NEWS IN BRIEF

Mr N. P. K. Puriri, of the tribe of Ngati Whatua, has been appointed Deputy Controller of Maori Welfare. Following his transfer to Wellington, Col. A. Awatere took over the job of District Welfare Officer, Auckland, and Mr J. Rangihau, until then welfare officer in Taupo, replaced Col. Awatere as District Welfare Officer, Rotorua.

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Dr P. W. Tapsell, holder of the Ngarimu V.C. post-graduate scholarship, has been successful in the final examinations for the Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh. Dr Tapsell who comes from Rotorua was a noted rugby player and was vice-captain of the 1954 Maori All Blacks. He now plans to attempt the London fellowship as well.

Only when Maori schools come under the jurisdiction of education boards will the North Auckland School Committees Association be prepared to accept complete representation from Maori School committees. Meanwhile, the Association will welcome only ‘honorary representation’, according to a decision reached by the Association in Kaikohe last August.

This will undoubtedly be a great disappointment to the Maori Committees which have been given full status by recent legislation and are attacking their new responsibilities with much vigour. It is not to be assumed that they will be very interested in the Association except on equal terms; yet they could greatly gain by the contact with more experienced bodies. One wonders whether the School Committees Association's decision is in the best interest of Maori children.

The Association covers 26 schools; the number of Maori schools in its district is 30.