STATEMENT BY MR. NCATA, M.P.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2252, 25 July 1908, Page 1

STATEMENT BY MR. NCATA, M.P.

A REPLY TO CRITICISMS. The following is a reply to the article on tho Maori Congress which appeared in our issue of yesterday: • Mr. Young has attended the meetings of tho Maoir Congress and dees not seem to have got quite into touch with the nature of the representation. If he only understood a few details, not only'of the inception of the Com gross, but of the effort, of their Maori representation, he would not have voiced in the manner he did so many views. It. is mv duty, as secretary to \the Congress' to put a few facts by way of reply to his criticism. It is* true that tho conferences of the Maori Councils and Sanitary Inspectors were summoned by the Native Department of Public Health, but that was by arrangement with the Executive or the Congress, who approached the Minister in charge of these Departments to convene such conferences, tq be held in Wellington at the same time and in conjunction with the Maori Congress. Tho chief reason was for the attendance of men whoso representative character cannot be questioned, with tho least expense in Wellington. THE TE AUTE ELEMENT. It is true also that the idea of the Congress originated with Mr. Thornton, as president of the To Ante Association. It was necessary that someone should be prime mover, but the Te Aute element numerically is not by • any means the strongest of the Congress, for the other day at the Te Aute dinner, which was a re-union of past and present students, it was found that there were only thirty of the Te Auto Association present, forming one-ninth only of this large Congress. THE, RELIGIOUS BODIES. With regard to tlio church element, the various missions, with the exception of the Romanists, are fully represented in the gathering. Each church was invited to 'nominate delegates. The AVcsleyan Mission was placed entirely in the hands of tho Rev. Mr. Dittos, with Maoris represented by four of the AVcsleyan clergy representing the Mission on tho West Cou6t, in the King Country, and North of Auckland. Tho Presbyterians have no Maori clergy, blit that Mission is fully represented by members of the clergy actually engaged in Maori work and by the head of the Maori Mission Committee. The Anglicans are numerically tlio strongest; each diocese has sent on an average three delegates. The Maori clergy present of the Anglican persuasion are not present as representing their churches, but in their varjous capacities as students of the various Maori secondary schools, chiefs in their own, right, and otherwise as representative Maoris. Throughout tho Congress no attempt has been made to obtrude the views of any one church. On Hie other hand the threo Missions represented in the Congress have been working harmoniously together in tho department of the Congress work dealing with religious work among the Maoris.

THE MAORI ASSOCIATION. Something has been said about tho Heu Hell and the Maori Association. At the opening of the Maori Association more than -a week ago the relative position of the Maori Asssociation and tho of the Congress was defined. Tho Maori Association specialises with regard to tho question of land; the Congress does not seek in any way to belittle the efforts' of tho Maori Association with regard t 0 this particular question. At the same time the -promoters of the Congress thought that in dealing with so many subjects covering practically the whole department of the Natives they could 'hot devote to the question of Maori lands the -amount of time and attention which- -a special Conference like that of the Maori Association can do. The leaders of the Maori Association are also delegates to the Congress in various capacities. Heu Heu himself as President moved tho resolution of thanks to tho Governor and other speakers at the opening on the 14th iiist., in his representative capacity as one of the leading chiefs of the Maori people. The leaders of tho Maori Association have been working harmoniously with us of the Congress; there -lias not been any overlapping of subjects. THE REPRESENTATIVES. Waikato -and tlic King Country do not lack representatives at this gathering; there are 11 delegates-at present in Wellington from the King Country and portion of Waikato. Early last week a wire was received from Tangaawa, one of the 'Waikato chiefs, stating that owing to ill-liealtli lie would not be present at the Congress meetings, hut hoped to reach Wellington on the 20t,h, so as to attend the filial meeting. To run hurriedly through the list of representatives, it may he noted that the North of Auckland is represented by 24 delegates, Waikato, King Country, 14; Tanranga- and Thames, 3; Hot Lakes District, inclusive -of Mr. Bennett’s choir, 36; Taranaki, Hawera, and Wangauni, about 40; Turakina, Palmerston, and Otaki, about 30; Bay of Plenty,., including Urewera, 15; East Coast'to Ghhorue, 54; Wairoa and

Ha who’s Bay, 30; tho South Island, about 24. ‘Tho following organise-, tions arc represented also: AVcsleyan Maori Mission,' Presbyterian Maori Mission, Church of England Mission, the principals of all l the Maori seco’ndary schools, namely Threo Kings, St. Stophens, Te Auto, Turakina, Otaki, Clnreville College, Haukin; all oxcopt St. Joseph’s iConvent School, Napier; tho Now Zealand Institute, Polynesian Society : Native Department; Education) Department ; the the Nativo Schools System; tho Pub; lie Health Department. A. T. NGAi A, Secretary of the Executive Committee