Fix this text
DIGGERS' DIGEST
Fix this textVol. 2, No. 21
Fix this textFriday, 21st May, 1948
Fix this textGreenslopes Repat. Hospital
Fix this text"WHO CAN BE AN AUSTRALIAN”?
Fix this textBy FERGIE
Fix this text(This article from our corre-
Fix this textspondent in New Zealand, “Fer-
Fix this textgie,” is rather long, but in view
Fix this textof various statements and re-
Fix this texttractions of statements on this
Fix this textsubject, we think it warrants
Fix this textpublication as received.—Ed.)
Fix this textI wonder have Australian ex-
Fix this textservicemen ever felt more un-
Fix this textcomfortable than the delegates
Fix this textto the present Anzac gathering
Fix this textdid, when, enjoying the hospit-
Fix this textality of a Maori Princess and her
Fix this textpeople, they heard a responsible
Fix this textspokesman for the Australian
Fix this textGovernment broadcast to the
Fix this textworld that Maoris were not ac-
Fix this textceptable as Australian citizens.
Fix this textThe Pakeha (general term
Fix this textfor whites) were, if it were pos-
Fix this textsible, more indignant than the
Fix this textMaoris.
Fix this textThis statement could do great
Fix this textdamage to Anzac relations,
Fix this textwhich, for some reason, have
Fix this textnot for many years, been as
Fix this textperfect as we desire. This mat-
Fix this textter is far above party politics.
Fix this textNo man should shelter behind a
Fix this textregulation when national af-
Fix this textfairs are in question; and when
Fix this texthe makes a public statement,
Fix this textthat man should consider well
Fix this textthe effect upon his audience.
Fix this textHistory shows that it is the
Fix this textsoldiers who repair the damage
Fix this textdpne by crude men, lacking in
Fix this textdiplomacy, and as in this in-
Fix this textstance, lacking in making the
Fix this text"amende honorable” and un-
Fix this textgracious in explanation. And,
Fix this textlet me say, Diggers, that these
Fix this textAnzacs, these fathers and
Fix this textbrothers of yours, now en route
Fix this textback to Queensland and the
Fix this textother States, had they not been
Fix this textdignified and manly men of
Fix this textpeace as well as war, this insult
Fix this textto your gallant “Kiwi” ally a
Fix this textfew hours distant in flying-time
Fix this textwould have made for further
Fix this textill-feeling. When travel eases,
Fix this textand in the* words of one of the
Fix this textdelegation, “a shipload of
Fix this textAnzacs here one year and in
Fix this textAustralia the next will iron out
Fix this textall our little problems.”
Fix this textIn an Australian weekly a
Fix this textcolumn is headed, “Who’s game
Fix this textto be an Australian?” Might
Fix this textI be forgiven if I ask, “Is any-
Fix this textone better fitted than those
Fix this textmen who fought for her to
Fix this textanswer that?”
Fix this textFrom personal knowledge
Fix this texthere I cannot stress the fact
Fix this texttoo much, that, if it comes to
Fix this texta question of defending New
Fix this textZealand, the Maori, man,
Fix this textwoman, and child, will fight
Fix this textanyone regardless of the odds.
Fix this textI am not expressing an opin-
Fix this textion about some Australians.
Fix this textHere the Maori has equal
Fix this textrights with the Pakeha. He has
Fix this textequality whether it be hous-
Fix this texting, Social Security, or employ-
Fix this textment, with only one proviso—
Fix this textthe ex-serviceman Maori or
Fix this textPakeha comes first.
Fix this textI have met educated Maoris
Fix this textin the Civil Service; this Fri-
Fix this textday Maoris will be at Welling-
Fix this textton University Capping cere-
Fix this textmony, graduating in the Arts
Fix this textand Sciences; I have met them
Fix this textin the city driving and con-
Fix this textducting trams and buses, and in
Fix this textevery sphere of Dominion life
Fix this textdown to the humblest farm
Fix this textlabourer.
Fix this textCould we take, say, the Maori
Fix this textBrigadier, who, when a Colonel,
Fix this textled the famous 28th Battalion
Fix this text- in so many battles overseas;
Fix this textthe Rt. Rev. F. A. Bennett,
Fix this textBishop of Aotearoa, soon to at-
Fix this texttend the Lambeth Conference
Fix this textand to preach at Westminster
Fix this textAbbey; the four Maoi’i members
Fix this textof the present N.Z. Parliament;
Fix this textthe sentry in Air Force Blue,
Fix this textmotionless as he stood on
Fix this textguard with other representa-
Fix this texttives at the Cenotaph steps on
Fix this textAnzac morn; the Maori farmer
Fix this textand his wife with sixteen chil-
Fix this textdren, industrious, and law-
Fix this textabiding; the wounded Maoris
Fix this textstill in hospital; the charming,
Fix this textpolite Maori girls that enter-
Fix this texttain visitors, politicians of all
Fix this textcolours, included; the depend-
Fix this textents of those who died on
Fix this textGallipoli, in France, in Africa,
Fix this textGreece, and Crete, and sdy,
Fix this text“You are not as we are; you
Fix this textare not worthy to be an Aus-
Fix this texttralian!”
