MAORI TRIBUTE TO THE SALVATION ARMY

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2901, 13 October 1916, Page 6

MAORI TRIBUTE TO THE SALVATION ARMY

.o ■ ♦ WORK AMONGST THE SOLDIERS. ,• (Contributed.) On Monday last a deputation consisting of three Maori chiefs, representing tho Rotoiti • tribee, waited upon Captain Whitley, the officer in charge of the Salvation-Army's Institute at Rotorua,- for the purpose—as ono of them put it—of donating a trifle toward the support of the Army's work in the interests of our soldiers. The ceremony, which was a most -unique one, lasted an hour. One of the chiefs, in tho course of his speech, which was given in Maori, said that the particular tribe he represented had in the past silently looked upon the work of the Salvation Army among the soldiers in Rotorua, ,but the time, had now come for them to assist in a practical, way. He hoped that their sympathy would not be judged by the smallnoss of the amount contributed, as thoy were helping the Government in many ways, and giving through other' channels. They had brought it as the "widow's mite," and ho trusted that the loaders of the Salvation Army would treat it as such. Another chief said that his .people had been watching the work'of tho Salvation Army, and what had touched them was tho fact that in their help they had made no distinction between the Maori and the pakeha. Everyone, irrespective of colour, had had tho Bamo privileges. After leaving a £10 note on tho table, they remarked:' "This is tho first donation, but it will not be the lastl" They further promised the sum of £10 a month towards tho Salvation Arniy Institute. ,