TE AUTE COLLEGE.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 930, 24 September 1910, Page 19

TE AUTE COLLEGE.

« , The famous Maori Collego at-.Te Aute was established m its present form thirtyeight years ago, with fifteen scholars. Under ::the management of the : late Venerable Archdeacon Williams the endowments given by the Government and tho Maoris for the establishment of the college have boon developed into a splendid estate capable of maintaining and educating 75- Maori' youths. The ■ school has been in- charge of Mr. John Thornton during the last-thirty-tvfo years. Mr. Thornton had previously spent eleven

years m India as a- missionary. At Te Aute he has under him three-assistants, two of whom are Maoris educated at the college. The students were formerly educated up to the University matriculation standard, but of recent years the course has included more technical training m carpentering, agriculture, and so on. There are about 500' old boys of the college, a large majority of whom can be well accounted for. They include m their ranks several lawyers and medical men, and a good sprinkling of Native clergy. The larger number of the old boys are, however, engaged in working their own lands. - The college is the headquarters of the Young Maori party, which-is-greatly influencing Maori opinion for good.

Two officers and four : men have boon injured by an explosion of petrol on tho Submarine Al, which some years' ago was tun. down off' tho Nab Lightship with a loss of eleven ,liyes. The accident occurred when the. submarine was mooml alongside tho - floating dock at Fort Blockhouse, now tho submarine depot. The officer in-cliargc, Lieutenant Cornelius 0. Regnait. and Sub-Lieutenant Stppford . and lour men. were injured, and one of tho latter, Petty Officor Blnnsdon, was actually bloitn out ot the hatchway a.nd bouio distance in tho air with ouch force that one of ■ hia legs was broken near the thigh. Others were overpowered by fuiues and affected hv shock.