ORIGIN OF THE MAORI.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 221, 24 January 1911, Page 7

ORIGIN OF THE MAORI.

LECTURE IN LONDON. London, November 30. Sir Herbert Risley, president of the British Anthropological Society, and a noted Indian authority, presided over a meeting of the Society on Tuesday cven-in-j-. held in London, when Dr. A. K. Newman, of Wellington, addressed a large audience on the question of the original home of the Maori, lie showed that Mr. Percy Smith, in his work called "llawaiki," had traced them back in a tentative way to India. Dr. Newman went, into many points, and added much fresh evidence, showing that the Maori come down from Northern India, down the Malay Peninsula, through Sumatra, Java, Borneo and New Guinea, and thence io the isles of the Pacific. The audit-nee listened with great attention to the main idea, which was new to the Society. Sir Herbert Risley. in commenting, saiil lie was very much taken with the bnldncs* of the scheme, and he had been struck by many points in the lecture, which showed resemblance between the Maori in his religion, manners, customs and habits, which were exceedingly like much that obtained in Northern India, lie mentioned that the Mongolia people in Thibet always welcomed their friends by putting out their tongue.

Dr. Newman said that was a common practice among the Maori.

Sir Herbert said lie would be very glad to read the evidence in the lecturer's comin l .' work.

Several other speakers also commented and one said he wanted much more evidence.

In reply to him, Dr. Newman remarked that, he really could not compress more evidence into half an hour, but if the -c-ietv wished he could talk to them for eight hours ». day for a week on end with further evidence.

A vide of thanks was passed to the lecturer, who also thanked the society for the opportunity afforded of placing the views of Mr. Percy Smith and himself before them.