot to-day worth while?’ " he ..aiu. In New Zealand the people were scarcely touched. They hardly knew .hey had been in the war. ihanksgiving for the sacrifices made by tile lallqn should be a dedication to tne faith of God, and to the welia.e of mank'nd. There were always tnose two things before them, and it was God s in i ention that each one of them should do a little for the good of Christianity. Bi.hop Bennett quoted official figures ror the casualties ot the Maou Battalion, including 15 died of sickness, 20 accidentally killed, 166 died ot wounds and 411 Killed in action. A Ota! of 612 had passed to their rest. There were. too. 18 missing. Among lite prisoners of war were 184, attu 1906 had been wouniled. Apart from this many Maoris had joined pakeha units. The toted numbers in the Maori Battalion were 3000 and the number in other units about the same. There was a great future in the Maori race, but it needed sympathetic handling. The lime would come wnen the Maori could stand beside the pakeha without keeping his eyes In the ground and the pakena would look with pride at his achievements if he went on lighting in.o the days ol peace. Among tho-e present were the Prime Minister, Mr. Eraser, the Minister of Finance, Mr. Nash, the Minister of Defence. Mr. Jones, the United Kingdom High Commissioner, Sir Pairick Duff.

Lieutenant-Colonel C. M. Bennett, former commander of t.he Maori Battalion, read a list ot the names of the fallen of the Battalion and Mr. Kingi Tahiwi read 'he lesson.