MAORI GIRLS' COLLEGE

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1986, 17 February 1914, Page 8

MAORI GIRLS' COLLEGE

VISIT BY HOi*. JAMES ALLBNV , Yesterday morning (6ays our Napi.e* l corresporid'fsnt) the Minister of Sdu.c'ar tioii (the Hon. J.. Allen) by Bishop Williams, Mr,' Bird (iitspecr tor.of Native, schools)-, and Mr, -F.'W; Williams (member.of the Te Auto Trust Board) visited: .the iHukurere:.■ Girls 1 ' School' and were shown round the build* ing. by the principal, .Miss Buistrode. Mr. Alien expressed admiration at-tha situation and' a-rraageni'eiits in ctfnnection with the school and thanked the principal for affording him the oppor* tunity of visiting it. He then ..briefly addressed the children. In the- pourso of his'•remarks' Mr. Allen said that lie was quite sura that the public of Now Zealand tfero grateful to those-who, in tho 'early days, realised their -duty towards, the Native race-.. There Was one present who was probably better knetfnin this connection in Hawke's'Baiy than any other—ho referred to Bishop \Ytlliamsi They wcro all .grateful to ■him. Ho. himself was a South Islander, and he was vory grateful to those liberal- . minded men Who had made such tsplen* did provision .for the Maori race. Ho had been making .some- inquiries regard- ■ ing tho work which the girls had been doing at this school, arid he kn,ew that they were trying to equip themselves 1 for thoir life in the. iuturc.. "I know." ho-said, ''that you -are 'learning tho'best thing that a. girl can learn, to hocomo a'.woman latex in life. By that I mean a, woman who realises what a woinan's real work and duty are.'' The Minister went oil to say that he knew. of. sonio , of _ the girls who had Passed, through this school, and thoir names ought to. bo •written up aftd neyer to be forgotten. ■He toiew of one who was trained as a iliirso,- and who had- sacrificed, her life to do her duty, He could, not imagine fcny*thing nobler. Ho.w&s not.going to*ask thom to do that, however, except where it was their obvious duty 'to do/It. Ho tt'.as a -soldier, and it was a soldier's duty to save his life, if possible-, !?.»d to sacrifice it if The rrirl lis referred to—Tira'mate P'araoiio-"-should never bo forgotten by ,tho girls of the Hnka.ro.ro School, but that WaS only one instance of wl.iat a .girl had dene who had passed through this : schb'ol. They had futures- b.c.fa'ro' 'tlispift». some of them would beconi.o. nurses, p.nd he supposed some of thftn would he tea.eiiers. Tho Administration of the sehool Was, ho fe.lt convinced., esccntkittaUy goad, and l'vo was; quite sure, that, tho controlling authorities wanted, to see the girls equipped, in every seii'so of the word for alter .life. /'I -htfrjo* l added, the Minister, '''thnt.it may bo of encouragement, to yon to know that titan outside w.orH recognise!; what cati, ho done in th.e future by girls, who go through this school.'"' 'live Dopartmont (added Mr* Allen) was very proud of the school,, and ho was very thankful that tho official report's which came".to him wore so very :goo'd, ,'T coligrat.ulato thoso very heartily, fr ho. said "who administer the- school. on tho very good wofk that is 'being done hero?'' "■' .'