THE MAORI.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19162, 19 November 1927, Page 17

THE MAORI.

■tO IBS. EDITOR 0» THE PRIiS. Sir,—With regard to a paragraph in your paper wherein a Mr Thomson, formerly a member of the West Australian Legislative Council, states that the Maoris in New Zealand were becoming "both arrogant and conceited'' and also that they "are following in the footsteps of the South African native who wUI now push the whiles off the footpath if they happen to block the way," I would like to know what authority Mr Thomson has for making such a statement as this. This is a gross insult to the Maoris, and every right-<fchinking New Zoalander should rise up and demand an apology from Mr Thomson on behalf of his Maori brother. We, who live among the Maoris, know that, whatever tht;ir faults, they are never rude nor discourteous. In fact, it is the rule for visitors to New Zealand to ver.iark on the perfect manners of' the Mauri?. Mr Thomson gives no reasons for his outrageous remarks, and with regard to his last statement, namely, that it is a common thing to see Maori men "swaggering 1 ' beside white £Uls r.nd "European boys out with Maori girls," there may be a few cases of this, but it is very far from becoming the "serious problem" which Mr Thomson deplores. Perhaps other New Zealand ers will take u» the cudgels on behalf of the "Maori".—Yours etc.. PAKKHA.