HE PITOPITO KORERO

Woman Champion Twelve-year-old Nettie Davis, of Whakapara, created what must be a New Zealand record at table tennis at Dargaville. She won the women's singles championship of Northland, the girls' singles, and the women's doubles with 16-year-old Margaret Wilson, also of Whakapara. Nettie also won the trophy for the greatest number of points at the tournament. Her sister Marianne won the women's B grade singles and mixed doubles. In the girls' singles she reached the final, when she was beaten by her sister. The mother of the two girls was the previous women's champion, but she did not defend her title this year.

New Maori Academy An academy of Maori art has been officially opened at Taumaranui, and has attracted keen interest among the Maori people of the district. A party of four experts from the Tainui carving school, Ngaruawahia, were present to give the first instruction at the school.

Good Writing at Te Aute Those who doubt whether Maori high school students can reach a high standard of English, or who doubt that such a standard is attainable in all-Maori colleges should study the ‘sixth Form Chronicle’ now published at—we hope—regular intervals at Te Aute College, Pukehou. It is a twelve page cyclostyled magazine, covering college news, essays (‘The Power of Prose’) and a rich crop of more or less respectful comments on school affairs. A delightful spirit of free speech prevails and the school should be specially complimented on its lack of censorship and the encouragement of free speech which at no place became immoderate or ungentlemanly. The journalistic standard is high and wider interests are shown in articles such as that of the school excursion to see ‘Twelfth Night’.

Marae for Wellington The Wellington Maori community under the leadership of the Poneke Tribal Committee has for some time past been planning financial provision for the establishment of a marae. Announcing this, the chairman of the tribal committee, Mr P. P. Tahiwi, said that while Ngati Poneke hall had over the year, by permission of the Government, given good service, it was appreciated that the Maori people must make provision for the future as the present situation could not continue indefinitely. Wellington, as the natural centre for national conferences and meeting places for the tribes, occupied a unique position, and the city lacked for Maoris amenities that were available in even smaller centres, said Mr Tahiwi. Consideration had also to be given to the requirements of an increasing Maori population, and the tendency for young people to enter industry here, train as apprentices, or seek other educational advantages. The city required a permanent marae that would include a meeting-house, dining-room, lecture hall, study rooms, facilities for religious instruction, and accommodation for transients. There were no appropriate surroundings for the ceremonies following the death of a member of the community, said the chairman, and that was important from the Maori viewpoint.

Maori in Television Mr Tamaio Paiki, formerly of Christchurch, where he was a reporter on the “Star-Sun” newspaper, is now lecturing to school children throughout England. He is the only Maori lecturer on the full-time panel provided by the Imperial Institute, an organisation working under the Ministry of Education to spread information about the Commonwealth. He talks to teachers' training college students, and to women's institutes, Rotary Clubs and other adult groups, as well as to schools. Mr Paiki says the average English child has a fairly good idea of the relationship of New Zealand to the Commonwealth. He adds that when he talks about New Zealand's way of life he does not unduly stress the part played by the Maoris. “I make it clear we are a minority, but a significant minority.” Mr Paiki recently took part in a television programme called “Children of the Commonwealth,” and talked about New Zealand children. He is a popular personality in England, and is often invited to the homes of people he meets.