Rotorua Maori Mission.

Waiapu Church Gazette, Volume I, Issue 8, 1 February 1911, Page 5

Rotorua Maori Mission.

Items of Interest.

On New Year's Day a special Service for Communicants was held m the Church at Ohinemutu, there being 93 Maori Communicants and 8 Pakeha, a total of 101. Although the Church onlyholds about 125, we crowded a congregation of 225 into the building, while a number had to sit outside until the Communion Service. The presence of the scholars from Hukarere and Te Aute, and from S. Stephen's and Victoria swelled our numbers on this special occasion. A Communicants' re-union was held m Te Ao Marama Mission Hall immediately after Service on January Ist. After partaking of lunch, a Communicants' meeting was held and many interesting subjects affecting the Maori Church were discussed. Amongst the speakers was Mr. Wilson, Principal of S. Stephen's School. On January 3rd a dinner was given to all the members of the Choir and other Church workers m Te Ao Marama Mission Hall. After partaking of a sumptuous dinner a discussion was held re Choir organisation, Choir rules, and a balance-sheet presented. The meeting was a very happy one and brought to a close a little after 10 p.m. The Maori Mission Sewing Bee has been working very hard, putting m two days a week. Our Sale of Work is to take place earlier than was first arranged, being now fixed for February 6th and 7th. The proceeds are to go towards the erection of a new Church at Ohinemutu. The present building has weathered the storms of nearly 30 years, and is now m a dilapidated condition. As this is the centre of the tourist traffic, and our work at Rotorua is influenced for better or for worse by visitors from all over the Dominion, we feel we have a claim upon the sympathies of the public generally. May I announce to those so disposed that we shall gladly accept any assistance from friends of the Maori Mission. We shall require about £1000. We are setting out m dead earnest, and hope to raise the required amount \x\ two years,.

Although it is only a few months since we began organizing for this object, we have close on £100 m hand m cash, and hope to raise another £100 by our special effort m February. The only opportunity a number of people have .of seeing anything of Maori Mission work is during their visits to Rotorua. It is therefore very necessary that everything m connection with the Mission should be decent. Our old Church is really too old to be decent. On a wet day the rain simply pours m. The Bishop had experience of it at one of his Confirmation Services. Daily Service.s are held m the Mission Church at 7 a.m. and 5.30 p.m. Our Maori branch of the Scouts movement had a Church Parade on Sunday, January 15th. The Church was packed. The boys looked exceedingly well with their smart uniforms and red and blue handkerchiefs around their necks. Great credit is due to our indefatigable worker Miss Grant, who is loved and respected by all the Maoris of the district for her self-denying labours m their interests. The success of the movement is due mainly to the enthusiasm which she has displayed m the formation of this branch. Our thanks are also due to Mr. Hawley and to Mr. Churry Rogers. Our January 19th we hold our Social for the purpose of gathering together all the students from our various Boarding Schools, before returning again to their respective Schools.