MISSIONS—A CONFERENCE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1154, 15 June 1911, Page 9

MISSIONS—A CONFERENCE.

THE MAORI AND HIS NEEDS. The conference of the Wellington Presbyterian "Women's Missionary Union was concluded yesterday. At the afternoon meeting an interesting paper on Maori mission work, contributed by Sister Alison, who is working in the King Country, was read. In l'..j course of her remarks, Sister Alison accounted for the comparatively small percentage of Maoris belonging to the Presbyterian denomination, by pointing out that the Presbyterian mission had entered late- into the field, and also that it covered a comparatively small area. There was much to bo donn in the Urewera' and Bay of Plenty districts but, so far, tho work had been carried on in almost civilised places. -.The history of the Taumarunui mission, begun by the liev. p.gerton Ward, was then sketched, and the need for such work emphasised. ■ A missionary, to be of weight and inflti- ;' enco among the Maoris, must bo a manysided man, for he had to deal with all ! Uinds of affairs, business matters, as i well as tho mental, physical, and moral ; side of things. The Maori man must be ■ taught' how to work and how to farm his lands, and the woman how to caro for ■ the home —to cook, to sew; to do laundry •■ work, to care for invalids and children, >■ nnd to learn the first principles of sani- • tation and hygiene. Tho need for men . and women and funds to work in these i districts was urgent, and it was now, ■ while they stood at the beginning of things, that tho work should be begun. Mrs. M'Kcnzie (Chrislchurch) who visited, tho Edinburgh Conference, gavo a i paper on "The Home Base in Foreign Missions," nnd Mrs. Kayo spoke on "The i. Aims and Objects of tho Conference and ■[ its- , Yalue;" ''■''• : ' u- " ■' '■■'• •'. In t'ho evening an orgnn recital was given by Mr. Maughan Barnett', and a rally held, Dr. Gibb presiding. The Rev. Ml'. Thompson, Mr. Webster, and Mrs. Kayo were tho speakers. At the close of the evening Mr. J. G.. W. Aitken introduced a resolution protesting against the continuance of the opium traffic in China—a resolution which was carried unanimously.