MAORI MISSION WORK

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 219, 4 June 1918, Page 3

MAORI MISSION WORK

MEETING AT ST. PETER'S

A Maori mission meeting was held Inst evening in St. Peter's Sohoolroom. Bishop Sprott presided. After tho singing of a hymn, Hie Bishop said they were endeavouring, to increnso tlioir Maori mission revenue to «C2o<)o ft yenr, tliat being regarded as tlie minimum they 'nuld carry on with. Tho revenue last year was vEl(!91, but in Hint was included £320 contributed by tho Williams' Memorial Trust. lie said that tho Maori Mission was in a much more hopeful condition than in the past, as tho missioners wore now getting the young peoplo into tho Church The older Maori missioners were unable to teach. English, or at least were ablo to teach it imperfectly only. After referring to the work of the earlier missionaries, ho pointed out that the Maoris of to-day were able to read and write, and tho work of the missionaries was consequently easier A better educated lot of Maori missioners were now available, and that constituted tho most hopeful condition of tho Maori Mission. It also imposed an obligation on the people. These Maori missioners had been educated in aXuircr. schools, and had been inured t'>. English, ways. Those missioners couid not live on 'the small stipend hitherto allowed, and there was therefore a liffieulty in getting more of these young Maori missioners. They conkl do with throe or four men. A young married Maori missionary coti.kl not live on the small stipend now allowed. If they bad an incomo of ,£2OOO a year it would enable them to pay the missionaries the modest stipend of .£l6O a year. The Maoris themselves were contributing to the missions and were contributing more freely each year. Tlia Rev. A. O. Williams, referring to the entertainment usually given at mission gatherings on Sundays, said it was essential to the success of tho mission. This entertainment went on every Sunday- at five- or six places, and was absolutely necessary. Tho speaker then sketched the work done in the diocese in respect to Maori missions during the past 33 years, The work of the old missionaries was wiped out by the Taranaki war because .tho Maoris thought that they were unjustly treated in respect to a land transaction. About 33 years ago there were only four places where services were held near Wanganui. He gave an interesting account of tow" ho overcame the opposition of the To Whiti Maoris in the Taranaki district. Ho also gave an interesting account of how the | Maoris were induced to help the Maori Missions. There were about 3500 Maoris who were attached to the Church. The Eev. W. G. AVilliams. son of tho ■Rev. A. O. Williams, dealt with the conditions now prevailing in the Maori Mission field. He said that the present was a transition stage, its tho Maoris were departing from their old custom of living in communities, and were adopting English ways and customs of living. The Maoris now spoke English, indeed it was difficult to iiml a Maori who could not speak English. The modern Maori missionary was quite a different personago to his forbear. Ho was now young and well educated, with English ideas, arid it was impossible 'to get such meu for a stipend of «El2O a year. It was now possible to give a service in most places in the Otaki district once in fou,r weeks. Tho speaker explained the cause oi the increased expenditure and Ihe need for increased income. Summarising, he saitl that as the Maoris were adopting European modes of living and living amongst Europeans, they would ultimately ho absorbed into tho European parishes. , Mr W. Waitai began with a typical Maori greeting in tho way of a haka. He said that it was quite true that they wero in the transition stage but the haka that, ho had just given them wovnlrt not pass away. It was not a war haka, but a welcome haka, and it thrilled them. There were still peoplo in Jingland who thought the Maoris vrere bar barians, unless that delusion had been driven away by the Maori .oldiers in Britain. He stated that tue work ot the Maori Mission was worth win e. ino race was worth assisting morally and spiritually. He gave several instances of Maori courage ana chivalry, and asked if such a race was not worth helping. The British had come to tho assistance of the Maoris, and they had not come to their assistance in vain. Maori soldiprs were fighting shoulder to shoulder with tho British. They had sent with then Maori soldiers two Maori clergymen, and a doctor. They were all capable men 'The Maoris were not stagnant, but were passing through a transition stage. Ho appealed to them, to help the Maori Mission. He said they had capable men. but they wanted more capable men, and for that they wanted more money.