PARADE AT RUATOKI

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 6, Issue 42, 26 January 1943, Page 5

PARADE AT RUATOKI

ADDRESS BY MAJOR GENERAL BELL

IMPRESSIVE MARCH PAST Oved six hundred Maori Home Guiard'smen participated in the largest parade of native units ever held .in the Bay of Plenty, at Ruatoki last Sunday. The rally was staged for the purpose of en--abling Major General P. H. Bell, D.5.0., officer in charge of the .Northern Military Command to confer with the local chiefs on questions vital to the future military control of the Maoris and afso in honour of the visit of the Hon. H. G. R. Mason, Minister in Charge of Natifve Affairs, who was also present with Mr W. Sullivan, M.P. for the district, and the asembled officers of the Whakatane, Rangitaiki, Opotiki and Rotorua Home Guard. The day was definitely one of the greatest Ruatoki! has seen and resulted l in well over 2000 persons attending the marae of the Rewarewa Pah as the guests of Chief Takiarua Tamerau and his Ruatoki tribesmen. The entire programme coupled wi th the huge undertaking of catering. for such a large crowd was carried out without a hitch and reflected the greatest credii't upon the organisers.

Greeting at Marae At 11.30 a.m. the Marae presentred a colourful picture as the official party, headed by the Minister and; Judge Harvey entered the enclosure. Major General Bell was accompanied by Major Best (aidedecamp), Major R. Vercoe, Majjor "Oliphant- and Captain Brebner, Immediately a group of a hundred warriors drawn up at the southern end burst into a spirited dance of welcome while their leader grimmacing and gesticulating approached the party down the centro •of the marae. This over, their places ivere taken by some fifty Maori: women and girls who with green twigs broke into a tuneful and harmoni'■ous chorus. The swing of the piupius and pcrfect timing and rhythm made a deep impression and brought forth a storm of applause from the assembly. Greeting from Chief The l official party accommodated itself opposite the assembled Ruapeople, the Home Guard officers taking* up their positions immediately behind. , There, was scar--cely a unit in the whole area not represented. Majors Wilson and Gow of the Whakatane and Rangitaiki -Battalions were present together with Majors Haues'er (Mounted), ■Chatfiekl (Opotiki) and Captains ' Otley (Whakatane) and Ferris (GiSiho»rne). Through Mr A. O. Stewart as interpreter, the Ruatoki Chief, Takiarua Tamarau then extended: a welcome to thq visitors stating that his people" regarded it as a duty to cooperate in the Avar effort and the arrangements in connection with rehabilitation. He trusted that General Bell AVoukl. meet, them in a full ;and open discussion of their problems; which arose out of the war and afford them n further opportunity of cultivating those harmonious relations Avhich had unfortunately been lacking in the past. He -complained that in all Maori war activities the leading part had been given to the Pakeha few. He felt that at least the direct leadership of the Maori Home Guard should l>e in the hands; of the Maoris themselves, and trusted, that this would be arranged as the outcome of the day's conference. For the NgatiaAva tribe Mr Aug ( - ust Kingi endorsed what the previous, speaker had said. Sir Apirana Ngata then spoke.. * Minister's Reply Responding ' the Hon. H. G. R. Mason thanked the Ruatoki Maoris for the warmth of the welcome, extended to him, and said he felt, the strongest sympathy for many of the sentiments expressed by the speakers. The Hon. P. K. Piakea had actually a greater unsight into Maori affairs than he but he could promise the speakers that their representations would; be given the fullest consideration by his department. Maori Hospitality Following the speeches the huge task of feeding the assembled Home Guardsmen and guests commenced. The soldiers paraded past the open canteen where the hangis revealed an ample supply of food for everybody. Vegetables and meat Avere in abundance together with liberal helpings of bread and SAveets. Some tAvo hnndred guests repaired to the Anzac Hall where the tables fairly groaned under, the. Aveight of the food Avhich Avas in never l'ailiing supply. It Avas here that the waitresses suppied from maidens of the Pah saAv to it that aU had an ample supply and did full justice to the repast. Parade and Review The afternoons proceedings commenced with a general march from •the marae of the whole assembled

units in column of route, headed by the Whakatane. Pipe Band. The arrangements for the parade which was definitely the largest of its kind, ever, seen- in the.so parts avcre in the hands of the "local Home Guard O.C. Captain Jim Merrit, his adjutant B. Maxwell and 2nd in Command Tom Whetu. The inarch to the» parade ground which had been flagged olf was made to the spirited, tune of the march "John Bain McKe.nzie" and the Maoris put all they had into it. , General Bell's Remarks Drawn up on the recreation grounds the parade with k.s live distinct blocks oi .khaki made an impressive spectacle. The troops ..were inspected, by General BellAYho afterwards addressed them reminding them that now the immediate threat of invasion had passed from New Zealand the Home Guard was about to become the most important defence unit in the Dominion. The Government was. considering the return to industry of many of the mobilised, men. This was an important step, he. said, as, this country was not merely producing foodstuffs for the armies in the Pacific but was also engaged in the manufacture of munitions.. Should this step be taken however it would mean that the- army would be boiled down to skeleton units merely looking after equipment. The responsibility would then devolve upon the Homes Guard which Avould be better equipped and made more mobile. New officers would be appointed and it was probable that Major Oliphant who had a keen insight into and understood Maori problems would be appointed to this district. He trusted that when the new organisation was completed that many of the grievances of the Maoris would be overcome. During the parade a Ringatu prayer was offered up by a dignatory of that regilion. Captain Merrit thanked the assembled units for making the trip and also the Pipe Band. The parade then warched off again headed by the pipers to the. assembly point at the: marae.