THE BIG HUI

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Volume 59, Issue 34, 12 March 1930, Page 8

THE BIG HUI

Per Press Association.

BISHOP WILLIAMS FETED. NATIVE CELEBRATTON S IN GISBORNE. HON. FORBES ATTENDS.

GISBORNE, Last night. For the past week Gisborne has been the centre of attraction for. Maoris from all parts of the North Island for the purposes — firstly, of attending a hui and the unveiling of memorials at Wai-o-matini to the late Lady Ngata and Makarini Ngata, son of Sir Apirana Ngata, hoth of whom died 1'ast year; and, secondly, to be present at the opening of a new meeting hou'se at Kaiti, a suburb of Gisborne. Tlie first ceremonies were held on Sunday and tben visiting tribesmen numbering some hundred came on to Gisborne, wliere tbe meeting house, known as Te-poho-o-rawiri, was opened this "morning witb all tbe old time ceremonies. Some hundreds of pakehas were present and also a . very large" num'ber of Maoris. DR. BUCK PRESENT. During the morning an important event was the arrival of Dr. Peter Buck, knoVn as Rangihiroa, one of tbe most distinguisbed members of the Maori race who has lately been cari-y-* ing on research work for Bishop museum in the Cook Islands. Dr. Buck is passing tlirough New Zealand to take steamer for Hawaii, and took the opportunity of revisiting Gisborne and attending the hui at the Kaiti Pa. Welcomes to Rangihiroa .in the picturesque and flowery Maori,. language were extended by Henare Ruru, of Te Karaka, Mokonui Arangi, of Te Arawa, Canoe Tai Tomo', pf the West- Coast district. Mete Kingi, of Wanganui, Meta Taupopoki, of Rotorua, and • Sir Apiraria Ngata. RANGIHIROA'S REPLY. Rangihiroa in his repl.y expressed his deep sympathy with the many homes in which the depth of sorrow had been felt. . "I left you hut never forgot you," continued Dr. Rangihiroa. "Since I left you I hay© been dwelling on the hilltops of a distant land where I was called to visit. From that elevation I eould see my own people, you of the Maori race, and in perspective admired in you characteristics which make . of you a noble race. I am pleased to shy I have learned a great deal of the ccfanection of our people with those'iof the older isalnds, hut I have a great deal still to learn. "So far I would like you to kno'w I have discovered that our people are preserving a numher of ancient and heautiful characteristics that hjave sunk out of sight in the other lands of the Pacifie, and I would urge with all my heart that you should keep them alive through years to come." BISHOP WILLIAMS WELCOMED. "The legend of the fish of Maui is known abroad, and in Hawaii they have a song, the meaning of which is that through the strength pf the great ropes made in their land, Maui was enabled to acliieve his liistoric feat of bringing Aotearoa to the surface of the southern seas. "To-day we are weaving a strand of great and lasting strength — the best of our, Maori peoplex such as Sir Apirana Ngata and those working in his sliadow, men from all parts of the countryj — to draw forward the Maori people, to their greater destinv." lihe first of the Maori speakers to welcome the pakehas was Henare Ruru, who extended to the new Bishop of Waiapu, Dr. H. W. Williams, greetings and congc'atulations on his attainment of leadersbip of the diocese. He was the third of his family to achieve this lionour. The Maori people rememhered with especial pride that Bishop Williams had been born in Poverty Ba^. • • ^ In the -new meeting house was embodied an idea which . Bishop. .Williams would. rejoice to see thua'.fulfilled— a r.epository . in .whichi Maori arts and crafts' would he pres'erved as Bishop Williams himself had preserved tho Maori . language. in books. . To the Minister of Lands, the Hon. G. W. Forbes. Henar© Ruru meritioned that the tribes already had oeoasion to extend a welcome to him, and this nresent greeting was merely to assure him once again of th» rerrard in which the Maori people- held him. MINISTER OPENS BUILDING. Sir Apirana Ngata stated that the dedication of tbe building had taken place on the preceding day immediately 011 the arrival of the visitors from the coast. The new meeting Ijouse, he said, was an attempt to re-estahlish a centre of Maori art. Sir" Apirana then asked Mr Forbes to opqn the buijding. • Mr Forbes, in the course of his speech referred to the value of the Maori relics and the many manifestations of ancient customs to the Dominion from the material viewpoint of tourist attractions, and urged the important point of the preservation of national, characteristics for their own sake. The Minister then opened the building, and on his eall eheers • were given by the pakehas for their Maori friends. Mrs P. Tureia,- one bf the direct descendants pf the occupants of Titirangi, the original r>a, preseuted the Minister with a heautiful Maori cloak in accordance with the native custom, and later the Minister and oakeha guests were entertained af luncheon.