MAORI RETURNED MEW

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 8, Issue 96, 7 August 1945, Page 6

MAORI RETURNED MEW

DEBARRED FROM ASSOCIATION

WITH PAKEHA COBBERS

The submission that Maori return- ' ed servicemen of this and the last 1 war are entitled to and should re--1 ceive equal privileges with their 1 pakeha brothers-in-arms was made : by Mr T. M. of the Ngati 5 Maniapoto federated tribes on behalf of Maori returned men. ' "In the Great War of 1914-18, 1 177 of our boys from the Maniapoto : tribes served in the armed forces and in the present conflict the tribe has had to date 372 men serving with the army tj 24 in the Air Force and 15 in the Navy a total of 411 " he pointed out. "Whilst these men were overseas they enjoyed all the privileges appertaining to the consumption of liquor, and in no cases have there been any bad reports. On the contrary any reports have always recited the exemplary behaviour of the Maori boj^s. "In both wars the Maoris received the same quota of liquor as that supplied to the pakeha battalions. "Our chagrin and shame can therefore be understood when on our return to New Zealand we are relegated to the status of being incapable and unworthy of mixing with our pakeha cobbers in the social gatherings which mean so much to ex-servicemen. At such functions in the King Country we are told that because we are Maoris we cannot be admitted —but if the chairman is sympathetic and we are we are regretfully told that wc may not even have a drop of beer and stewards are instructed accordingly," continued Mr Hetet. "As to the law relating to the consumption of liquor off licensed premises in the King Country—which we. may not do—this we consider an iniquity imposed on the Maori . people by a law which treats Maoris as an inferior race. But the principal matter I have to bring forward is the debarring of Maoris from R.S.A. Clubs and functions."