Mr. Fraser's Challenge To Clergyman

Chronicle (Levin), 1 June 1948, Page 3

Mr. Fraser's Challenge To Clergyman

WELLINGTON, May 31. Following upon tlie sermon preachod by tlie Rev. E. Blackwood Moore in St. Matthew 's Church, Auckland, on Sunday, May 16, in which statements vvere made concerning au alleged moral decline of tlie Maori people, the Prime Minister, Mr. Fraser, as Minister of "Maori Aifairs, addressed a letter to the Rev. Moore aslcing him for the facts upon which the statements were based. The Prime Minister 's letter, the Rev. Moore 's reply and Mr. Fraser's further letter, have been released by the Prime Minister for publication. Mr. Fraser's letter of May 20 is:

"As Minister in Charge of- Maori Alfairs, 1 am very actively interested in pronioting the social, econoniie and moral welfare of the Maori people. Jt was with very grave concern that 1 read certain statements attributed to you in the report of the sermon preached by you in St. Matthew 's Church, Auckland. As the implications,. inferences aiid conclusions drawn from a necessarily brief report would appear to go much further than you probably inteuded, I would be obliged if you could supply me with the following Lnformation: ' ' (1) Is the report of your sermon a fair presentAtion of wliat you said? If the report is a fair and accurate one, will you be good enough to furnish me with the following information: (A) Evidence of 'in-breeding among the Maoris in parts of North Auckland to qualify for the family allowance?' (B) Ln which localitv of North Auckland is in-breeding being practised for the purpose mentioned) (C) Among which tribes or hapu or liapus or communities or villages, is the practice in existencet " (2) What tliings have been given to the Maoris which can be aceurately described as being ' born in the morning to die at night?' "(3) lu wliat particular matter in policv or administration or relationsliip have we 'failed the Maoris lamentably' Ln recent years? • " (-i) In what munner and by whom are tlie Maoris exploited and a noble race prostituted for politieal purposesY "(5) What is meant by 'traffie in souls ' and who are the traffickers? "(6) What evidence have you in support of your stalemeut that S0 p'er cent. of the inmates of the Auckland prison are Maoris? ' ' As you will readiiy agree, the statements in regard to the Maori people attributed to you, are of a very serious uature. If they are accurate and based ou fact, they are strong evidence of the detriniental eft'ect of the present policy of e(|uality and cooperaJ tion between l\Iaori and pakeha and uiust be taken into serious account aud exaiuined very closely. This examination will ouly be jiossible if you can supply me with the facts on which your statements were presumably based. 1 carnestly hope you will assist me by supplying these facts as' soon as ijossible. Thauking you iu auticipation of vour assistance in this important matter."

The Rev. Moore 's reply reads: — "In reply to your air mail letter I have to state tliut the newspaper report referrcd to was an accu/Ate' report of a. suiall part of the sernion preached by uie last fciunday morning." The Prime Atinister's further letter is: "Phave to acknowledge reeeipt of your reply to my letter. I thauk you for your delinite answer in regard to tlie accuracv of the press report pf your sermon. May I also note thd eom))lete lack of reference to my further inquiries in regard to the subject matter of your sermon. I regret that, in the cireumstances, I„ am forced to tlie eoiiclusion that this lack of reference is, in effect, either a refusal to produce the evidence which I, as Minister of Maori All'airs, reasonably asked for and on xvliich I assumed your statements were based, or an admission that you have no sucli evidence to support tlie very serious assertions affecting the Maori people which you made in the course of your sermon. lu view of the prominence that was given in the newspapers to this portion of your sermon, L feel it my duty, in fairness to the Maori people, to hand a copy of our corrospoiideiice to the press."