from functions. This uninhibited spending may to some extent have been a reflection of the liberal mode of spending in some of the members' homes. In the schemes for making money it seemed to me that there was an excessive reliance on liquor. Apart from the talent quest, every venture involved liquor in some way. It must be conceded that the other committees also relied on liquor to an extent, but they balanced this with other more ‘respectable’ and interesting functions. I heard this said quite frequently: ‘the only way we can make money is through booze and gambling’. I need hardly elaborate on the implications of this casual statement. Little Use Made of Maori Culture It was a pity that the Maori people did not display and exploit more of their Maori culture. To the critics of commercialised and superficial forms of Maori culture, I would point out the three virtues of this form of entertainment: (1) it displays a different and positive side of Maori life to the European; (2) the Maori participants learn and therefore help to revive their Maoritanga while simultaneously employing harmless European melodies; (3) in the process, money can be made for a specific cause. The Maori people's reluctance and indifference to the suggestion that they form a concert party was indicative of the gradual decline of their culture in this utilitarian world. Once the children's concert party was formed the parents gave it their full support, but the children were still not shown off to full advantage. Despite what many people would assume, not all Maoris supported their candidate. Though they had in theory more manpower (they could call on many Maoris from outlying districts), in fact the actual percentage which helped the committee was quite small, especially towards the end of the carnival when their numbers fell drastically. Personal differences between various Maoris, a failing found in all societies, accounted for some people's refusal to take part: A wouldn't join because B was there, whom A disliked for such-and-such a reason. Many were too shy to offer their services, while many on the committee were too shy to go out and ask them. Some Maoris were not interested in a campaign to raise money for the school (just as many Europeans were not) while there were a very few who would have nothing to do with the ‘Pakeha’ campaign. The scattered population caused difficulties too; many of the people who would otherwise have given valuable support lived in areas some distance away. Finally, there were some people in these scattered areas who because of grudges of various kinds, regarded the Maoris in the central area as a ‘dead-loss’ crowd and refused to help them. And so one sees that the common concept of all Maoris pulling together when the occasion demands it is not really correct—or that this is, at any rate, fast disappearing. Probably the most disturbing note was struck by the absence of Maori men on the committee. All other committees enjoyed a full quota of men, but on the Maori committee there were only two Maori males who made a brief appearance, and one or two others who worked behind the scenes preparing hangis and pitching tents. Some of the men might have been too self-conscious in gatherings such as these, preferring to work away from the public eye. The excuse was offered that many of them worked overtime, but I knew of numerous men who habitually frequented the pub and then spent the evening at home. It seemed that the main reason for the scarcity of men was that to them, fund-raising and committee work were something for the women. There was a feeling that anything to do with school was not their affair. The Credit Side On the credit side, and I consider this to be just as important as the unsuccessful aspects, there were spheres in which the Maoris did have successes. There were many instances in which Maoris formed new or closer friendships with Europeans, and in which Europeans who worked with the Maori committee gained a better knowledge and understanding of Maoris. Most Europeans who were asked or assistance or donations in any form gave it willingly, thus illustrating the readiness of both races to co-operate for the benefit of their children. And one must mention the amount of time and energy which the Maori committee members gave. Of all the committees, none worked harder than the Maori one. I believe their greatest success lay in the fact that they showed an interest in the campaign, and that by contributing to it, accepting responsibilities and carrying them out as fully as they could, they helped to establish the Maori people as an integral and substantial part of the community. —K.C.G.