MAORI SOCIETY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 94, 5 March 1862, Page 4

MAORI SOCIETY.

To the Editor of the Oiago Daily Times. Sir, —Are the subscribers to the Maori Society aware that there is hot no Teacher at the Heads ? Mr. Baker, having been offered'an appointment in Auckland, has accepted it, and left Otago; but this step he did not take without .having communicated with the Secretary, and expressed liis willingness to remain at the Heads if his .stipend were raised to £200. Permit me to ask, why a me^tino: of tlie Society was not called to take Mr. Baker's "proposal into consideration ? Is it so certain that y/e shall meet with another Teacher equally competent] I much doubt it. Or would there be any difficulty in the way of raising this paltry £200 a-year ? Surely not, when Mr. Mantell gave us to understand that the present Government were disposed to assist the Society liberally. Again—if funds were wanting, why should not the Teacher be also Native Interpreter, tiie salary of which appointment would be, I believe, .£IOO 1 lam aware that there are objections to this plan ; but, surely, it would lie better that the Teacher should be also Interpreter, than that there should hi no Teajher at sll I At considerable expense a house was built for the Teacher at the Heads —is any one taking charge of this house 1 Sections and cattle were given by the natives there to the Society—is the number known ? Sir, I beg leave, through your columns, to call upon the Secretary to summon, without any further delay, a meeting of the Committee, to consider whether any steps should be taken to supply Mr. Baker's place: or whether this Society, "for elevating and ameliorating the condition of the Maorics," with' its president and vice-presidents, and its committees ordinary and extraordinary, and which has done so very little for the benefit of the natives, should be dissolved, I am, Sir, yours, &c, A. B.