News in Brief

Te Ao Hou, August 1957, Page 6

News in Brief The new five-roomed secondary school block at Tikitiki Maori District High School has a Maori culture room representing many hours of volunteer effort by pupils, former pupils, parents and friends of the school. Tukutuku, carving and scroll work decorating this room were done under the supervision of Mr Pine Taiapa. Members of the Ngata family donated a library on Maori subjects forming the centrepiece of the room. The block was opened last April by Mr Rongo Halbert, Gisborne, on behalf of the Maori Purposes Fund which assisted in financing the art work. The tuition given to the carvers and other craftsmen was arranged by the Auckland Regional Council of Adult Education. ‘One of the most important features has been the manner in which the older people have been showing a growing interest in our activities,’ said Mr J. Keepa, chairman of Whakatane's Maori Youth Club, in his recent annual report. The youth club has an extensive tour of Maori concerts to its credit, and produced its own play based on the history of the Whakatane district. The club also features indoor basketball. Mr Keepa reported that Te Teko and Matata are also planning youth clubs. ‘Our elders are deeply interested in our efforts to preserve Maori culture and tradition.’ Major J. S. Baker, M.C. and bar, a well known Maori soldier, is retiring at his own request from the New Zealand Regular Force. Latterly he has held the position of Area 1 Commander, Auckland. Major Baker who is of the Ngati Porou served overseas in World War II with the Maori Battalion. He went overseas as a platoon commander in C company. Prior to that he had been adjutant of the second Maori battalion stationed in North Auckland. In his overseas service with the 28 (Maori) battalion he finally held the position of battalion adjutant. After the war he commanded the Maori section of the New Zealand forces in Japan with the rank of major. The rate of live births among Maoris continues to rise, and in the first quarter of this year it was 49.02 for every 1000 people. The Maori rate is almost double that of Europeans, which was 25.22 births per 1000. The number of live Maori births during the quarter was 1732, in a total for New Zealand of 14,819. The infant death rate among Maoris is still high at 49.65 deaths for every 1000 live births. However, this shows a decrease of nearly five in every thousand. The European rate for infant mortality is only 16.50 per 1000.