TWO-EDGED SWORD

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 7, Issue 77, 30 May 1944, Page 5

TWO-EDGED SWORD

EQUALITY OF TREATMENT REHABILITATION OF MAORI SOLDIERS It will come as a surprise to most Pakehas that the idea of treating the Maori returned soldier on exactly the same basis as that extended to his Pakeha comradfe, by way of settling him on the land, is not viewed' favourably by the bulk of the local Maoris, who claim thai a fairc* policy would be to bring the returning Maori soldier under a specially created section of the Native Land Department which could' finance, advise and' encourage him as he proceeded to become proficient.

These views were put forward to the Hon. H. G. R. Mason, Minister of Native Affairs, on his recent visit to the district by Sir Apirana Ngata, and the logical nature of his arguments found ready and sympathetic acquiescence on the. part of the Minister who declared himself in hearty agreement. Could' Not Succeed "I do not see much hope of succeeding in establishing our Maori boys on the land if the Government is going to insist on placing them on the same basis as the Pakeha." said Sir Apirana Ngata. To do such a thing, even though it sounds alright, would he something of a double-cclged sword as far as the Maori men were concerned. It would in fact impose a definite hardship upon the majority of prospective Maori settlers. He was not speaking for the few bright boys who would succeed in establishing themselves, by adopting the standards of the Pakeha and studying agricultural processes, but rather for the 90 per cent who could not do that nor had any hope of achieving to those standards. The average Maori man who donned khaki to go away and fight was actually less prepared to take up an independent farming life than before he went away. In his opinion the policy was totally unsuited to deal with the Maori outlook, and unless an . alternative were found he could see the Maori soldier settler meeting difficulties of all sorts financially and in the end, walking off. Only Suitable Department The only Government department with the correct insight into Maori conditions, was the Native Department, and therefore it should have the right to shoulder this responsibility. The Maori soldier settler would then, be followed up, advised and encouraged by men who had made a study of his requirements. All that it would mean would be for the Government to extend its existing machinery in order to lend a helping hand. If the Rehabilitation Board were going to . insist on handling Maori settlers, the men would be simply flung out into the maelstrom of Pakeha affairs and left to their own devices, unadvised and inexperienced. The present system was too tough and impersonal-— it would not bend down to the requirements of the Maori boys.

Minister Agrees The Minister said he was in full sympathy with the points made by Sir Apirana. Here was a case in which high-sounding and idealistic words were found to be not so fair to the Native race than had at first been supposed by the legislators who had at first, in all good faith framed them. It was the Government's firm desire to do its utmost in the interests of the men who had fought to defend this country and it would not fail to give the Maori soldiers the fairest possible deal. He realised that to place them on a uniformity of award with Pakeha soldiers would have unjust and possibly a drastic result. The Maoris had special requirements and the Government would not be led away by high-sounding words when the results would be so obviously unsatisfactory. He assured his hearers that the matter was being investigated and his department was already going into the possibility of carrying out their wishes. •