PATRIOTIC WAHINES.

Gisborne Times, Volume XLV, Issue 4009, 16 August 1915, Page 5

PATR IOTIC WAH INES .

AXXRjT'S TO BE ALLOWED TO nt ib-F Maori -dfljfrs. DKPUTAI lON H) HON. W J) S. Ala DONALD. A SYAi i’.Ui i • FTP R ECU BIT ON. In t-Tivmi'Ui- eariy days, before the advent of the white man, when lighting was the spice of life to the Maori, his womenfolk bore no unimportant part in the campaigns. The wahines were just as valiant and brave as the warrior.-, and ii thev did not actually wield the axe in wa; tire, they were ,u hand to attend to the commissariat depart mem and, it goes without seyiiig: to bind up the bleed ing wounds ami soothe the pain caused in * t!*• - dv.-ja.-titv encounters of tribe against trice. That- that -pint has by no me: 's died out is proved by the fact t. t the Native v.omen <J this district . keenly .at ihs pres*nt time ■ » hear their i:arr*u> v!n> war. A larg-- denutoth n of Natives wai • cd upon tin- ! in. W. j). S. Mr.;Don;.id ; iurd iv ai'terimori. : askr 1 Mim-t.-i to submit a re (IUC'L in ill' Ui.-Vi : i ll: -;.t that Native girls shmiid s . Sov. -i to proceed to the ; :: in nursing the Aloe: i s,f. Ida deputation was ii.tr- . i _ Air W. -I. Heiincssy. Lady (r rr'd! stated that a meeting of the Nadia iff triotic Connr.iuee had be-.-r. i:-dd tin: morning, when ithad deoi: reso’ved to place the request before Air Aiiud/onrid. Tltev desired that well-rdiecited Native girls should be sent- av- ay to assist the Natives already at the front. They bad written to' the .Minister of Defence on the subject, and hoped that Air AlacDonald would do ins best 101 them in the matter. Air Ferris had received a letter from his son. asking that Native girls should be sent to assist the nurses in attending v the wounded. Air le Kani Pete congratulated Air AiacDonald on having once again attained AUmsterinl i.-nk. nid solicited his sympathy m unmeet ion with tlieir request. IMF AIINIRIFIU.B REPLY*. The Alini-ster. in replying, thanked the Natives in: their congratulations, and said lie would endeavor to justify their confidence m him. It vas very pleasing to him and the Government 'generalI v to observe the interest the Native race was taking in the great struggle in which the Empire was engaged. I ney could only hope that it would not he long before victory would come to the pakelia and the Alaori and the Allied armies. (Applause.) - They wore all proud of the fact that as soon as it was known thatthere was going to ho trouble tne Natives had stepped forward, to offer men. moiiev, and food. The Aiaoii soldier* had done credit to their ancestor- and tlie people of New Zealand. He appreciated the desire of the Alaoris to send nurses to tne front, which showed their strong sympathy with those who had gone to fignt the Empire's hat lies. He would do all he possihlv could to have their request.,r- t -. H Vd to. Those in authority considered it was essential at the present time only to send trained nurses. tD approeiatec! the fa; t that they had trained and educated women, as well a* mureinod women. who "anted 1° o-o anti help at the front. It- was all New creditable, but the Government had to listen to the counsel of those in an - horny. Ho could only express bis personal view—not tnat of the Govovmuent, and lie was oonvinced that to a certain extent the reouest was jiisiiiiahle. H Hiey could not accede to the request to send untrained girls, he hoped when T-he next Alaori contingent' left that they would he able to .send some et the excellenttrained Native, nurses. He would have pleasure m placing tne nialrtp before the Hon. Air RusseU would do what lie personally could *0 have their request acceded to. (ApPl ARTe Kani Pore thanked the /Minister for his patient hearing and his promises of help, and askeu him to be strong on their behalf. Ah' AiacDonald said that lus sympathies were with them. For tae past 30 years they had been kind to nun, and as far ‘as it lay in his power be would be strong m the Alaori interests in this matter.