TO MAORI MOTHERS.

Maori Messenger : Te Karere Maori, Volume 4, Issue 68, 31 July 1851, Page 3

TO MAORI MOTHERS.

Mothers—Your friend begins to inquire what use you are likely to make of your great prospects,—for whatever besides may sustain injury by the singular changes experienced of late months, it is generally supposed that your people must be enriched; —and if you are unitedly careful, as greatly benefited.' Now, while the men of your several tribes are so profitably engaged, how do you employ yourselves ? Have you discarded the pipe, and become more clean and neat in your person ? Are your children favorable specimens of kind protection aud unremitting care? Are your dwellings more liijht, and pure, to enable you to breathe freely the fresh and wholesome air f If age, health, and other circumstances permitted, your friend would gladly take up her residence among you, for the belter opportunity of assisting your progross in civilization ; but as this cannot be, she must satisfy herself by intreating you to act with diligence, and dechinn for yourselves. Are you aware how much wives and mothers may do towards improving society if they set about it with hearty good will? Seek out my friends, and pursue the paths of virtue. Strive to understand your real position, and the duties arising therefrom. Then lead your sons and daughters in tho same, ond every succeeding family will produce, some reward by your example. Call to mind all the good advice and benevolent instructions you have received from each sincere friend and act upon them without delay, that your children may speedily lose sight of every old, offensive, and unbecoming practice; and lenru how to make a proper use of every new comfort, which it is your happiness to assist in procuring. Anxiously endeavour to acquire knowledge yourselves, that you may communicate it to your families. Above all leach them to read the Scriptures both old and new testaments ; and to acknowledge God, tho Author, and Giver of all tho blessings they enjoy. Be assured, to read this Honk, carefully, is the best way to increase in wisdom; it is the source of all knowledge. Try for yourselves. A similar request was made in a former letter, it may have escaped your memory; but time will prove how desirable it is for you to accept this advice. It will afford some of you pleasure to know that about a week ago, a respectable tradesman left Auckland for one of your Mission Stations, being previously engnged by the Missionary to instruct the youths of his School, not only in the art of carpentry, and erecting comfortable houses to dwell in, but also in making useful articles to furnish them. This has long appeared a movement much to be desired ; anil it \i hoped that those of you who have it in your power, will avail yourselves of this favorable opportunity of improvement. Would it not be well, my friends, for your young women to make good use of the straw, which lies in cuch abundance in the field, after the gathering of the corn. Advise them to plait it in long lengths about the breadth of a finger nail ; and then sow it together, in the shape of hats. They would look much more modest and respectable in Church, if their heads were covered with hats or bonnets j aud it you all wore this kind of hat when exposed to the sun it would save you from many pains in the

head, of wliich you so frequently complain. Let them set about this work, and then: is no doubt, but that lliey will easily accomplish it. Think of the words of your friend. An English Mothkr. Auckland, July 2u\ 1851.