WORK AMONG MAORIS DETAILED TO W.C.T.U.

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 39, 2 March 1937, Page 5

WORK AMONG MAORIS DETAILED TO W.C.T.U.

The first meeting of the ly37 session of the Hastings branch of the Women 's uhristian Temperance Union was heJd last Tliursday m tiie Wesley Hall. The president, iVlrts. J. (VViis«.^L, welcouied the visitors and friends and introduced ouiss 0. M. McLay, the speaker for the afternoou. Miss McLay eondueted the devotions and afterwards gave a very interesting uccount of ner w oris. among wie youn^ luaoria in the variouus pus whicii sne had visited in the North Auckland and icotorua dietricts. lu company with Sisters Elinor Dobbi.e, wnom tne speaker descnbed as a true Methodist, a church buiider, and u woman i»itn a iuuu of common sense and a depth of spirituality, sne had gone mto the hoines oi the Mauri people, had met wiwi tnem and got to juiuw tueir nature and tnexr neeus. As a people tlicy were hungry tor tno tios±>ei, and wherever she went they listene.d eageriy to the story of tne love of desus. vvitn. tne ald oi aii eiectnc iilm lantern sne had given tnem temperance talhs, and lo^nd tnat thougn »here were no hotels, tne women and children in the pas were learning to drmk nome brew, which tney teimed "'ihe white man's drmk.-" bister JJoboie, with tne proceeds of ihe sale of leit-ofc •ciothing sent to her by tne various churen women, had built tnree lovely cnurches, which the Maori women tooK great pride in keeping clean .with well-kept gardens and ueuges. Traveiling to upotiki, Miss Mcnay had made contact with the youifg Maoris there througii Sister Jessie,, of the Hr esbyteri.au uhurch, and had established a young people 's branch which had done very good work, especially. among the young tootballers. ilontact had been made aiso with bisters Morgan and a branch with aboat OU young Maoris formed. ln the liotorua district a very fine Christian service had been rendered by the Anglieau Church wi.th the lVLissee Ba/ustrade as leaders, and the' young people 's branches foimed there were doing very line service. Th Maori branch members were seekiug Christian marriage instead of the form of marriage which was So common in the pa. The speaker gave aiso a brief account of the education session of the Maori welfare meeting she had attended when a resolution had been passed appealing to the Govornment to help the Maori people by elimiuatmg their opporrtunity to obtain alcohol. Mrs. Paul, on behalf of those present, expressed thanks to Miss McHay for her interesting address, presenting her with a bunch of roses. During the afternoou a programme which mcluded a duet by Mrs. P. Lascelies and Miss Sowersby, and recitations by Mrs. Porter, aged P2, and the Misses V. Holder, 0. bpencer and M. Buckinghom, was enjoyed by all. The afternoon tea interval gave opportunity for a fiiendJy exchange of greetings. A resolution of sympathy with Mrs. Sutherland in her sickness was expressed; aiso resolutions of sympathy with the relatives of the late Mrs. J. Bibby and Mrs. W. Goodall. Congratulations were extended to a former rneniber, Miss J. Spencer, O.B.E. A collection taken up was sent to the World 's Missionary Fund to commemorate the life and work of the founder of the world 's W.C.T.U., Miss P. E. Willard.