MAORI BATTALION

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 127, 29 April 1940, Page 2

MAORI BATTALION

GOOD WISHES EXTENDED. SPECIAL PARADE IN SQUARE. Rest wishes were extended the officers and men of the Maori Battalion at a special parade in the Square on Saturday afternoon, the speakers representing the Government, Palmerston North and surrounding districts, the Maori people, the Returned Soldiers’ Association, and the latter’s counter- . part in Australia. The parade, led by the Trentham military band, was a most impressive one. There was a large gathering of the public and the battalion’s bearing came in for much praise. The parade also included members of the Palmerston North branch of the Returned Soldiers’ Association, the Wellington-West Coast Regiment, B company of the Second Field Ambulance, the Wellington-West Coast Mounted Rifles, and cadets from the Technical High School and the Boys’ High School. Major H. A . Kerr was in charge of the parade of the Territorials and cadets. The Maori Ba.t'alion, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel K. Dittmcr, marched by way of Cuba Street and Bangitikei Street to the band rotunda, the area in front of which was lined off by the Territorials and cadets, the members of the Returned Soldiers’ Association being spaced on either side of the battalion, next a stand on which members of surrounding local bodies and representative citizens were seated. In the official party were the Prime Minister (Hon. P. Fraser) and 'Mrs Fraser, the Minister of Defence (Hon. F. Jones) and Mrs Jones, MajorGeneral J. E. Duigan (Chief of the General Staff), Colonel R. Row (Officer Commanding the Area), Mr L. A. Robb (representing the Returned Soldiers’ ' and Sailors’ Imperial League of Australia), Sir Apirana Ngata, Mr J. Hodgens, M.P., Mr A. E. Mansford (Mayor of the city) and Mrs Mansford, Mr J. R. Hardie (town clerk), (Jr \V. R. Hopcroft (chairman of the Kairanga County Council) and Mr B, J. Jacobs (vice-president of the Now Zealand Returned Soldiers’ Association). An apology for absence was received from Mr H. T. Ratana, M.P., who was to have been a speaker but who could not attend owing to the death of his mother, and he forwarded a message of goodwill to the battalion. As a mark of respect the gathering stood in silence for a moment as a mark of sympathy with Mi' Ratana. An apology for absence was also received from lion. W. Moffatt, who forwarded a telegram of good wishes to the battalion. RESPONSE TO THE CALL.

“I represent, along with the Government, the people trom one end of the country to the other, and 1 desire to express their gratitude to the officers and men of the Maori Battalion,” said Mr,Fraser. (Applause.) “We are here to express their great pride at the way in which the men of the Maori race have come forward and answered the call of New Zealand, the call of the British Empire, and the call of every force that works for progress and unity. From one end of the country to the other, Jrom every tribe and sub-tribe, from every marae. the young warriors have come forward and have joined up with their pakeha brothers in forming one of the best contributions to the strength of the British Commonwealth of Nations. Before long you will be going overseas. We know that von will maintain the reputation of the First Echelon, now in Egypt. We know you will add to their prestige and that, when the time comes for you to go into action, you will stand fast and true and will live, and fight, up to the highest traditions of the peop'e of the British Dominions. “There is no need for me to emphasise the issues that are at stake today ; or to emphasise how Great Britain tried to maintain peace and stood for justice for the smaller nations.” Proceeding, the Prime Minister said it was not necessary to repeat how Herr Hitler and his Nazi henchmen had rejected every overture, mistaking justice for weakness and a sign of cowardice, how the Nazi forces had overrun Austria, Czechoslovakia, Denmark and Norway. There was nn reason for us to believe that if Hitler wore triumphant we would he treated - differently from the nations which had been overrun. We knew how they were being treated, and the cruel story would always he a black page in the history of mankind. Every thinking person realised that, while the struggle was for Democracy as against the principle of force, the struggle was for our own existence. If Great Britain and Franco were defeated, and HI. cir country would come down also. The dest’mct’V-i of Britain would he ours; if she fell wo "would crash to earth too. But there would he no fall. With the help of millions of young men ; our force would triumph, and lead to fair dealing again between man and man, and nation and nation and Democracy would l>e enthroned. Concluding, the Prime Minister said we knew that the men of Hie Maori Battalion would conduct themselves i like gentlemen; that they would live

