ACCOMMODATION AND MEALS

Te Ao Hou, June 1961, Page 10

ACCOMMODATION AND MEALS Our sleeping quarters were at Waipapa hostel. Many people, knowing the unpromising exterior, raised their eyebrows when they heard the address; however, the place is clean inside and very reasonably priced. Good sheets and pillows are provided. For any party not greater than 24 the hostel is very suitable, although one has to have meals and baths elsewhere; this, however, we found very easy to do. The advantage of Waipapa is that the whole party can stay together instead of being scattered through the city in billets. One gathers, in any case, that finding billets for Maori children is not easy in Auckland, although in Wellington and Christchurch, Maori schools have never found any difficulty. Having settled in at Waipapa, we went to the Maori Community Centre for our evening meal. The centre is to be complimented on the excellent service it gives to school parties. Not only is the food very good and reasonable, but the hall, the musical instruments, the friendliness, all helped to make the centre a second home for the children and a most useful base. We spent every night from 5.30 to 7.30 at the centre. We were visited there one night by Colonel Awatere, who is in charge of Maori welfare in Auckland. He told us about the activities of the Maori Community Centre and the services it gives to any of our pupils who might come to Auckland to live. Each day 10 children were on kitchen and dining-room duty to help the cook at the centre. This, however, did not stop them from joining in all the excursions.