HOSTEL FOR MAORIS

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 942, 8 April 1930, Page 10

HOSTEL FOR MAORIS

BUILDING AT TUAKAU OPENED BY MINISTER Spc ori fo TiJJE Sly TL AK.\l. Monday. The now Maori hostel at Tuakau. was officially opened today bv Apirana X;: ta. X Affairs, The ceremony was performed in the presence of a large number of nativ C 5 and Europeans. A welcome to the visitors was given by Messrs. John Hira. tYhare Pomarn and Otene Raul, on behalf of the Auckland and Waikato tribes. The well come was acknowledged by the Minister. Air. C. E. MacCormick. Judge of the Native Land Court, and Mr. R H. R. Balnea vis. secretary of the Native Affairs Department. In opening the building. Sir Apirana paid a tribute to the work being done by Princess Te Pia * and her band of entertainers in raising funds and otherwise giving their time and efforts in encouraging Maoris to develop thenlands. and provide for themselves such amenities as the hospital Ngaruawahia and the hostel at Tuakau. At present, said the Minister, important developments were in hand, which should mean much to the native race. At Waipipi, near AYaiuku. the natives were engaged under Princess Te Puea in developing 300 .acres of their own land a system whereby they supplied the labour and the Government farm machinery, grass seed, fertilisers, and other requisites. If the work there proved successful, an area of SOO acres at OneMhero would be developed in the same way. Applause greeted an announcement by Sir Apirana that the name he had chosen for the building was Xgatierua, signifying the linking together of the east and the west after long years of bickering. The congratulations of the Europeans of the district to the natives on their enterprise in building the hostel were expressed by Air. A\’. ,T. Taylor chairman of the Tuakau Town Board, and Mr. W. J. Deeble, a member of the board. The hostel is built on a site donated by Air. E. Alatete of Tuakau. and cost £BOO. It includes a large livingroom. and three large bedrooms, with a, detached kitchen. Modem facilities. including a water supply laid on from a bore on the site, are provided. The grounds have been laid out In paths, and the courtyard has been concreted. A banquet followed the opening ceremony.