MAORI TRIBUTE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20107, 29 November 1939, Page 13

MAORI TRIBUTE

POLICE OFFICER'S WORK SENIOR-SERG. D. CLARK WAIROA FAREWELL (Special to thn Herald.) WAIROA, this day. Gratitude for his services on behalf of the Maori people was expressed on Monday night to Senior-Sergeant D. Clark at a farewell gathering in his honour on the eve of his departure for Auckland. The gathering was held in North Clyde and there was a large attendance of representatives of the Maori race and the business people of North Clyde.

The chairman of the Wairoa County Council, Mr. A. T. Carroll, presided, and expressed pleasure at being present to pay a tribute to Senior-Ser-geant Clark on the good work done by him in the community as head of the police force in this district, more especially for the keen interest he had taken in the welfare of the Maori race.

The leaders of the Maori people always had received the best of assistance and sympathetic co-operation in any of their troubles from the seniorsergeant. His departure from the district would be a greater loss to the Maori community than to the European. He was looked upon as a

"father” to the Maoris, and although lie had had to be severe on many ol the delinquents, he was onlv thinking of their ultimate benefit. The Maoris were sorry to lose him, but they were also pleased to see that he was receiving.. promotion, which all thought he was justly entitled to. Tribute to Efficiency Speaking on behalf of the business community in North Clyde, Mr. A. Law paid a tribute to the efficient manner in which the senior-sergeant and his staff had carried out their duties in maintaining law and order. Mr. Carroll then presented SeniorSergeant Clark with a travelling rug and suitcase and a wallet of notes on behalf of tire Maoris and business people, and Mrs. J. King presented him with a carved walking stick.

A statement to the effect that his period in Wairoa was one of the most pleasant in his career was made by Senior-Sergeant Clark, when replying. He added that he had come in close contact with Maoris in many parts of New Zealand, and he had found the natives of this district to he among the best with whom he had any dealings. The main source of trouble among them had been drink, and he desired to advise the younger Maoris to keep clear of it.

In conclusion, the senior-sergeant stated that he would like to express his thanks to the leaders of the Maori race for the assistance they had given him in his work.