Sir Peter Buck's War Cry: Ka Mahi! Ka Mahi!

Chronicle (Levin), 12 March 1949, Page 6

Sir Peter Buck's War Cry: Ka Mahi! Ka Mahi!

'ress Association)

(Per l

NEW PLYMOUTH, Marcfi, 11 ' ' Beware of motilfiake or separatism . and enter into kotahitanga or iull unity witfi tfie pakefias,.' ' was the mes-' sage Sir Peter Buek gave his Maori friends at Manukorihi Pa, Waitara, yesterday. Only *by avoiding nationalism could tfie blood and cultures of tfie two raees be joined and used for the beuefit of tfiemselves and New Zealand, fie said. His otfier advice was tfiatMaoris could aefiieve anytfiing tfiat other peoples could witfi as mucfi distiiactibn, but to do that tfie younger gCneration must work, work, work. Sir Peter, in reply to a welcome' on tfie marae, spoke in Maori and his obvious fluency and eloquence and tfie "subjeet of 'fiis address so moved his people that tfiey applauded periodically witfi fiands and voice. Leading Maoris and Europeans in politics and loeal government were present from all parts of Taranaki and beyond. Among tfie visitors was tfie Prime Minister. . Stating tfiat fije was fionoured to be tfiere as Prime Minister to welcome an iilustrious son of the. pa, , Mr. Fraser pointed out that Sir Peter Buck fiad beeu accepted by tfie overseas scientists receutly conferriug iu New Zealand, as the greatest autfiority ou Polynesia. Referriug to several earlier suggestions that Sir Pdter should remain ifi- N'ew Zealand aitiong fiis, own people wfio needed fiim, Mr. Eraser said tfiey •c.ou-1'd nOt keep Lord Rutherford be■causO'fiis 'geiiius was'too big for tfie coulitry. Tfiey had beeu able to retaiu some of their sons Jike Sir Truby King because their- worksfiops were fiere, but •Sir Pe'ter Buck's worksfiop was in Hawaii. "He is the best ambassador we could fiave," Mr. Fraser adJed. To-day Sir Peter Buck visited fiis birthplace, Urenui, wfiere fie was informally entertaiued.