MAORIS FOR THE WAR

Taranaki Daily News, 2 July 1915, Page 8

MAORIS FOR THE WAR

-Mi'-X EARBWELLEI) AT lIAWKKA. lhere .was a large gathering at the Hiuvera railway station yesterday morning to Inrewell three'.Mnoris from'tlx-.lis triet—namely, P. Pini, Katene and Miro who were leaving by the mail train en route to join the Maori Contingent at Auckland lor service at the front. 'MI-. Dixon, .Mayor oi J law era, in his address, referred to the fact that about three hundred of the second live hundred required had come forward—namely, 2(10 from .Wellington, 00 from Auckland and 14 from ifche south. lie pointed out 111 Lit if tin: live hundred was not' made up the three hundred would go. He felt certain that they would uphold the best traditions of their forefathers, of Xew Zealand, and of iiiie Empire, fie

uracil them to play the man, to play the game. ami he concluded by saying that he felt assured their record on their return would he one to be proud of. 'The Rev. F. C. Hammond then spoke a few words, in jMaori, as follows: "1 am just here to greet you on your determination to £o to serve your King. I have not sent you, the people have not sent, you, you have decided to go yourselves. Perhaps it is God who has given you this thought to go and uphold the. : Empire. Now you are leaving us, I can only say that, we trust you will go under the protection of the most high and under .I'lle shelter of our great Lord. That He will guide you in camp, when you are crossing the great sen, of Kiwu, and when vmi come to a strange laud, I have nothing more to add, but 1 greet you and I greet the people to-day." John Pini, the well-known representative footballer, in reply, said: .Mayor. Indies and Gentlemen, —I thank you for your kind words to-day. We are going to fight for our Kino:, for him who owns this country. ,\Ve feel it our duty to go and uphold that lovely flag under which we all live. We hope to he able to do as our ancestors have done. They were always a brave people and played the game, and we are going to do our duty. Again I thank you for your kind words this morning. 'He then lead the spirited chant, which was joined in by all the Natives present: Ka mate, ka mate, ka ora, ka ora; Tenei te tangata. Pulm whnru nana, whaka, wliiti te ra, repano, whiti te ra. The train then moved, out amidst a storm of eheers from those present and lively salvos from the locomotives.