FOR MAORI SOLDIERS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2894, 5 October 1916, Page 6

FOR MAORI SOLDIERS

■ - y BIG GIFT OF LAND BY THE TAUPfI NATIVES \ > The Hon. W. H. Hemes, Native Minister, received the following telegram from tho Hon. Dr. Pomare, from Tokaanu, on October 3: — . "I conferred with a representative Rathering of the Tuwharetoas. at Waihi, Tokaanu, yesterday, and it was decided by Te Houheu Tukino, Kingi Topia, and tho Tuwh'aretoa tribe to set aside , the Ohauko Block of 25,301 acres for settlement by returned Maori soldiers irrespective of the tribe or tribes to which they may belong. The land is to bo an absolute gift from the Tuwharetoii people to the Maori soldier sottiers. It gives much pleasure to be able to inform you- of this great self- * sacrifice made by' one of our Maori tribes, and I know you will appreciate both the spirit which prompted tho making of tho gift and ■ the national character of the same: Kia Ora." , Tho Native* Minister ha H telegraphed to the donors, through the Hon. Dr. Pomare, the thanks of the.Government for their magnificent gift. Tho machinery for enabling Ruch gifts of land to bo made uso of for the purposo indicated in the telegram was provided in last session's Native . Washing-up Bill. It is most gfatifying to find that tho Native tribes arc recognising their responsibilities'to those of their race \ -who lave gone to the war, and it is to bo hoped that this will bo the precursor of other gifts of a similar nature. It is understood that some of the* East Coast tribes have views of a similar nature. Money has, 'Mr. Hcrries is' glad to say, boon freoly subscribed by the Natives for patriotic purposes, and only yesterday he received £50 for patriotic funds from somo chiefs of the Te Arawa tribe at . Uotoiti.