Maori Contingent.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 130, 26 October 1914, Page 4

Maori Contingent.

KEEN FOR REAL FIGHTDfO. «j|j ADDRESSED BY THE MINISTER 01 DEFENCE. Auckland, Last Night. ■ The Maori Expeditionary Contingent was inspected in camp at Avondale on Saturday morning by the Minister for Defence and Colonel A, W. Robin, C.8., Officer Commanding the Defence Force. Hon. Allen made a point of speaking to • large proportion of the men, asking where each came from, his school, military experience, and so forth. Aftar inspection, the (Minister had the whole!

contingent formed up in mass, and g»rj| them a vigorous address, calling them aft propriately "My Maori brothers." if* had come up, he said, to see the commencement of their training, and be hoped to see a great improvement whan he visited them again. Ho was greatly pleased to see that such fine represent tatives of the native race had come fofc ward to assist the Empire, and hi hoped eventually to sec the non-coni» missioned officers and men more selfreliant, better trained, and bettflf equipped even than their pakebaj brothers. "That is a big order," added the Minister, amid loud applause from the men. "We aro giving you of oui best in regard to training, but, after all, it depends entirely on yourselves, and you must give us of your best. The King has called for your services, and by serving your King you will servl your country. Also, you have been told that half of you are going to Egypt, and half to Samoa. I know you all want tt go to Egypt. (Laughter.) I hate senl a message to the Governor and trira< Minister on the subject, but the mattei rests with the King, not with us. M Defence Minister, I should like to at you all go to Egypt, but if you wish t< get there you must lose no time ore) » your training. I know that you want U go to the front itself, but that agab does not rest with me. Lord Kitchene: will probably have a say as to that, mi it rests with yourselves what showfof you mako before the men whom tort Kitchener sends." Jn conclusion, the Minister expresses his pride that New Zealand was thi first of the overseas Dominions (Indu excepted) to send a native contingen for the Empire's service. At the-ologi of the address the contingent gave thre< hearty cheers for the Minister, and tUci an impromptu haka. Subsequently a deputation waited oi tho Hon. Mr AUen, to ask that, if pos j.sible, the contingent might not be cu in two at the end of its training, bu kept intact. The deputation also' ex pressed the hopo that the authprtfiei would give the Maoris an opportunity of seeing service at tho front itself. Hon Allen said the contingent was a* ; tho disposal of the imperial Govern , ment, and the Defence Department eouli : only make recommendations. "If yoi go to Egypt," he remarked, "youjnaj not be very far from the nrin^MMßj the cable tells us that tWflrtrrks^ giving trouble, and Egyptfmay yet havi to defend herself." SPLENDID RAW MATERIAL. THE MINISTER IMPRESSED. Auckland, Last Night. The composition of the Maori Contin gent made a very favourable imprcssioi upon the Minister for Defence. "There ii the raw material of a fine body of wl diers in the contingent," Mr Allen re marked on his return from the camp "and with diligent training they shoali be able to take their place beside th< I highly-trained troops of Egypt. Even ii the short time the men have been ii camp very good results have been oh tained." Mr Allen found that many of the mei are old scholars of St. Stephen a. ft Aute, Clareville, and the Otaki Schools, and other schools for Maor: boys. Some of them held the rank o! non-commissioned officers in school cadcl companies, and are finding that th< training was of value. One of tat Maoris ha 8 already 'been appointed to t lieutenancy, and Mr Allen said tbii probably all the subalterns would Jx Maoris. At present he could not uaj whether any of them would be prq. motcd to the rank of captain, "Tlu contingent is thoroughly rcpresentatitf of the younger generation of Maorisf Mr lAllen remarked. %

Referring to the request made br *4s] putntion from the men that the contingent should bo sent to Egypt/jlnfl an opportunity given, if possible, to &9 to the front, Mr Allen explained tMN the arrangement fihat a contingent® 20 Maoris should be formed for Bordfli in Egypt was made by the ImperSn authorities, in Msponso to the offer. «| native troops. The force bad beti doubled W tho New Zealand Govenfr ment, with the object of sending 2$ men to Samoa to relieve those membefl of the gtu-rison who desired to votvhj teer for service in tba draft for reltf forcing the main expeditionary force.» was still possible that the arrangement •mglit be varied by tie taoeitf authorities.