THE WEST COAST MAORI MISSION

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 9392, 19 March 1898, Page 6

THE WEST COAST MAORI MISSION

At the Wesleyan Conference at Dnnedin last week the Rev. C. H. Laws, of Hawera, brought up the report of the special commission on the West Coast Maori work, which stated that the commission found that Mr Hammond considered the district under his charge to extend from the White Cliffs in the North to Eangitikei in the south. The Native population,~exclusive of the Wanganui River Natives, numbered about- 3000, principally descendants of Wesleyan Natives, The evidence proved beyond all doubt that the moral condition of the Natives in the neighborhood of Hawera had greatly improved, and that that improvement waß due to Mr Hammond's influence. The gross drunkenness and obscenity of 10 years ago had greatly diminished. The determined opposition to the church's missionary at his advent had given way to a willingness to hear the Gospel, and in some places to a hearty welcome. Two ohurches had been built by the Natives, and a number of conversions had been recorded, Financially the mission had been disappointing. About £30 was all that had been contributed during the 10 years. In explanation of this the evidence showed the Natives were not rioh. They received £21,000 per annum from the Public Trustee — the rental of their lands, — but owing to legal expenses, necessary improvements, the expensive oustom of their tangi and 1 other feasts, the addiction of many to tho evils of gambling and drinking, this income is usually mortgaged. This, however, was by no means a complete explanation, for the natives could find money to gratify their desires, and spent considerable sums in horse-racing and gamblin. The report further referred to the Nativo hatred of the white man as being one of the causes which retarded the success of the mission, and also to the fact that other religious agencies were at work in the same field. — The report was adopted.

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