THE MAORI CONTINGENT

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2561, 8 September 1915, Page 2

THE MAORI CONTINGENT

/; ' — MR. K. S. WILLIAMS'S APPOINT- ' MENT. ' ' . Apropos of the statement issued by the Minister of Defence in regard to Mr. K. S. Williams, of Waiapu, who had offered, to serve with the - Maori Contingent now at the.front, the {lons. Dr. Pomare and A. T. Ngata made the'' following statement- on behalf of the Maori Contingent Committee; which lias acted as an advisory body to the Minister of Defence in regard to tho recruiting of-t'he-Maori Contingent and Reinforcements:— "Mr. K. S. Williams some timo in the month of May offered for service at , the front, and in. particular with the Maori Contingent, should tho services of /anyone Who had. knowledge and experience of the Maoris bo required. Tho committee could not avail itself'at that time of Mr. Williams's offer, although it was recognised thai, there wore few men so well qualified for special duty with the Maoris as Mr. Williams. During August, however, General Godley cabled to tho Minister of Defence, and'asked that someone with experience and knowledge of the Maoris should -be sent from New, Zealand. Although-tho wisdom of the step was questioned; from this end the General-,-again:-c&bled:: It was then that the 'committee advised the Minister of -Defence that, lie , should avail himself of Mr. Williams's offer, and Mr. Williams.was accordingly notified to report this for. special, duty with the Maori Contingent. Jsow it appears that in the irieantime, owing, no doubt-, to the pressure of circumstances at tlio front,. General Godley had attached the Maoris to the New- Zealand Infantry Brigade/and now cables that Mr. AVilliams's services will not re required: The committee recognises that-Mr. Williams has been put- to great nconvenieiice, , and hastens to acknowledge his readiness to serve and to sacrifice a large business and several important local positions."