CORRESPONDENCE.

White Ribbon, Volume 4, Issue 41, 1 November 1898, Page 4

CORRESPONDENCE.

Dear White Ribboners, — According to a paragraph in last month's White Rjbbon, 1 have paid

my first visit to the Rotorua natives since taking charge of the Department of Maori Missions. I left Auckland on the 17th Octolier, arriving the same night at Rotorua. Our friend Mrs iicwiti met meat the station, having i.eard from the natives that I was expected. She went with me the next day to call on some of them, and arrange for meetings. On Wednesday we had a good meeting at Ohin< mutu; two men were present, as well as a good number of women and children. I urged on th“m especially the importance of training their children in habits of temperance and purity. 1 he duty of Sabbath observance was also urged. They gave a hearty assent to all that, was said, and certainly there were many indications of improvement since my former visit with Mrs Andrew and Dr. Hushnell, when w* were pained at the frequent sights and sounds of drinking and other forms of evil. On Thursday I went to Whakarewarewa, the home of the geysers. Sophia met me, and we walked on for a little distance to the place where the Maoris were assembled. Here,again, were signs of improvement. We had a friendly chat with a good number of women. Some of the men came to hear the visitor speak in their own tongue; it is an advantage when one is going about among the people. I had intended going to places a few miles distant, but a Land Court was sitting on Friday, and most of those who would have been with us were at the Couit. Mary Baker came to speak to me. We arranged to visit her home on Monday, or, if it rained, Tuesday. I was very sorry to disappoint the friends at Te Ngae, but the rain commenced on Monday morning, and was still raining when I left on Wednesday. 1 wrote to them, and have promised to go to those places first on my next visit to the district. Let me here place on record the good work which is being done by the excel lent teacher at Te Ngae Mr Brown has a large school there. Mostly Maoris attend the school. Natives and Europeans speak very highly of his work He has a juvenile temperance society, and is in this way training the young people and helping forward this good work. Before leaving, Sophia spoke with great feeling on the improvement among the women at her place. She said, “ I don’t know which is the greater work. Sabbath observance or Temper a nee. Before Mrs Hewitt came here and told us about your society, we had no

Sabbath and everybody drank. Now the Sabbath is a holy day with us, and, with one or two exceptions, all our women are abstainers.' The settlements are cleaner, cottages are tidy, with nice little gardens fenced in, flowers and vegetables making them lively, of which the owners are justly proud. On Monday morning I visited the Rotorua district school. The children sang very nicely, there were over 100 in that room, nearly half that number l>eing Maoris. The teacher, Miss Clarke, has started a Juvenile Templar Lodge. It is officeied by the children, some of the o! ler ones telling me with great eagerness the principles of the Order. Of course, they had a few words of encouragement from the visitor, and their energetic teacher was praised for the interest she takes in their welfare. Teacher and scholars seemed very happy together. The weather and a severe cold prevented more visiting, but as far as I could go, and as many people as I saw, gave me great encouragement, and showed how very quickly Christian Temperance principles have taken hold in these Maori settlements. To God l>e all the praise. Yours in White Ribbon bonds, A. J. ScHNACKENBEKG.

The following is a copy of the pledge signed by our Nlaori meniliers : WOMAN’S CHRISTIAN TEMPERANCE UNION NEW IBAUID. “ For (K>D. and HOME, and HUMANITY.** MAORI PLEDGE. He wh»ka**‘ t*-n**i naku kia kaua ahau «• kai tup«‘ka. «* inu ranni i t«*tahi mea «* haurangi ai t • tangata. kia kaua h<>ki ahau e whakaae hi t«» tamoko. Nl:i t«* Atom ahau c am hum