CELEBRATING THE PEACE

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 10, Issue 19, 2 September 1946, Page 5

CELEBRATING THE PEACE

MAORI RETURNED SOLDIERS

BANQUET AND DANCE

Over three hundred attended the Maori banquet reunion and dance held in the Winter Show Hall last Thursday evening to mark the establishment of the peace and to afford Maori exservicemen a chance of gathering from all over the widespread Matatua and East Coast districts. The guest of honour was Sir Apirana Ngata while representatives from local bodies were also guests of the Maori Committee.

The hall which had been especially decorated for the occasion made a fitting background to the banquet which could be described as an official gesture of the whole Maori community to the Pakeha residents, as well as to their own fighting men. There was a splendid spirit of harmony and understanding and more of such friendly meetings could not but help make for improved relationship between the two races.

Rev. Wharetini Rangi presided, and had associated, with him Sir Apirana Ngata, Mr B. S. Barry (Mayor of Whakatane), Mr J. L. Burnett (County Chairman), Major Vercoe (Maori Battalion), Major Hayward (Maori Rehabilitation Officer), Col. Awatere, Capt. Mahuika, and Lieut. Tebbles and Major Ransfield. The gathering can be described as one of the most representative of its kind ever held in Whakatane and tribal representatives from the Matatua, Arawa, Horouta and Takatimu tribes as far north as Tauranga and as far south as East Coast. All arms of the fighting services were represented and as one speaker said the gathering could be taken as a literal example of the whole of the Maori war effort in all its aspects. - The exploits of the fighting men of the Maori Battalion in the Middle East and in Italy were the main themes chosen by most of the speakers who referred to their undying exploits in North Africa, not forgetting the immortal scaling of Takr rouna Rock. The question of the Maori as a future citizen in his rehabilitated sphere was a subject discussed by speakers in the course of proposing the toasts which were honoured. The greatest confidence was expressed that if the same high spirit shown by the Maoris in time of war could be utilised in time of peace there was nothing to hold them as a race which must play a vital part in' the restoration of world equilibrium and international harmony.

Sir Apirana Ngata made a particularly telling speech at the conclusion of the proceedings and illustrated the vital necessity of both Maori and Pakeha co-operating in order to make for the ideal domestic conditions in New Zealand.

The toast list was as under: “The Loyal Toast”—Rev Wharetini Rangi; “The Three Services”—Mr J. L. Burnett and Capt. Kingi (Army), A. B. Te Amo (Navy) and Flight-Ser-geant P. Wairua (Air Force); “Maori Battalion”—Mr B. S. Barry ( and Major Ransfield; “The Guest of Honour”—Lieut. Hoani and Sir Apirana Ngata.

At the conclusion of the banquet there was a general adjournment and a number of guests were admitted to a general dance in the hall.

Music was supplied by Mr Freddie Burt’s orchestra and lively interludes were provided by a haka party from Ruatoki, which produced some splendid action songs and challenging hakas. Dancing was controlled by Mr T. Atkinson as M.C. and continued until a late hour.