Tikitiki in Parliament

Te Ao Hou, August 1957, Page 23

The Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. S. G. Holland, shows Tikitiki School children his private suite in Parliament Buildings. From left to right: Milly Smith. Lala Kaa, Bella Rukuata, Mary Jane Kirk, Kura Walker. Milly Smith was later given the apple (on table) which she kept as a memento. (N.P.S. Photograph.) Tikitiki in Parliament BY DOROTHY MOSES Trailing along with schoolchildren from the Tikitiki Maori District High School from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. of their first day in Wellington was as exciting as it was exhausting. Eight boys and twelve girls between the ages of 13 and 17 came to the Capital City with their Headmaster, Mr Hugh N. Jennings, and his wife. Billeted with Onslow College pupils, they stayed for a wonderful week—a week during which they learned more than enough to fill the little note books each one carried so that back at Tikitiki they could give talks in Maori on their experiences. For most it was a first visit to Wellington— many had never before had a tram ride—one boy in wonder touched a mosaic tiled floor (“I thought it was metal”, he said). Lunch in a city restaurant surprised some (“It's so cheap”, one girl remarked). The Mayor of Wellington, Mr F. J. Kitts, received the children in his office. He showed them his official robes and ostrich plumed hat (the plumes lost their curl when the hat was cleaned before the visit of the Duke of Edinburgh), and he told them about a typical mayoral day. In the Traffic Office they learned about traffic control, and in the Central Library they had a conducted tour of that magnificent building. On a tour of Radio Station 2ZB the boys were fascinated to actually see an announcer while listening to his voice. The children recorded several songs and hakas and hoped their parents and schoolmates back home would hear them on the air. At 2 p.m. began a wonderful visit to Parliament Buildings. “I don't know what you did to the Prime Minister”, the children were told at four o'clock

by Mr E. B. Corbett. Minister of Maori Affairs, in the beautiful Maori Affairs' Committee Room, “but you all had him longer than any party of schoolchildren ever have before”. Certainly Mr Holland gave them a rare time—for a whole hour he conducted them on a tour of interesting rooms. In lighthearted manner he explained the ceremony of the Opening of Parliament—“Just then”, he said with a twinkle, “Mr Nash and I walk in together and approach the throne. We try to keep in step, and we do it pretty well—mind you, we practise a bit before-hand!” Milly Smith sat in the Prime Minister's seat in his private office, signed his guestbook and said she would keep forever the apple Mr Holland gave her from his sideboard, “but I'll take one bite out of it”, she added. Showing the children the mounted sword of a swordfish, the Prime Minister passed on a bit of knowledge he'd been interested to learn. “You'd think, wouldn't you”, he aked, “that if a swordfish is going to fight another fish, he'd ram it with the sword. But he doesn't. He bangs the other fish on its head with his sword. Strange, isn't it?” In the Cabinet Room, where the children sat round the handsome table in the ministers' seats (“You see”, said Mr Holland, “there are no ink wells. That's because Ministers, like Tikitiki school children sometimes spill ink”.) Mr Jennings thanked the Prime Minister with the words, “You're the most delightful teacher they have ever had.” After showing them the view from the roof of Parliament Buildings, Mr Holland took the party to visit Mr Nash, Leader of the Opposition, who in his turn showed them round his premises. Their first day was certainly packed with interest. In several places the children sang songs and did hakas. One song, Te Ropu Tamariki, was composed by Mrs M. Poi of Tikitiki specially for the Wellington visit, and her daughter, Maureen, led the singing of it to the Mayor, at 2ZB, and to the Prime Minister. The purpose of the visit to Wellington was threefold: to enhance the children's general knowledge; to let them see what the city was like; and to show them the layout and atmosphere because most of them would probably come to the city to live after leaving school. Perhaps it will start them on the way to doing what Mr Corbett hoped for them. “Think of the heights”, he said, “of the achievements of some of your people. Be good men and women, and good New Zealanders”.