MAORIS IN ACTION.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 7, Issue 263, 3 August 1915, Page 2

MAORIS IN ACTION.

A TOMMY’S DESCRIPTION. WELLINGTON, August I An English paper the Eotheram Advertiser, of sth June, contains a letter from Private W. Ridgeway, of the j London Regiment at Malta (an cxsehoolmastcr) in which some references are made to the Maoris. "The boys at the school,” lie Avrit.es, “will b 8 very much interested to know that I have seen s° r -ie real live Maoris. On Wednes day, avq operated in conjunction with three other battalions, one of which A< r as this. Maori battalion. We marched to a place in Malta six or seven miles [ away and we arrived there the Maoris worai already there, and haying tea. They looked a fine lot of fellows, and I felt glad theywerc on our side, not against, and must confess to an added sense of‘security after having seen them. On the average I think we are slightly taller than they, but they have more brawn and sineAv than avc. As Ave marched past one of our fellOAVs said, 'They will think we are a puny lot.’ and I agreed They are remarkably well made and very athletic, They skip " v fr' -ha. •"peks. A r fi~v lighflv. We saw I

one man do a long’ jump with his full pack on. Their skins are very dark and their hair is Mack and curly, but they have all the culture of the Englishman. They speak English quite as well as we do, for most of them have a college education, and' are quite quite wealthy, A New Zealander, net a, Maori, with whom I spoke to told me that when he reached England he had £4O in his possession and had £lO army pay due to him. He said that many of them had £IOO and some even £l5O with them. Another said that hisgreatest ambition was to be led into battle by an English officer. What an answer to the German lie. that onr

colonies are but loosely held, and that the Empire would go to pieces like a pack of cards. They will do anything for an Englishman and the men of. the T). Com many said that during the week they spent at camp their (the Maoris) greatest delight was to take them to the,,capt.eqp ,and lavish thew monev on them. Lord Methuen reviewed them again an Thursday morning and he wanted to .know which of them wished to do g-'-rison duty and who wished to go to the,. front. Ho commanded all -T.i-o, n'<"i * "S’ po ira ■”■•••? son dp tv to 'slope arms' and not one in the whole comP°pw sloped arms. That’s loyalty ; ndeed.” rangataua TOWN BOARD. At the meeting of Rangataua Town Board the chairman ' informed the Board that Mr Swindells, Health Inspector, had Interviewed him in regard to being appointed Inspector for the Board, and stated that Mr Swindell would like to addres s them on the matter. It was decided to head Mr Swindells at the next meeting. The names of Crs Gorrie, Beams, Wishaw and Messrs McKay and Addison were placed befo/re the Board for final selection as to which name should b,e recommended for the position of Justice of the Peace. After careful consideration it was decided to fprward, the, name of Cr Wishaw to the Minister of Justice. Cr Uiixell mentioned that the Iroad mart twak.jhaving some difficulty with the road!in front of Koester’s and said that the Board’s previous recommendation as to Improvements was practically impossible. Much discussion followed. Cr Kefrshaw was of the opinion that a track at least should be made and the stumps cleared away. Other Crs spoke in the same strain. Cr . moved) anty Or G.orr’e seconded that the chariman should inspect the read in company with the roadman, and decide ways and means of improving it.—Carried. Th e chairman reported that the several works in hand w,sre proceeding satisfactorily.

Cr TJzzeT inquCre.d the position of the,. Board in regard to access to a certain drain running through several properties. It was pointed out that the drain in question, being a natuiral watercourse, the Board had access at all times.