MAORI NEWSPAPER

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 3, Issue 277, 28 February 1941, Page 5

MAORI NEWSPAPER

TE WAKA KARAITIANA PERIHI

A ROMANCE IN INK

Interpreted, the above, heading means: The Christian Canoe Press; and its premises are an unpretentious building of wood and iron tucked aAvay amongst the! broom and ti tree brush at the back of Taupo—» most renowned as New Zealand's greatest trout fishing area, and it Ts in the heart of the real Maoriland. It was made a day for rejoicing when The Christian Canoe Press issued its \first production in the native tongue. That was as recently as 1933. Its first printing press was set up in an unlined corrugated galvanised iron shed of an area of only* 12 feet x 10 feet—and .that original bit is now only a corner of the subsequent additions, so typically Maori-ash. Enterprising and virile, Rev. John. G. Laughton >; Superintendent of Maori Missions, who lives at Ohope Beach, conceived the idea of the natives having their own printerfor. religious production. And he wasi exceedingly? fortunate at the outset,, in that his first young missionary who had volunteered in England for work amongst the Maoris under the Presbyterian Church, turned out t» be a printer! He had served his time in a jobbing room before deciding for the religious life. He was Mr John Moffatt. He had actually been working amongst the Maoris in the Taupo area for a year before Mr Laughton learned that thfc man needed for the printery was on the spot. Young Moffatt gave up preaching to go back to-case and press. So greatly has the output of The Christian. Canoe Press increased that the plant has,been improved and another budding missioner is at case helping Mr Moffatt, whose programme Is comprehensive and ambitious. He» turns out a monthly magazine, Te Waka Karaitiana, "The Pilgrim's Progress," booklets, pamphlets, a hymn bock, tracts, &c. all in the:. Maori language!.