The Daily News. TUESDAY, APRIL 18, 1905. THE FUTURE OF THE MAORI.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7801, 18 April 1905, Page 2

The Daily News. TUESDAY, APRIL 18, 1905. THE FUTURE OF THE MAORI.

The opening of the Turakina School tor Maori Girls on, Thursday last marks another step towards solving the problem of the future of the natives of tUja colony. An elderly Maori who was present at the ceremony, when referring to the girls ofj the school, said "Our days are drawing to ur close,, hut their day is coining." There is far more force and meaning in this remark than at first sight is apparent, and to those who are 'interested in the preservatien oT the native r-acc by the only possihlu means through which that desirable end can be accomplished, will gladly hail the closing of the old days and the dawning of a new and .brighter era, It has been recognised for a long- .time that the task of saving and elevating the natives was utterly impossible unless the mothers of the coming generation could' bo taught, something of the laws of health l , nursing the sick, cooking food anil other simple rules of life as- well as« the ordinary subjects of education.* If the men are to be iDSwnced for good, the wjves must no longer be heathens or ignorant, but be capable women, and lit companions and. helpmates for eJibcated husbamH-s. It Is also considered tihat, as a matter of course,, improvement in the home life would lead to spiritual' improvement and would also minimise the great mortality amongst infants, which iis now so apparent. The first step in the direction of educating Maori girls at hoardirtg schools was taken (it Auckland, whiere the institution ia under the control of the Anglican Church. The school at Turnkifia. ia due to the efforts of the Ptxjsbytcrians, but there is ample room for the Methodists (who have considerable funds available for Maori mission work) and all the other churches to found similar institutions. Asi the Premier pointed out in the apt remarks he mode at the opening ceremony at Turakina, not only would the educated Maori women be fit to go out into the world with tftcir husbands and mix with the European people, but tho training would make the girls fit to teach their sisters in the Kaingas, and point outt tho various things which were injuring the Maoris, for instance, tho communistic manner of living. The necessity of increasing the number of schools for 'g<irlß wasi recognised by Mr Seddon in the same way a» it is borne home to all those who devote any thought to the matter, and in tho interests of the natives it is to. be sincerely hopixl that the time is not far distant when the requisite number will be available. Equally pertinent were the Premier's remarks to . the young Maoris, who, he said, wore heii)ing to degenerate and deplete the race by the way in which they were living, spending most of their time in gO|ingito races, a»d in billiard rooms. He urged them to look at the past history of the Maoris, follow in the footsteps of their ancestors, and not allow themselves to become a reproach to a noble race which the peopfo of the colony woe trying to preserve. The Premier also gave the Maoris a serious word of warning against "tohungas," one of the curses of the native race, and he urged t-Kein not only to support the school but to keep their children there so that they might receive the full benefits of the education provided. There is n consensus of opinion on one point, that tho hope of the race is centred on the Using generation. It is, therefore, more than ever necessary that the powerful lever of Education shall be utilised to its ut-

most capacity. That the Maoris on.capable of attaining to considerable intellectual prominence has already been demonstrated, and this .blended with the beautiful poetic imagery of their own language adds a charm to their olojojucnce, whit 0 their natural courtesy is intensified by the culture obtained through education. Once open the eyes of the Maori women to the repulsiveness of their, •surroundings-, and the benefits of adopting all that is best in the European mode of life,, the rest is easy, and the future of Uie race will bo such that it will command the respect and admiration of the civilisoj world.