TAURANGA LAD LEADS A.F.S. CONTINGENT TO U.S.A.

Te Ao Hou, December 1957, Page 49

Clifford Mathews meets his fellow scholars in Auckland where they all embark for the United States. Name labels help the group to get acquainted. (N.Z. Herald Photo) TAURANGA LAD LEADS A.F.S. CONTINGENT TO U.S.A. by F. M. PINFOLD The second Maori boy to obtain an American Field Service scholarship was Clifford Midgely Matthews of Tauranga. He left for the United States last July, together with nineteen other New Zealand scholars. He was appointed head prefect of the group. The American Field Service scholarships are awarded annually to outstanding post-primary scholars throughout New Zealand thus permitting them to improve their own educational standards through travel, and to help promote better international understanding as between New Zealand and the United States of America. In exchange, our New Zealand post-primary schools receive as guests outstanding scholars from the United States of America. Previous Maori holders of the scholarship were: Mr Mervyn Taiaroa, Miss Tuhingaia Barclay, and Miss Ngaio Te Rito. The son of Mr Clifford Matthews of Cambridge Road, Tauranga, Cliff had a distinguished high school career, having been head prefect of Tauranga College, and member of the first fifteen. He comes from a family of ten, has one older brother, Benjamin, at the university, and his parents have high hopes for the educational future of the others. Clifford is to attend a post-primary school at Milwaukee on the shores of Lake Michigan. He will also be expected to speak about New Zealand and the Maori people to many American groups, and is to make appearances on television. Before leaving New Zealand last July, he was entrusted with a finely carved shield, the work of Mr Anaru Kohu. The kamatua of the district asked that it be presented to the community where he will live for competition in perpetuity in some form of sport. That community in a far-off land will have a perpetual reminder of the Maori people of New Zealand on whose behalf the presentation will be made. Both Ngati Ranginui and Ngaiterangi have given generously to make Clifford's trip possible and held several money-raising functions. The Department of Maori Affairs helped with a pound for pound subsidy. ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ A youth club with 70 membership was established in Dargaville recently under the leadership of Mr R. Tataurangi. A public performnace for the club choir is planned shortly. ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ The teaching of Maori at the Tolaga Bay District High School has resulted in better Maori being spoken in the homes, says the Gisborne Herald. The teacher is Mr H. M. Taumaunu Apart from vocabulary and grammar and essay-writing there are lessons in Maori history and folklore.