Maori Leader Worried About Native Youth

Chronicle (Levin), 6 May 1949, Page 6

Maori Leader Worried About Native Youth

napier, May 5. a conference of leaders of the Maori. people to discuss delinquency among young Maori people going to live in the ! cities was advocated today by the'' Bishop of Aotearoa (the Rt. Rev. F. a. j' Bennett) when commenting on tke', statement by the Chief Justice (Sir Humphrey. o'Leary) in tlie Wellington Supreme Court yesterday that the gaol, population of New Zealand was 25 per cent. Maori or part Maori, and that young Maoris going to cities were becoming a disgrace to their people. "It is a rap over the knuckles from the Chief Justice, but what he says is quite correct, and we cannot take umbrage at it, " said Bishop Bennett. "The Chief Justice -is very wise tc> draw our attention to the matter, especially as it must have been hara for him to say what he did. We can only express our gratitude to him. "We have been distressed and worried by the problem, partiCularly as it does not just affect one section of the Maori people, out the whole of the race, ' ' added the Bishop. "Any reform must come from within the Maori race." He suggested that if tliere was a gathering of the leaders of the Maori people some means of making tlie young people more alive to their responsibilities to the community might be reached. Bishop Bennett intends to bring the matter up at a . conference of Maori leaders of the Church of England at Masterton later this month.