MAORI HOSTEL

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 616, 19 March 1929, Page 8

MAORI HOSTEL

FULFILMENT OF IDEAL MR. COATES AT NGARUAWAIIK (Special to THE STTSj NGARFAWAHIA, Monday With the opening of the new Maori hostel at Ngaruawahia today. Princess Te Puea Herang,. *l,. Waikato chieftainess, saw the ful. filment of a long-cherished ideal. The opening ceremony was j*. r formed by the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coate, Leader of the Opposition, in the pretence of over 5.000 people, including re. presentatives of tribes from all over -Ww- Zealand. It is said to be , hr first time since the Maori War that so many different tribesmen have met together.

The building, which is built in the Kimikimi pa, on the Waikato River, is named Mahurangi, and is a beautiful example of Maori art. with a particularly striking ornamental door. i t will serve as a home for destitute and fatherless Maoris.

The hostel is the outcome of the ceaseless work of Princess Te Puea who toured New Zealand with a con cert party to raise funds for the building. The late Government did not view- the suggestion favourably, but Mr. Coates, then Prime Minister, presented timber to the value of £2sn from the Frankton mill. East Coast natives paid over £6OO into the building fund.

ALL TRIBES INVITED Princess Te Puea invited ail Kew Zealand tribes to attend the festivities in connection with the opening ceremony, and natives of the North Auckland, Waikato, Hauraki, Taupo, Rotorua, Whakatane, Hawke’s Bay, Taranaki and Wanganui, Wellington and South Island tribes sent delegation!,. This assisted materially in bringing together those tribes that had been tranged by the dissensions arising cw of the Maori War.

The Governor-General, Sir Charles 1 ergusson, and Lady Alice Fergussoo were shown over the hostel on Saturday. Later, a Maori ceremony took place, in which the tapu was removed by incantations. Bishop F. A. Bennett dedicated the hostel yesterday. At to-day’s ceremony representatives of the Native Affairs Department, Bishop Bennett, Mr. Jones, Chief Judge of the Native Land Court, Mr. MacCormick, and Mr. Carr, Judges of the Native Land Court, Dr. Ellison, Director of Maori Hygiene, Archdeacon Herbert Williams, and Messrs. W. Lee Martin, D. G. Sullivan and P. Fraser. M.P.’s, were among those present. Mr. and Mrs. Coates were given a splendid reception as they entered the pa, hakas, poi dances and songs bv the Maoris being given. After taking a seat between Lady Ngata and Queen Te Marae, the mother of King Rata, who was absent, and aunt of Princess Te Puea, Mr. Coates was greeted with speeches of welcome by the Native Minister and the leaders of the various tribes, including the old war veteran, Mita Taupopoki. Several speeches were made, and Mr. Coates was described as the Pakeha who had found the Maori heart. Replying to the welcome, Mr. Coates complimented Princess Te Puea on the achievement of her object and said he would do all in his power to place Maori aims above political controversy. The Maoris, who had brains and physique equal to the Pakehas, were now walking the road leading to prosperity and self-dependence. The mat veiling the tiki at the top of the centre pole was then removed and Mr. Coates opened the doors of th** hostel.