LEAGUE OF MOTHERS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 3, Issue 298, 28 April 1941, Page 8

LEAGUE OF MOTHERS

MEETING lIEI-1>

The monthly meeting of the League of Mothers were held! in Knox Hall on Tuesday afternoon. The feature of the afternoon's programme was an address by the Rev. Laughton of Oliope on "The Maori People," The speaker described in detail the characteristics of the early Maoris. They were a peoples of courage and courtesy andj were humorous and industrious. The many examples of native weapons, agricultural instruments, and! sailing craft at present in our museums testify to this. They were mentally the equals of the pakeha. Christianity was embraced by the early Maoris and the missionaries found it hard to provide sufficient teachers for them. The rebellion in Taranaki, which spread through tha main North Island! districts, due to the unjust enforcement by the palcchas, of a land transaction, was the death nell to; the 1 mission stations. Since then our Maori missionaries have been re-builiding. Mosit of the undesirable habits of tho Maori race have come through his association with us. It Avas through contact .with such, organisations as our League, that much good could be done. There was most poignant truth in the remark made recently by a Maori princess to an interviewer-: "My people never meet the best of your people." At the conclusion of his address Mr Laughton received a hearty vot;> of thanks with applause. Mrs Good then sang two solos in her usual charming manner. Afternoon tea was dispensed by two members of the committee, after which the meeting closed by the singing of the National; Anthem.