chief of Ngati-Tuwharetoa in the Taupo-Tokaanu area. Her sister Lenaire is a B.A. student at Victoria University, and her brother Bill is studying there for his M.Com. degree. Her other brother, Wene, a promising singer, is working at present as a carpenter on the Sydney Opera House. Maureen went to the Rotorua High School, and was a member of the softball, swimming and basketball teams there. In her final year she was awarded the Maori Purposes Fund prize for the top Maori girl in the school. She also obtained her University Entrance and Higher Leaving Certificate and was a prefect in both her sixth form years. From the time she was twelve she took part in many Maori concert parties, and became expert at action songs and poi. We asked her if she would write a special letter to the readers of Te Ao Hou, and here it is: To the young Maori of today there seems to be no peace from the cry ‘Kia mau, Kia Kaha!’ I was brought up with the emphasis on education, but my love for Maori culture made my life, from the time I was twelve, a very full and strenuous one. When I was young I spoke fluent Maori, but when schooling began I was made to concentrate on the English language as school certificate and other scholastic achievements require a pass in English. Now I find that having studied Maori at school I am slowly picking up the threads of my native tongue once more. In this aspect my plea is to the older folk, our pakeke. Please help us, the younger generation to become familiar with our language. Don't discourage us by saying, ‘You've got the wrong preposition, the wrong tense, the wrong adverb’—for this makes us embarrassed and fearful of even attempting to speak Maori. We, the younger generation, are here to pass on our tongue to the next generation. Therefore I say ‘Enga pakeke! awhinatia mai ki a matou, nga taitamariki o Aotearoa, kia mau ki to matou reo!’ To the younger people my message is, education is essential. No matter how frustrated we become we must think of our successors and set the standard for them. Together with education comes the Maori culture, but not to such an extent that it interferes with schooling. A practice once a week is ample. It is our duty to preserve our traditional action songs, poi, haka, and stick games for the coming generation. When I say ‘us’ I mean all of us, for though a few may be experts this is not enough as the population is increasing daily. We need therefore someone in each centre throughout the whole of New Zealand to know Maori culture and concentrate on his own area. In this way, with every centre functioning, Maori culture will be practised throughout the length and breadth of New Zealand. ‘No reira e nga taitamariki katoa o Niu Tireni Kia ki to Maoritanga!’ M. KINGI, Miss N.Z., 1962

Sir Turi and Lady Carroll Sir Turi Carroll, Sixth Maori Knight Mr Turi (Alfred Thomas) Carroll, O.B.E., of Wairoa, was created a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (K.B.E.) in the Queen's Birthday Honours last June. Sir Turi (he has said that he wishes to continue to be known by his Maori name of Turi rather than as Sir Alfred), who was born in 1890 and is a nephew of the great Maori leader Sir James Carroll, has been farming his family's property at Hiramana, Wairoa, all his life. He was educated at Wanganui Collegiate School, Te Aute College and Canterbury Agricultural College, gaining his diploma. During the First World War he served with the Maori Battalion in France. In 1940 he was awarded the Bledisloe Medal for his work in raising the standard of farming in the Wairoa district. He has a long record of community service. He was a member of the Wairoa County Council for 32 years and its chairman for over 20 years. He has served on the power, hospital and harbour continued on page 46