MISSION TO MAORIS.

Taranaki Daily News, 3 October 1917, Page 8

MISSION TO MAORIS.

ADDRESS BY REV. N. H. PAPAKA KURA.

The Whiteley Hall was very well filled last night, when the Rev. N. H. Papakakura, missioner to the Maoris, deliverea an address on the work done among them. Mr. Papakakura said he could not claim to have done much spiritual work as yet. Taranaki, as his predecessor told him, was a "hard case place." Though the old influences of resistance to Christianity were dying out, thanks to the good work done by the Revs. Hammond and Haddon, the work was still very difficult, as the natives were tainted with vices only too easily picked up from the whites. Over two-thirds of the Maori population of the Dominion were obsessed with the spirit of gambling, the bad effects of which could not be exaggerated. The drink curse was a more serious menace than was generally understood. The missioners'. hardest tasks were found in the pahs near towns and European settlements. Apart from the still lingering effects of false teaching, and the acquired vices, there was an indifference on the part of many Maoris which was very difficult to overcome. They did not want the services of a minister, and said so. In places within easy reach of New Plymouth the dead were still buried according to the old customs, with no religious service whatever. On one occasion Mr. Papakakura went t6 a palf to bury a baby, but when he arrived he found that the baby had been buried without ceremony, and the men and women were all hopelessly intoxicated. However, this spirit of indifference was being gradually overcome. Many people have expressed astonishment that no separate native church has been founded anil Mr. Papakakura pointout that the reason why this had never been done is that the natives are so scattered that the cost of reaching them all by special ministers would be prohibitive. Probably it would never be possible to establish such a church. In the meantime, the only courses open are to carry on the mission work, and for the European ministers to attend to natives within their districts. Christianity was the only antidote to the evils already mentioned.

During the evening, Mr. Papakakura, who has a very fine and well-balanced tenor voice, sang "If Thou Wert Blind" and "Tn the Cathedral," with great success, and for the duet "'Watchman! What of the Night?" he and Mr. A. B. Macdonnld wen- accorded hearty applause. The accompaniments were played by Miss E. Douglas.