THE MAORI RAGE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2258, 1 August 1908, Page 2

THE MAORI RAGE.

INTEREST IN CHRISTCHURCH. STUDY OF THE LANGUAGE. [Press Association.] CHRISTCHURCH, July 31. . At tho conclusion of Mr. Ngata’s address on Maoris and civilisation in the Canterbury v/ollge Hall last evening, Mr. G. W. Russell, chairman of the Board of Governors, said that the Board was taking a very active interest at present in certain matters connected with tho native race, and he hoped to be able to make a definite announcement shortly regarding their operations. As the audience knew, they were hoping to have some of the money at present being expended on public libraries for the purjKi.se of applying it for the benefit of tho museum In anticipation of this saving being effected, .a considerable amount was being expended .in. tlie extension of the Maori ekhibit in the museum, and he hoped to be in a position to make an interesting announcement shortly. Mr Ngata, M.P., made a suggesr. ;- ion at the close of the lecture that ' a Chair of Polynesian Etnology should .. be established by tho New Zealand University. Ho was aware that financial considerations had to bo ■ looked at, but it was unfortunate that New Zealanders should be left n ignorance of the great race that .vas living at their door. The study if the classic Latin and Greek was popular in the colleges, hut it would lie more interesting if the students from matriculation to the B.A. degree were allowed to specialise iu Maori. Mr. G. W. Russell, the chairman, said that the difficulty was that the New Zealand University was a kind of impalpable thing. If Mr. Ngata would get the Government to endow tlie chair with £IOOO he felt sure that the Canterbury College would be preoared to provide the necessary buildings and' take the proposal up at once.