MAORI MEMORIES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 9 December 1940, Page 9

MAORI MEMORIES

SCHOOL FOR MAORI BOYS.

(Recorded by J.H.3., ot Palmerston North, for the “Times-Age.”) The Bishop of New Zealand and the Chutch Mission Society gave 200 acres and the school to the Government where it was hoped to train the young Maoris to be loyal to the Crown. The Chiefs said it should have been cstablised 20 years earlier, when the Maoris would have gladly accepted it. They pointed out than 10 years ago the Maoris had given the Governor 800 acres on the promise of a school where the young men and women should be trained to do “useful things.” As this had been neglected they would now cancel the bargain, and at once resume possession of their land, the objects of which had been discourteously ignored.

When the Governor told the Chiefs that his Government was sending a steamer to navigate the Waikato river, they said it would be fired upon from both banks. Sir George said no bullets could penetrate her iron sides and he would sit reading while listening to the patter of hail as his welcome. The Maoris decided that this was .the Pakeha scheme to conquer Waikato and seize their lands.

The King’s followers held a meeting to consider the offer of a school. They were told that young men would not be admitted “as their lips and tongues were too stiff to pronounce English words.” They believed that some hostile move hidden under the guise of bomai noa (benevolence) lay behind this proposal. The young men of the King’s guard i ked the school’s food and clothing

End the pride of being taught to be l lacksmiths and carpenters. They asked permission to leave His Majesty’s service and join he school, but a £5 fine checked them for a time. Soon, however, many scholars came and remained till the outbreak of war.