MAORI BISHOP'S INFERIOR POSITION

Chronicle (Levin), 3 September 1946, Page 7

MAORI BISHOP'S INFERIOR POSITION

NOT FREE TO MOVE AMONG HIS PEOPLE ROTORUA, Sept. 2. The prcsent Biahopric of Aotearoa. a aubject that has been oecasioning eimaiderable eomiacut in Maori and Anglican cirelea of late, was touehed upon yestcrday by Sir Apirana Ngata at Biahop JBeiinett'a jubilee celobrationa. » t llialiop Bennett, said Sir Apirana, waa in an inferior position to other Bishops and vvas labouring under diflieulty, inasmueh as he was auffragan to the Biahop of Waiapu and had no territorial See. Therefore, lie ^vas . not free to move at w il 1 among the Maori people of New Zenlaml as he sliould. Sir Ajnrana quoted the example oi the Biahop of Waikato ttilc Rt. Rev. C. A. (/berrington), who held the viev that there was no diatinetion between Maori and pakelui in the Ohureh aud conaequently objeeted to Biahop Bennett going into his Dioeese. The sanie ditUeuity had been experieneed in eertain other parts of the Dominion, though wherever the Bishop had gone the Maori people had uaturally fioeked to hear hini. Bersonally, he was by no nieans satislied with the present sit nation and neither wero many Maori xnenibers of the Cliureh of Kngland. Maoris Dissatisfled Sir Apirana Ngata reminded the Rotorua people tliat Biahop Bennett i was an Arawa merely by accident of . birth. "We found hini, not ,you,'' he aaid, as he reealled (ilirist'a saving j that a propliet had no honour in liia owii fountry. " Wo of the Ngatiporou found hira, sujjported hini, and niade him a .Biahop. ' ' j Despite wliat had -been said that day i bv Arehbiahop West-Watson, the Maori people wero not satislied with Bishop i Bennett \s present status. Though the • bisJjoprie had been aeeepted in the boginn'mg by his {icopJe, it was now i'eJt that the Cliureh sliould realise that the i .Maoris wero to be "lost among the ; pah ellas in the Cliureh,'' tllen a Maori j | Bishop was unneeessary. "But if wo | i ea n mingle with the pakehaa ou Ihe; j sumc l'ooting, tlien we do want our ■ Bishop," eoiitinued Sir Apirana Ngata,' who paid a tribute to Arehbiahop Wost-j W atson as one of the great dignitariesi the Cliureh who had sliown eorrsider- J jalion aud lielp to the Maori people and : I was gvmiinoiy seeking to undcrstanc^ Cieiu. He referred to hiiuself as "tui ! ii'.rej eijtant meinber of the Cliureh"! wl...t hiid the reputation of being very i ut'.eli I a llauhau, but he had at all I tuiif.s fiuglit for tlio rights of the Maori people. Sueeess could be only gained in the Cliureh 'a poliey if understanding went liand in liand with sympathv. "1 have always thouglit \ve wero very fortunate as a people to eome ; uinler Britiah rule," Sir Apirana Ngata eniiunonted, "liut I at'll believe that! Ihe pakehaa ean be verv pigheaded. Jlowever, if Maori and pakeha had not been at loggerheads so mueh in the past tliey would not be aueh good friends today. " Suffered Mnch. .Bishop Bennett, in u sernion, ntad.e pnssing refercnee to Sir Apirana Ngata \s sjieerh, whieli he charaeterised as in parts a reinarkable one. Jle could understand Sir Apirana Ngata'a atti j tude, as he had sulfered mueh. "1 am 1 t o\v 7-1 yeara old and tliis niay be iny j 1 ; i s 1 addre>s to you," he added. "tr so, remember iny words. Take tho |'i' i: i ha by the liand and go forward into ilit future with eonfidenee. " That \."is the onlv wtiv the ilestinv of lioth r;n es eouJd be aeliieved in New Zea land.