Marton District

Wanganui Chronicle, 6 November 1948, Page 3

Marton District

Principal Of Turakina Maori Girls’ College Speaks To P.W.M.U.

A description of the Presbyterian Church’s work among the Maoris was given by Miss E. ivl. Kinross, principal of the Turakina Maori Girls’ College, at Marton, when addressing the delegates attending the anual conference of the Presbyterian Women’s Missionary Union in Wellington on Thursday.

Thirty years ago when she was teaching, said Miss Kinross, many Maori village schools were oosed lor lack of teachers. -The present situation was very different. In eve.-y village there was a well-equipped school and everything was being none by the Education Department to attract the best teachers to these schools. Pioneers from the churches had been the lirst to undertake this work of educating the Maoris, said Miss Kinross, who described the work of some of the early Presbyterian workers in the Maori missions. The people today were different, and their old superstitions and tapus were gone, said Miss Kinross. The temp ' tations the modern Maori had to meet were the same as those of the pakeha, and most of them had been introduced by the pakeha, including, drinking, gambling and the worship of worldly things. Maori girls at the Turakina collegi did all their own cooking and domestic work, including separating milk (from the college’s own herd of five cows), said Miss Kinross. No Homestic servants were employed.

The girls also learned Maori arts and crafts, as well as taking the usual secondary school suoje.hs. There were 13 sitting School Certilicate this year. She descubeu the emphasis that was laid on the spiritual training of the girls at Turakina. To the members of the Presbyterian Women’s Missionary Union, Miss Kinross conveyed the thanks of the college and of all the Maori missions run by the Presbyterian Church for their great generosity and ready response to appeals. HOMESERVICEMEN TO SUPPORT MARTON HOSPITAL MEETING. Support for the conference being held in Marton on Monday, November 15, to discuss the Marton Memorial Hospital question was given by the executive committee of the Rangitikei Branch of the Homeservicemen’s Association at a meeting in Marton on Thursday night. A letter was received from rhe Marton Borough Council, inviting the Association to send representatives to the meeting and Messrs. C. Frost (president), A. G. Duncan (secretary) and 1. W. Price were appointed to attend the meeting. It was pointed out by a member, that a promise had been made by the Minister ol Health some years ago to build a hospital in Marton if the district contributed some £5OOO. This amount was raised, but due to a policy of procrastination and a certain amount of luke-warmness shown by the Hospital Board, the Memorial Hospital had still not been built. It was considered that a hospital was a necessity for Marton due to the influx in population and the establishment of new industries. Mr. C. W. Kronast (Hunterville) was admitted as a new member of the associations An indication of the revival of interest in the Homeservicemen’s activities in the Rangitikei district was given in the large attendance at the meeting only one member of the executive being absent. Mr. C. Frost was in the chair. One member cycled 15 miles. It was reported that several members were still unfinancial and it was decided to make a canvass of those homeservicemen whose subscriptions were long overdue. CHRISTMAS FAIR BY MARTON METHODIST GUILD. On Tuesday, November 23, the very popular annual Christmas fair in connection with the Marton Methodist Church Ladies’ Guild, will be held in the Sunday School room. Each year, this function grows in its popularity and also in its stalls and the various saleable goods which are on show. This year’s effort promises to be on a much higher standard than the 1947 fair which was a record. There is a special cooking competition but particulars of this will be published later. PERSONAL. Rev. and Mrs. James Robertson, Marton, are at present in Wellington attending the annual general assembly of the Presbyterian Church. In the absence of Mr Robertson the morning service at St. Andrew’s Presyterian Church, Mayton, tomorrow, will be conducted by Mr. I. Bishop, who will also be the preacher at the Tutaenui service in the afternoon. The evening service at Marton will be taken by the Young Women's Senior Bible Class. MARTON W.D.F.F. BIRTHDAY. A display of antique work and a Hower show are to be features of the twenty-second birthday celebrations of the Marton Branch of tiie W.D.F.F. to be held in the Parish Hall next Tuesday afternoon. The usual monthly meeting will be held in conjunction ana this will be the linal meeting of the year.