MEMORIAL HALL OPENED ON EAST COAST

Chronicle (Levin), 15 September 1947, Page 7

MEMORIAL HALL OPENED ON EAST COAST

GISBORNE, Sept. 14. The highlight of a day of impressive Maori ceremonial at the hui on Whakarua Park marae at Ruatoria ( on Saturday in the presence of between 4000 and 5000 people was the ( official opening hy the GovernorGeneral (Sir Bernard Ereyherg) of the Uhepohatu Hall commemorating the war sacrifices of the0 men of the Tairawliiti district. Maori orators greeted the Vice-Regal party with x speeches emphasising the close at- -"J tachment o'f the race to the Crown and King. lji recognition of the part which Sir Bernard and Lady Freyberg had played .u the lale war Uiey were designated at ' ' father and motlier of Maori battalion .•oiiie to mourn witli the people of Ngatiporou the memory of their sons wno r .lad died on foreigii lields". Their Hxcellencies received handsoine gifts ■if Maori craftsinansliip including a nagniliceiit tlax cloak for the Governoi ind woven kits and inats and an incient taiaha symbolic of Maori fightuig prowess. The Govemor-Geueral paid a tribute to the skili and courage of tlie Maorii in the New Zealand Division and .'ounted many members of the battalion a.s close friemls. "The Ngatiporou uade a great contribution to the war. (t seut large numliers of men to iight ;or the Maori Battalion and many of these hajipily survived to earry on the spirit of their famous unit," added his Exeeilency. " Froin among the N'gatiporou there came such men as Aratepa Awatere, the Ngata brothers aiul Te Moaiianui a Kiwa N'garimu, Y.C. These were great rangitiras on the lield of battle. These were great soldiers and great leaders of the Maori Battalion." Earlier the Prime Minister (Mr. . aser) and the Leader of the Opposition (Mr. Hollaud) and otlver l'arlia mentary representatives were given tribal v.elcomes. Mr. Fraser paid tribute to Sir Apirana Xgata's work "'ii ihe preservation of Maori arts and rafts and partieularly his recent work. Mr. Hollaud congratulated Sir Apirana Ngata and the Ngatiporou people on the consuinmation of their projeet. The religious ceremonies associated with the opening of the hall were con ducted by the Bishoj) of Aotearoa (Ur Bennett) and the Yerv Rev. Laugliton, principal of the Presbyterian Maori ilissions. Adherents of the Ringati. sect also conducted their own oo servanc e. In declariug the hall opeu th>.-tlovernor-tteneral named it Fhepohatu. commemorating the name of a famous [ ancestress of the family of Tawhial rangi wlio donated the ground for t lu jjiark in whij-h the hall staiuls. Si> | "Bernard Freyberg also referred lo the spiritmil signilicance of the memoriai Inside the hall the Govenior-tteneiMr unveiled a series of tablets comnieiiiorating tlie district 's war dead in HH4-1S and l{).''S)-45, another in memory of Lieut. Ngarimu, Y.F., and a fourth to the donor of the park land. The Vice-Regal party and other distinguished guests were late.r entertain ed at lunch in the hall with an overflow gathering of 1 000 aceoiuinodated in marcpiees. The Yice-Regal part,\ left Ruatoria today and departed from

Gisborne by air this aftemoon for ■\Yeliington. The hall rejiresents the latest in !Maori art and c.raftsmanship, a featurc being the toning of the interior eolours. The notcliing aiul bracing methods ot pre-European days has been superseded by modern carpentry but the tradi tional style of decoration has been retained. The interior carving is the work of experts, Ihe brothers Bine' and Hone Taiapa and Te Rua Kaika.