REV. LAUGHTON TO SUPERVISE MAORI BIBLE PRINTING

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 15, Issue 17, 31 March 1950, Page 5

REV. LAUGHTON TO SUPERVISE MAORI BIBLE PRINTING

When' he sails from Wellington tomorrow for England to supervise the final, printing of the important work the Rev. J. G. Laughton, Whakatane, will probably be taking the final step in the revision of the Bible in Maori. Commenced more than two years ago the work of revision proceeded under the Rev. Laughton, Sir Apirana Ngata and the Bishop of Aotearoa, the Right Rev. F. A. Bennett and other Maori scholars. Several members of the revision committee, including Bishop Bennett and Sir Apirana, assembled in Wellington this week to meet Mr Laughton. Sir Apirana said that further plans were under discussion for the revision of the Maori dictionary, and it was hoped to put that work on a similar basis to that used in connection with the Bible’s revision. Both undertakings, he declared, were of outstanding importance for the Maori people, and he was anxious to see the dictionary project completed.

Proofs of the revised version of a considerable portion of the New Testament had already reached Mr Laughton from England, stated Sir Apirana, and it was hoped that the printing would be carried out expeditiously during Mr Laughton’s presence in London.

On his visit to England Mr Laughton will be accompanied by Mrs Laughton.