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Te Ao Hou, September 1964, Page 2

The Editor, ‘Te Ao Hou’ Enclosed is the renewal of my subscription for the next three years; I look forward to and enjoy the magazine very much indeed. The editorial in No. 47 I found most thought-provoking. From it I got a point to ponder which was implicit in your words: the use of Maori culture to create a New Zealand image overseas and amongst tourists is a tacit admission on the part of the Pakeha of the worth of Maoritanga—with all that it implies. Yet, though we Pakehas are pleased enough to associate ourselves with that Maori image, we are in the main everlastingly knocking it for six because of our derogatory criticism. How inconsistent can we be! I was grieved to see the image, delineated by Rowley Habib and printed in the official ‘Te Ao Hou’, of the 28th Battalion as composed of a crowd of drunken, anti-social oafs from the substratum of society. Mr Habib's parallel theme of musical exuberance and the qualifying reference to ‘the exceptions’ can in no way break down the overall image he has created. Making all due allowance for poetic licence, and for the fact that the sons of Tumatauenga are of necessity tough guys, the image created is unfair. I do hope that he does not cultivate his undoubted and talented flair for words any further along the current road of arty cleverness. Yes, I must confess that I belong to another generation! With good wishes for the continued success of the magazine—for even the power to introduce controversy is such. F. M. PINFOLD (Tauranga)