HISTORIC ST. STEPHEN’S

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 343, 2 May 1928, Page 1

HISTORIC ST. STEPHEN’S

MAORI SCHOOL TO BE MOVED TO COUNTRY LINK WITH BISHOP SELWYN Historic St. Stephen's School for Maori boys at Parnell, one of the remaining links with Bishop Selwyn. is to be removed to the country. It is the intention of the Anglican Church, following the recent decision of the General Synod at Wellington to proceed with the scheme, to purchase an area of not loss than 300 acres of second-class land in the vicinity of Auckland. The Maori pupils. according to the headmaster of St. Stephen's, Mr. W. C. Morris, will be trained in agriculture. “We want to see these boys leave school keen and capable young farmers, well able to work out their destiny on the land, as the Maori farmers, sponsored by s ' p Apirana Ngata. M.P.. north of Gisborne, are doing so successfully,M said Mr. Morris to-day The resolution of the General Synod provided that £ 25.000 could be ‘borrowed on all or any part of the Native Schools’ Trust Estate on long-term mortgage; or alternatively, on flat mortgage, with a sinking fund sufficient to extinguish the loan in 3t>4 years. Archbishop Avert 11. Primate of New Zealand, declared some time ago that the trust board had been looking round for a suitable area, but had not been successful so far. About 300 acres of second-class land, he suggested, might be taken up by the boys, ami developed. Any site selected would not be too far removed from Auckland because the boys should be given the opportunity of coming into the city to attend technical classes. Aucklanders will regret the severing of still another link with the Auckland of Bishop Selwyn. who established St Stephen’s as a school for Maori girls in the; late *4o*s. In its time it has also been a boys’ school, a school for theological scholars, and a shelter for refugees during the Waikato war days. FROM THE PACIFIC St. Stephen’s nowadays, however, is something more than a school for Maori boys. Nearly every section of the great Polynesian race is represented there. Cook Islanders. Tonga ns, Samoans, as well as Maoris, receive their education at St. Stephen's. Directors of the school have included Archdeacon Kissling. Archdeacon Maun sell. Archdeacon L. Williams, the Rev. T. Chapman. Sir William Martin, first Chief Justice of New Zealand, the Rev. G. Burrows. Mr. J. E. Davies. Mr. J. R. Smith, Mr. A. Wilson, and Mr. Morris, the present head. St. Stephen’s boys have entered Parliament, the learned professions, and generally have served their fellow Maoris. They h ' been particularly appreciated in the public service. St. Stephen’s is the oldest school of its kind in the Dominion. It is the senior of Te Aute, the other great public school for Maori boys, situated in Hawke’s Bay. by many years.