FIRST MAORI BISHOP.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXX, Issue 5407, 5 April 1929, Page 2

FIRST MAORI BISHOP.

VISIT MABE TO PAEROA.

BISHOP BENNETT’S TOUR.

In Hie course of his inaugural episcopal visitations to his Maori diocese, which embraces the whole of News Zealand, Bishop Bennett, Bishop of Aoatearoa, was in Paeroa ovex'! 'Wednesday and Thursday.

On tile former day thq Bishop held at Pai-o-Haur.aki, the pa near Paeroa, a service in the meeting-house, the affair being attended by a very large number of Maoris from all the suribunding districts, some of whom received. continuation a.t the hands of His Lordship. Upon his arrival at the pa Bishop Bennett w'as greeted by a real, old-fashioned Maori haka, one unspoilt by any superfluous and detracting European touches, in the evening he held a further service and meeting at the home of Mrs Niclietls, who acted as. his hostess during his visit. Y’csterday morning the distinguished visitor left for Thames in continuation of his tour. It is much to be regretted* that no proper arrangements or announcement had beCjn made fox' the Bishop’s visit so that. Europeans, too, could have had the pleasure of .meeting a •••(■’•’tleman of whose qualifications and c a ac'er the C’liiiich of England thci.ght .so .much that it eenferxed upon him the honour of. being the hist Maori bishop in the Church. Somcpne was at fault, and it is a great pity that through this cause a prelate of such high rank should have arrived in 'Paeroa practically unheralded'. Such discourtesy is not in keeping with Pacrqa's reputation in such matters.

After visiting the Thames district Bishop Bennett will proceed by the East Coast railway to Tauranga, and thence to Rotorua on his way to Hawke’s Bay. Taranaki will then be visited, and at Waitara the Bishop is to meet Six’ Apirana Ngata bn the I.Bth inst. After a diocesan visit to all the important Wellington centres, and the holding of confirmation services there, he: crosses to Nelsqn on May 4 for a fortnight there, with arrangements to arrive at Christchurch on May 15. Thus it will be seen that the Bishop of Aoatearoa is taking a rapid and mo-t comprehensive tour of his large Mae.. j diocese from the Far North to the South, timed 'for c.ompl'e;tio : n by the first week in June. In this, his first round of episcopal visitations, he has already been travelling constantly foui’ 'months, so that a period of six months will have elapsed before all the territory is covered 1 . Everywhere the Bishop has held services enthusiasm has iiun at a high pitc.b, reminiscent of nothing; so much as the old fervid missionary days. In many places the congregations were so large that the churches were too small to 1 admit even a nxin-. ority, su that services had to be held in the upe;n air. | Many Maoris who had* loft the Chutch of England for other denominations returned to theix- mother church owing to Bishop Bennett’i; visit. His Lordship, in an interview granted to a representative of the “Hauraki Plains Gazette,” expressed reg,ret that he had not been given the opportunity of meeting at Paeroa pakehas along with those of his owix race. His ideal was to combine the two races in spiritual matters in th®i same way that they had) been celm.bined in commerce and education. He took leave of. Pr.eroa deeply appreciative of the. wonderful reception and hospitality extended* to him by tl’c Maoris. He was particularly struck by the revival of edd Maori custom and ceremonials, the “powhiri” doing, the local people great credit.