up to tlie best examples of those who had preceded them, and would fight courageously. We would welcome them back with the greatest warmth. On behalf of the Government, he expressed the wish that the Great Providence would look after them and that thev would soon he welcomed back, annd a lasting peace. WORTHV REPRESENTATIV ES. On a previous occasion, said the Minister of Defence, lie had had the opportunity of inspecting the (Maori .battalion, and lmd then been impressed with the splendid physique and Pealing of the men. They showed they were worthy representatives of the Maori race. Over 2500 Maori men had responded to the call without hesitation, and registrations had come from all parts oi New Zealand, 11l at showed how truly representative of the ! people was the battalion’s meniberI ship ; how deeply set was the desire of the Maori people to play their part in the present struggle. We remembered with pride the part the Pioneer Maori Battalion had played in' the Great War. They had shown the fortitude and heroism 01 their race. This new , Maori Battalion would maintain the high reputation set. The speaker conveyed to Colonel Dittmer, the officers and the men best wishes that their mission would be successful and that they would soon be back among their , loved ones in New Zealand. FAITH IN VICTORY. j The Mayor said the citizens of Palmerston North had been pleased when they had learned that there was a possibilitv of the Maori Battalion camp being established here and had done j all they could to make the battalion s stay pleasant and enjoyable. The en- | listments for the battalion had been made with the same patriotic response as that shown 25 years ago for the Pioneer Battalion, for the reason that . the Maoris were New Zealanders, because the Empire had been chal.enged for the honouring of its pledge. Ihe Maoris and the pakchas were to-day standing shoulder to shoulder in a firm resolve to assist the Allies to redeem the countries over-run by the Nazis. They did know what the cost would be, how long the war would last, what the- suffering would be, but they did know the people would endure to the bitter end, until victory was ours. “four conduct lias been exemplary and an object lesson,” proceeded the Mayor. “You go away leaving thousands of friends and we know that wherever the battalion is destined to go the .name of the Maori race will be safe in vour bands.” TO UPHOLD PRESTIGE.

Mr Hodgens said he realised that the prosuge-thal had been.built about tne great Maori race would stand to the Maori Battalion during the period that they were making the great sacrifice for New Zealand and for Democracy. Such a rue bod;, of men as formed the Maori Battalion was an inspiration to the ci iliau population, and would urge It to ire all i;s energies to overthrow the lor-.-e of Nazism, said Cr. Hopcroft. The thanks of the Maori race were tendered by Sir Apirana Ngata to the people who had extended hospitality to the members of the battalion. He acknowledged the gratitude of tile Maori people to the late Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage and to bis successor, Mr Fraser, for sympathy to the Maori people. It was a small force judged by I numbers alone, but in proportion to \ l uii'iial : n, as Mr Fraser and Mr Jones knew, no greater response bad been made by any part of the British Empire than by the Maori people. (Applause.) Sir Apirana added that be could not do better, to show the spirit of the Maori people, than to quote the words of the battalion marching song. • The battalion, at' the speaker’s request, sang the song in English and Maori. Sir Apirana also addressed the battalion in Maori, extending them best wishes, and concluded by wishing them an revoir and God-speed in English. As vice-president of the New Zealand Returned Soldiers’ Association, Mr Jacobs, speaking directly to the officers and men of the battalion, said they would meet dangers and discomforts, but they would have pleasures that would far outweigh these. They would form great friendships, a great spirit of comradeship. Representing the Returned Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Imperial League of Aus-. tralia, Mr Robb said Australians recalled that they fought side by side with men of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force, of which the Maori Pioneer Battalion was a part, in the Great War. The traditions of the Pioneer Battalion were safe in the hands of the 28th (Maori) Rifle Battalion. The old soldiers 'of Australia wished them well. On the call of the Mayor, three cheers were given by . the gathering for the Maori Battalion, and the battalion responded with three cheers for the Mayor and the people of Palmerston North in a manner that made the echoes ring round the Square. The singing of the National Anthem closed the ceremony and the battalion then moved off on its return to the camp.