MAORI FAREWELL

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 40, 3 March 1937, Page 12

MAORI FAREWELL

Function in Honour of Canon W. G. Williams MISSION WORK The affection in which Canon *W. G. Williams and Mrs Williams are held by tlie Maori community of Putiki was eloquently expressed when tkey wero faTewelled prior to tlieir departure for N"apier. There was a large attendance of Maori residents and Europeans, Mr N. Metekingi presiding. After the chairman had addressed a brief welcome to tke visitors, Mr Hori Takarangi was called upon to speak. Muck as tke Maori people regretted tke departure of Canon and Mrs Williams f rom tkeir midst, ke said, ■ tkey were plea'sed that kis new duties would take kim among Maoris once more. Jt was appropriate tkat Canon Williams was going to work side by side witk Biskop Bennett, wko kad commenced kis career at Putiki Tke speaker referred to tke long associations tke Williams family kad kad witk Putiki, and tkere kad been a representative of tke family in Wanganui ever since tke miesion was first started. Canon Williams would be tke first of tke family to leave, but tke Maori people realised tkat ke had been called away to help further tke interests of tke race. Tke Putiki people would always be grateful for tke work done by Canon Williams for tke welfare of tke young Maori pfople, and none would miss kim more tkan tkey. Tke Rev.P. Kokiri said it was pleasing to Bee so many people present wko kad xeceived tkeir education and spiritual training at tke kands of Canon Williams and tke mission wkick kis forebears kad started at Putiki. _ He said it was fitting tkat Canon Williams skould be leaving to work witk tke Biskop of Aotearoa, wko kad kimself been tke first teacker at tke mission. Tke speaker said ke- kad worked witk Canon Williams for many years and would be sorry to lose kim, but realised ke was going to furtker tke work of tke Ckurck in a wider spkere. Tkese remarks wero endorsed by Ckaplain Fraser, wko referred to tkei long service rendered by Canon Williams in tke interesta of tke Maori race. Mr Alex. Takarangi, ckairman of tkei Putiki mission, said it was gratifying to everyone tkat Canon Williams kad realised kis long ckerisked ambition in tke building of tke new mission. ckurck, and altkougk tke work was not yet completed, it would stand as a) lasting monument to kis zeal and love In kiis work among tke people of Pu-i tiki. Tke committee in particular and tke people of Putiki in general would always be grateful for tke work donei by Canon Williams in connection witk tke ckurck, and it was tkrougk kis family tkat tke erection of tke new building kad been made possible. Would Not Be Forgotten Mr W„ Emia referred to tke. presence of many men and women wkom Canon and Mrs Williams kad seen grow up from ckildkood. Tke Maori people would never forget tke work ke kad! done in tke interests of tke young people, botk in tkeir social and religious life. He kad at all times been willing to afesist tkern, in tkeir spiritual and pkysical needs and ke would bd greatly missed. Everyone realised, how ever, tkat ke was going on to wideu spkeres of endeavour in kis work among tke Maoris. Mr W. Metekingi, ckairman of tke village committee, said it was not fareA well, but au revoir. Rather were tkey] gatkered togetker to skow tkeir delight. at Canon Williams 's trantefer to a) wider field of work among tke Maori race, and to express tkeir gratitude fon wkat ke kad done. for tkem. Tke newi mission ckurck, ke said, would stand ad a lasting reminder of kis work in Pu tiki. He would be greatly missed, fot| tke welfare of tke residents kad meantj everytking to kim, and tkey kad de* pended So muck upon kis kelp and coum sel. At tkis stage of tke proceedings, Miss Hera Scott, on bekalf of tke com.* munity, presented Mrs Williams witk a( kandsome crystal bowl and a Maorf mat (korowai) wkick ske fastened about ker skoulders. Canon WilliamM was preteented witk a travelling" rug. Spiritual Revival In reply, Canon Williams said itj was 52 years ago since ke kad come toi Wanganui witk kis parents and kadl lived among tke Maori people as on^ big family. He was now leaving toi seek a wider field, but tkere was alwayd tke consolation tkat ke was returning to tke work ke loved best among thsl Maoris. He kad been sorry wken h( was transferred from tke Maori work some years ago, and was kappy to bal going back to it. It kad been God'i wisR tkat ke skould kave a brief rew spite from kis Maori work, but now k$ had been called back to resume kis la* bours among tkem. Altkougk ke andl Mrs Williams would be living in Napier, tkeir kearts would be in Wanganui, an| they koped to visit tke people of Putiki quite often. In kis new duties kel would be aeting on .behalf of tkii Biskop of Aotearoa togetker witk th«| Biskop of Waiapu, and ke would havsi to travel over a wide. territory. Canon Williams appealed to tk3 people to give tkeir continued supporfj to tke mission and tkeir padre. He re* gretted tkat tke new ckurck wafc not yet completed, bnt ke koped to be here for tke opening, togetker witk Biskop Bennett, witk wkom ke koped to con-» duct a Maori mission. It kad alwaysi been kis ambition to erect a ckurck toi tke memory of all wko kad kelped tkei mission in Putiki and now it wa almost an accomplisked fact. Whafi had pleased him most was that muck of the work had "been done by tha young men and women of Putiki. Thei new chnrck would be one of the most beautiful examples of Maori art int New Zealand and people would come! from far and near to Bee it, He hoped that the church would not be regarded! merely as a museum, but as a house o£ prayer — Wlxarekarakia. He expresspct the hope that the new ckurck would be the means of reviving the spiritual life of Putiki.

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