Fix this textAt Rotorua I went to the Re-
Fix this textturned Services Hospital, seek-
Fix this texting a possible exiled Aussie
Fix this textDigger. At the telephone
Fix this textswitch a sturdy Maori rose and
Fix this textcourteously asked my wishes.
Fix this textLearning them he took me to
Fix this textthe superintendent. Tai Paul,
Fix this textfor this was the Maori’s name,
Fix this textbehind his dark glasses is
Fix this texttotally blind. He doesn’t have
Fix this textto work, as he is well provided
Fix this textfor by pension, but labour is
Fix this textscarce and he feels he is still
Fix this textdoing his bit. Of course, had
Fix this texthe not gone to Africa and been
Fix this textin the path of an enemy trench
Fix this textmortar bomb, he might still be
Fix this textable to see; nor would he have
Fix this texthad to grope his way through
Fix this textenemy hospitals and prison
Fix this textcamps
Fix this textYou may meet him in Roto-
Fix this textrua, walking briskly to work.
Fix this textEveryone knows Tai Paul; at
Fix this textdances his band, in which he
Fix this textplays the saxophone and other
Fix this textinstruments, raises money for
Fix this textthe Red Cross, ex-servicemen,
Fix this textand hungry children overseas.
Fix this textHe dances, too. Tell me, Digger,
Fix this textis he, our Maori cobber, not
Fix this textworthy of being an Australian?
Fix this textFinally, I would like to give
Fix this textyou the official citation ac-
Fix this textcompanying the award of the
Fix this textVictoria Cross to 2nd Lt.
Fix this textKoana-nui-a-kiwa-ngarimu, at
Fix this textJebel Tebaga, on the 26th
Fix this textMarch, 1943.
Fix this text"... undeterred by intense
Fix this textmortar and machine gun fire
Fix this textwhich caused heavy casualties,
Fix this texthe headed the advance up the
Fix this textface of a hill and was himself
Fix this textfirst at the crest. He annihi-
Fix this textlated at least two machine gun
Fix this textposts. When the enemy coun-
Fix this textter-attacked. 2nd Lt. Ngarimu
Fix this textordered his men to stand up
Fix this textand engage the enemy man for
Fix this textman. The attackers were mown
Fix this textdown. Ngarimu personally kill-
Fix this texting several. Many enemy
Fix this textcounter - attacks launched
Fix this textthroughout the night were
Fix this textbeaten off. One counter-attack
Fix this textpierced part of our line. With-
Fix this textout hesitation Ngarimu rushed
Fix this textto the threatened area, killed
Fix this textsome of the enemy and drove
Fix this textthe rest out with stones. Morn-
Fix this texting found him still holding his
Fix this textposition. Only two unwounded
Fix this textother ranks remained. During
Fix this textthe last counter-attack, 2nd Lt.
Fix this textNgarimu, already twice
Fix this textwounded, was killed. ...”
Fix this textFeast of Corpus Christi
Fix this textThe Annual Eucharistic De-
Fix this textvotions and Procession for the
Fix this textFeast of Corpus Christi will
Fix this texttake place at Nudgee College at
Fix this text3 p.m. on Sunday, 30th May,
Fix this text1948. A special bus will leave
Fix this textthe Nurses’ Hostel (Valley) at 1
Fix this textp.m. and Greenslopes Hospital
Fix this textat 1.30 p m. for Nudgee College.
Fix this textThe bus will be provided by
Fix this textC.U.S.A. and an invitation to
Fix this textattend is extended to both
Fix this textpatients and staff.
Fix this textThe Fund Still Grows
Fix this textA Table Tennis Tournament
Fix this textin Branch Office netted the
Fix this textCentaur Fund another £5.
Fix this textA donation from the Elec-
Fix this texttrical Trades Union also added
Fix this text£5.
Fix this textWe thank these good people
Fix this textfor their practical assistance.
Fix this textIt's easy and takes two shakes of a lamb's tail!
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http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-1127778374
Repatriation General Hospital (Greenslopes, Qld.), issuing body. (1947). Diggers' digest Retrieved May 25, 2025, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-1127778374
Repatriation General Hospital (Greenslopes, Qld.), issuing body. Diggers' digest Greenslopes, Qld: Greenslopes Repatriation Hospital, 1947. Web. 25 May 2025 <http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-1127778374>
Repatriation General Hospital (Greenslopes, Qld.), issuing body. 1947, Diggers' digest Greenslopes Repatriation Hospital, Greenslopes, Qld viewed 25 May 2025 http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-1127778374
{{Citation
| author1=Repatriation General Hospital (Greenslopes, Qld.), issuing body.
| title=Diggers' digest.
| year=1947
| section=volumes ; 25 cm
| issue=Vol. 2 No. 21 (21 May 1948)
| location=Greenslopes, Qld
| publisher=Greenslopes Repatriation Hospital
| url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-1127778374
| id=nla.obj-1127778374
| access-date=25 May 2025
| via=Trove
}}
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