V.C. INVESTITURE

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 10, 7 October 1943, Page 4

V.C. INVESTITURE

Impressive Ceremony At Ruatoria MAORI CELEBRATION Six Thousand People z Attend (By Telegraph—" Dominion” Reporter.) RUATORIA, October 6. The Victoria Cross awarded posthumously to his sou, 2nd Lieutenant Nui-a-Kiwa Ngarimu, of the Second N.Z. Expeditionary Force, was presented to Mr. Hamuera Ngarimu by the Gov-ernor-General, Sir Cyril Newull, at Ruatoria today. Six thousand people, Maori and pakeha, who came from all parts of the Dominion to pay homage to the memory of tlie first Maori to receive the Empire’s highest award for valour in battle, watched the investiture, which took place on a dais in iVhakarua Park.

His Excellency was attended by his aide, Captain H. G. Belmore, the Prime Minister, Mr. Fraser, and service chiefs. Amid applause he handed tlie decoration of Mr. Ngarimu and shook hands with him and his wife, who also had a place on the platform. The gathering was larger than that at the Waitangi celebrations several years ago. Though the weather looked promising when the ceremonies began, showers fell at intervals. They were not of long duration, but sufficiently heavy to make conditions decidedly unpleasant. By midday the enclosure where the ceremqny took place was a quagmire, , Triumph of Organization.

The celebrations, which extended over the greater part of the day, were a triumph in organization. Elaborate preparations for them had been made by the Maori people. On the grounds of the park were two open grandstands specially built to seat the visitors, as well as dormitory accommodation, cookhouses, canteens and other facilities. The organization of the ceremony was supervised by Sir Apirana Ngata, who acted as master of ceremonies and explained the significance of various chants and dances.

For the past week there had been an almost continuous procession of visitors to the east coast, some of them coming by special trains. They included, in addition to the vice-regal party, Ministers of the Crown, members of the House of Representatives and Legislative Council, diplomatic and consular officials and senior officers of the armed forces. The last special train to the East Coast was an overnight sleeper- express which arrived at Gisborne from Wellington at 6 o’clock this morning. Its passengers included the High Commissioner in New Zealand for the United Kingdom, Sir Harry Batterbee, the United States Charge d’Affaires, Mr. Raymond E. Cox, high-ranking officers of the United States forces, and representatives of other Allied Nations. ■ Before tlie start of the celebrations the visitors were formally welcomed to the East Coast by Sir Apirana Ngata. Replying-to the welcome on behalf of the visitors, lhe Prime Minister said it was the greatest meeting of representatives of the United -Nations ever held in the Dominion to do honour to a brave warrior. One of the major problems of organization was that of transporting the visitors from the railhead at Gisborne to Ruatoria, a road journey of 84 miles. To deal with this situation the Government appointed a special committee witn full authority to amplify the public transport services ’by tlie issue of special licences to approved auxiliary services. To reinforce tlie public transport facilities the committee was empowered to issue special petrol licences to private car owners to cover the journey from Gisborne to Ruatoria and back. The morning was occupied with traditional Maori welcomes to the visitors by the Ngati-Potou and associated tribes. There were ehants, laments, dances of welcome, action songs, hakas nnd speeches of welcome by the elders of the tribes and sub-tribes. . On his arrival his Excellency inspected a guard of honour consisting of officers anil men of the Maori reinforcements training unit.

Cliiltlren’s Welcome. A feature of the morning’s programme was a welcome by more than 1000 Maori school children. They sang the National Anthem first in English and then in Maori. An action song and lament over Lieutenant Ngarimu ' was their hist • it«in. Loyal addresses of welcome and gifts were presented to his Excellency by the school children and by the assembled tribes. Action songs by women and men of the Te Whanau and Riiataupere sub-tribes of Tokomaru. Bay were another highlight of the singing, and before leaving the platform the party was frequently encored. The words of the songs given by this party were composed by Miss Tweenie Ngawai, who contributed many fine songs during the days of Maori hockey tournaments. One who gave a speech of welcome was Mrs. Materon Reedy, aunt of the late Lieut. Ngarimu. She spoke for the Ngati-Porou at the great 'Waitangi gathering in 1934, being the only woman to address Lord and Lady Bledisloe on the Waitangi inarae. She said that, though the Victoria Cross had been won by a relative of hers, it really belonged to the Maori Battalion. Appreciation of the welcome extended to him and of the gifts from the Maori people was expressed by his Excellency in a short speech at . the conclusion of tlie morning’s celebrations. He said .the rhyme, rhythm and song that morning wiis not equalled by anything he had previously seen or heard. He made special reference to the performances of the children and, as the King’s representative, said he deeply appreciated their expressions of loyalty to His Majesty. When he returned to Wellington tomorrow he intended to write a letter to the King telling him about tlie ceremonies, Uii'ticularly the children. He wanted the children to promise him that throughout their lives they would do their utmost tn see that the Maori songs and dances were never forgotten. Their traditional tunes were a heritage which was beyond all nraisc. One old Maori song was worth all the jazz and swing ever composed. „ ' “Second-Lieutenant Ngarimu has won a name for himself in tlie annals of history.” added his Excellency. “He has taken hiss place with tlie heroes of your own people. Let us pledge ourselves here and now to follow worthily in the footsteps of Lieut. Ngarimu and Ins comrades of the Maori Battalion. Lot us vow we will spare no efforts and that wo will not weaken for a moment till tlie King’s enemies are utterly defeated. Bishop Conducts Service.

Before the investiture in mid-after-noon a service in English and Maori was conducted by tlie Bishop of Aotearon, the Rt. Rev. F.*A. Bennett, and addresses were given by an elder of the Ringatu Church, the Prime Minister and the Gov-ernor-General. The Prime Minister said he wished to associate the Government, Parliament, and people of New Zealand with that day’s great occasion. The presence of so many representatives of the nations united in the fight for freedom could be taken as another of the many tributes to the men of the Maori Battalion. To Mr. and Mrs. Ngarimu lie expressed tl.e regret of nil that their boy was not present on the platform tlint day along with his other brave comrades who were to receive decorations. All joined in honouring tlie memory of Lieutenant Ngarimu and others who hard fallen. He wished every success to tlie Ngarimu Scholarship fund, whicli would be one instrument for the advancement of young Maoris. The Governor-General said that by their dyeds tlie Maoris had won fame in the history of the war, nnd their, exploits would be remembered for all time. They had given incontestable proof of the unity of the British Empire. Some of tlie Maoris would never return, and it fell to their lot, to make the greatest sacrifice of all and join their ancestors. It was hoped their sacrifice would not be in vain. In making the award of the .Victoria, .AUJIJ-

honouring Lieutenant Ngarimu, but his battalion and his country. His Excellency then presented tlie decorations, which, in addition to the ' -L. award, included the following: —• Military Cross and Bar: Major Kangi Ilovul; Captain William Porter. Military Cross: Lieutenant John I’uirnki Tikao-Barrett. . Badge of it Companion ot tlie Distinguished Service Order: Lieutenant-Col-onel Charles Moilii Bennett; LieutenantColonel Frederick Baker. Insignia of an Officer of the MiiitarJ Division of tlie Most Excellent Order of the British Empire: Lieutenant-Colonel George Frederick Bertrand., Insignia of a Member of the Military Division of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire: Warrant Officer (Class II) Martin te Takaha Mcßae.. . Tlie Trentham camp band provided .musicjdurinc the dau.