MAORI SOLDIERS.

Taihape Daily Times, 5 June 1919, Page 5

MAORI SOLDIERS.

o THE PIONEER BATTALION. GENERAL RUSSELL'S APPRECIATION. WELLINGTON, this day. The Minister of Defence, (Sir Jas. Allen) ha? received from General. Sir A. H. Eussell, who commanded the New Zealand Division in France, a letter conveying his high appreciation of the services rendered by the Maori Pioneeer Battalion. Both as righting men and as Pioneers they won high praises, and this recognition of their fine qualities will be a matter for pride not only among their own people*, but among (the Pakehas of New Zealand, showing how well the native race co-operated with the European in a time of national emergency. Sir James Allen has had the Divisional Commander's letter translated into Maori, and published in the "Kahiti" the Maori Gazette, which is widely circulated among the natives. It is as follows: •EJRANCEI 11th March, 1919. Dear Sir James, — I have just heard that the Maori Pioneer B'attalon is on the eve of embarkation on their return to New Zealand.

Having had the honour and good fortune to have the Maoris under my command both as the Maori Contingent on Gallipoli and later in Franee as the Pioneer Battalion of the New Zealand Division, I should like to express my appreciation, which I know is shared by all ranks of the New Zealand Expeditionary 'Force, of the fine qualities shown by the Maoris during the war. On Gallipoli when they took a full share in the initial operations on the 6th August, 1915, in the battlo of Chunuk Bair, and later in the fighting on Hill 60, the Maoris proved themselves true descendants of those fighting tribes from which they axe descended. In France their work as Pioneers may not have been as dramatic, and therefore perhaps not so easily recognised by' the public. But those of us who have benefitted by the work done by the Pioneer Battalion —not only in the Somme in 1916, at Mcssines, at Tpres, and on the battlo .fields of 1918, but also during the monotonous months of french warfare will readily acknowledge the debt wo owe to the battalion.. I am not going too far when I say that their work on communication trenches and in 'the preparation of defence lines has saved the division many lives, and this work was carried out under conditions so arduous and as dangerous as any other duty which %oldiers are called on to perform, while their opportunities for rest and relief were less than is tin case with infantry in the line, except during a battle Bight through their period of active service the Maoris have shown themselves brave, well-disciplined, and in a very marked degree of that cheerful and willing spirit which goes so far towards the making, of a gcod soldier. I am confident that I speak for the whole division wheii- I say we are proud of the 'Maoris as our eauntrymen and brothers in arms. I hope you will convey this appreciation of the services rendered by the Maoris in the war to their representative. —Yburs sincerely!, A. H. RUSSELL. Major-General commanding the N-Z. Division.