Te Aute College.

Waiapu Church Gazette, Volume XIII, Issue 4, 2 October 1922, Page 407

Te Aute College.

JUBILEE COMMEMORATION

SERVICE;

Te Aute College had a great day on September 9th. The clerical and' lay members of Synod, the girls of Hiika--1 ere School, many old Te Aute boys and friends from allparts of Hawke's Bay took part iii two services, that will long be remembered. Mr E. C. Loten, the principal "of the college, the ' Rev. A. Neild, M.A. (chaplain to the college) , and the Rev. Canon A. Williams, 8. A.", welcomed the guests on behalf of the staff and the Board of Governors. ' The jubilee service was held m the open air near the west

door of the - chapel. It began, with a lesson from Ecclesiasticus, chapter 44, verses Ito 15. Then followed a hymn and "a special bidding prayer. TThen came the Versicles. and responses) collects and another hymnj then ari address by the Rev. Pine -Tamahori, an old boy. The preacher took for hi& text, "0 death, where is thy sting?" ' ' 0 grave, where is thy victory ? ' ' The preacher eulogised the characters of the. two great men of the old college, Archdeacon -Samuel Williams and Mr John Thornton, the founder and first headmaster. The fame of these two gentlemen Avbuld live forever m the hearts." of all old boys, for the great ' aim " of - these ; beloved founders was not to make -the Maori a European, but to preserve the Maori -as a Maori, retaining all the customs of that great race, together Avith the best characteristics of the pakeha. It was to this end that the college was now progressing and he was quite confident that the good work" of the late Archdeacon Samuel Williams and the late Mr John. Thornton had not been m ; vain. •The psalm ' ' Lord - Thou hast been our refuge" Avas said, and the Bishop pronounced the blessing. The visitors were then entertained at luncheon by the college authorities. LAYING OF THE FOUNDATION STONE.. The foundation stone of the first part of the new college buildings was laid at 2.39. The service began with a procession "of 'clergy, old boys, present scholars, Hukarere girls, the. governors and others, from the chapel -to ffre . site of the new building. Duririg : fye procession the hymn, "0 God .QuiHelp," w a s sung. The Te Aute boys • sang the psalm ' ' Nisi Dominus, ' ' No. 127, to a ■ piaiuso'ng chant. His Grace, the Archbishop of NeAV Zealand, laid the foundation stone, Avhich bears the following inscription:—"To the glory of God and to commemorate the jubilee of this college, founded by Samuel Williams, Missionary to the Maoris, and afterwards first Archdeacon of Hawke's Bay, this stone was laid by Churchill, - Archbishop of New Zealand, Septem-

ber. 9th, 1922." -..The Archbishop' then delivered. an eloquent address. We 'regret that m this Synod number we have no space to record it. " ' • ■ "; . -, Mr T. E. Crosse, chairman of -the , Te Aute Trustees, having briefly .addressed the assemblage, the Yen. Archdeacon H." W. Williams read an account, of the history of the college; written by Mr F. W. Williams, who was too ill to be present. The whole of this account will be found m the "HaWke's Bay Herald" for September 11th. ' ■-■/■■■-. ■ .-'-■ Mrs Ellison, a grand-daughter ' of Hapuku, the donor -'of" the land, addressed the assemblage m" Maori; exhorting" the boys to become God-fear-ing citizens, unashamed and trUstAvorthy. ••■•■.. The Hon. A. T; Ngata, an old boy Of - the college, stated that Very soon the WUHanis • family would be celebrating their 100 th anriiversary of their landing iri New Zealand and since that date the Maori had no truer, friends. But for their generosity Hukarere College arid Te Aute Would never have seen, the light of day. He' said that the new buildings meant a ncAV era to the college, but there was one thing he would" like to see and that was the Maori customs brought" more into the life of the present generation. 'Even at 'this' gathering he did not see enough of the representatives of the ; various tribes present. If the trustees allowed it, and he was A'oieing the opinions of the old boys and many others, they Would see that the trustees be relieved of the duty of decorating the inside of- the new assembly hall. He: thought that it should be appropriately carved . and decorated as far as the style of architecture permitted. Oil behalf of some of the old boys he wished to hand Mr Crosse £50 for that purpose. After other Maori speakers had addressed the pupils of the college, the Archbishop gave the blessing and the procession reformed and marched back to the chapel.