MERE AND PLOUGHSHARE

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 587, 19 July 1933, Page 4

MERE AND PLOUGHSHARE

In, the course of a most interesting letter to the trustees of the Auckland War Memorial Museum published yesterday, Mr H. Tai Mitchell, on behalf of the i Arawa Trust Board, made a most ! appropriate reference to the I very great change which has taken place in the pursuits of the Maori race in the brief space of less than 100 years. It is now being realised that in time tocome this will constitute one of the inost epic pages in the young history of this Dominion and it is becoming increasingly apparent that one of the most important pages of this history is being written at the present time. The transition of the Maori from the disorder which previously prevailed in regard to native laiids, to the ordered effort and definite policy which is embodied in the present development schemes will be recorded by the historians of the future as one of the most interesting experiments which has heen conducted in the establishment and salvation of a native people upon their own lands. Mr. Mitchell very adequately summarised the matter in his letter thus: "If the request is favourably considered the board further respectfully suggests that the trophy he displayed in the Maori section of your huilding amongst the war weapons of the Maori which the trophy, if I may say so, seeks to displace by diverting the str-ength of man physically and spiriitually from. thoughts of war and strife to the cultivation of the soil where true freedom and contentment prevail." Metaphorically the sword, or rather the mere, is being beaten into the ploughshare and the process is one which will play a gr.eat part in; ithe progress of this country. There has been i considerable criticism: regarding \ some aspects of the native land j schemes but this has been solely j in connection with the adminis- j tration. In our opinion, there can i be no criticism of the general j policy which the Native Minister is pursuing in endeavouring to turn the great resources of the Maori people into productive and ordered channels. Upon the lands of his forefathers, the Maori of to-day has the opportunity to add another page to the history of his people side by side with his Pakeha brethren. "Peace has its victories no less renowned than war" and along the lines of the present policy which is being pursued, there is promise of the greatest victory over circumstances which the Maori has ever won.