HOPEFUL SIGNS AMONG THE MAORIS

Chronicle (Levin), 3 September 1946, Page 4

HOPEFUL SIGNS AMONG THE MAORIS

TALK TO LEVIN ROTARIANS The need for Europeans to treat the Maoris as their equals and £Ok them ih turn to live up to it was' mentionfed by the Rev. B. M. Chrystall, assistant secretary of Methodis't Home and Mauri Missions, i'n a talk he gave to the Levin Rotary Club yesterday. He, said there ; were many hopeful signs that the: Maoris were responding. At the outset Mr: Chrystall took his hearers back to 1840 and the immediately succeeding years, dealing xyith the differing influenc-' es which the missionaries, whalers and traders had exerted on the Maoris. Generally speaking, the ififiuence of the missionaries had been for good, and not only had they met a religious and social need, but their activities had also been of a practical value, for they had distributed seeds to the Maoris! and instructed them in the use of: tools. Then had come the Maori Wars, from- which the Maoris had emerged sullen and defiant in their defeat, with bitter resentment for the European. The Maori popula-: -tion had declined rapidly in the: years which followed until in 1899 it was down to 38,000 people, About the beginning of the eentury, Mr. Chrystall continued, the tide turned. Suceessive Governments took an interest in them reviving their racial and religious traits, while World War I and the Ratana movement had also assrsted. World War II had donemore in that direction. The Maoris pointed with pride to the achievements of the Maori Battalion, in which 7000 had served, and also to their civil war-time production in which 23,000 had been epgaged. To-day the Maori population numbered over 90,000 a'nd was growing, and they were having greater opportunities. The demand for labour was causing them to break away from the country and go to the towhs and cities for the better wages and conditions available to them. There was a big surge of young Maori people to the professions, which at one time they believed were beyond their capacity, while they also showed signs of desiring to exercise some leadership. These were hopeful signs that the Maori was responding. At the conclusion of his talk the speaker was accorde^ a hearty vote of thanks.