Mr Hanan’s Comment

Press, Volume C, Issue 29500, 29 April 1961, Page 12

Mr Hanan’s Comment

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, April 28. The Minister of Maori Affairs (Mr Hanan) said tonight that the Maori people were not represented in the professions and skilled trades and • vocations to the extent that he would like them to be. However, it did not necessarily follow that this was due to laziness on the part of the Maori. Mr Hanan was commenting on a statement by the deputy Malayan Public Trustee (Mr K Paramalingam) that the Maori was a lazy person The Minister said he would like to see a stronger urge on the part of the Maori to avail himself of all his opportunities, but there were hopeful signs of an increasing desire to do so. The fact that the Maori people did not attain high occupational status in the same proportions as the pakeha was linked with the average lower educational standard of the Maori people which the Government, with their co-operation, was trying to overcome.

The idea of establishing a Maori education foundatior was part of the programme to improve Maori education standards and the response had been nowhere more favourable than from the Maori who was determined to better his position. The extent to which Maoris did not reach the top ranks could by no means be attributed. in full, to laziness, said Mr Hanan Full allowance had to be made for cultural and environmental factors. Mr Hanan drew attention to the following passage from the Hunn report: “Official returns on rates of labour turnover are not broken down into racial groups, so there is no data available on the relative instability or

unreliability of Maoris and Europeans. Suffice it to say that those who are wont to think the Maori is not a good worker should watch Maori shearers, Maori freezing workers, Maori fencers, Maori bulldozer operators, to name but a few, and fairly judge whether anyone can beat them.”

While Mr Paramalingam’s comments offered food for thought, it was over simplifying the matter to say, in effect, that the Maori employment status was due merely to laziness or failure to grasp opportunities. It also had to be borne in mind that numbers of Maoris had reached the top in professions and skilled vocations though not enough had done so. said Mr Hanan.