NATIVE AFFAIRS

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22514, 23 September 1938, Page 5

NATIVE AFFAIRS

TO THE EDITOR OF THE PRESS. Sir, —The Hon. Sir Apirana Ngata, at Dannevirke (as reported), has produced some hard facts about pakeha treatment of the' Maori people. A few weeks ago I pointed out one instance in which the educated Maori has not been given a chance, namely, in connexion with centennial history. • Sir Apirana Ngata has gone further, and has referred to the civil services generally. He appeals to his race “to look further than the. pick, shovel, and axe.” The Maori is worthy of better status. The great Tawhaio at Maungakawa in 1889 said: “Do not acknowledge.the.authority of inferior Europeans.” That is good advice to hand on to the present Southern Maori M.P. Mr Tirikatene has made a lot of housing (unfortunately not yet done to benefit the Southern Maori). Mr E. L. Cullen, a pakeha Labour M.P., on September 14, 1938, put this matter in its proper light when he said: “There is hardly a pa in New Zealand in which housing is not in need of improvement.” I have looked in vain to see houses "fit for a Cabinet Minister” being erected in cur Canterbury Maori villages. Even the iron sheds which the last Government is said by an Arowhenua Maori to have erected for Maori occupation seem to be non-existent Government and local authority are still looking for a simple, clean water supply for Wairewa. I understand the streams up Puaha are now being investigated in lieu of Western Valley. Summer, with the prospects of an epidemic at Wairewa. still lies ahead. Mr McCombs managed to get reading done at Port Levy, a benefit to pakeha and Maori alike. The Maoris have the chance with a Nationalist and an Independent Labour candidate of getting a representative who will see to the welfare of the Southei’n- Maori, and the other gentleman could be promoted to the “House of Lords.”—Yours, etc., WIREMU TETRA. ’ September 22, 1938.