CHIEF SAYS MAORI CUSTOM BROKEN.

Chronicle (Levin), 29 November 1949, Page 7

CHIEF SAYS MAORI CUSTOM BROKEN.

WELLINGTON, Nov. 28. There was an unexpected developrnent at the Wellington meeting of Mrs. Iriaka Ratana, Labour eandidate for Western Maori, on Saturday night. During the customary greetings Mr. Tohuroa Parata, one of the leading chiefs, told her, in Maori,' that in stancling she had broken the custom of her ancestors, and that he would not vote for a woman. Mrs. Ratana 's place, he said, was in the home. Speaking later, by way of personai explanation, after several of XI rs. Ratana 's speakers had taken exception to his remarks, Mr. Parata elaiined that Mrs. Ratana had forced the hand of the Priine Minister to give her the selection, and had aetuaily started on her campaign before she received ofhcial Labour support.. "I knew tne tianies of the other candidates, " tie added. "That is wliat hurt me." The chairnian (Xlr. George Katene) who ruled Mr. Parata out of order, said he would have au opportunity later for putting questions. ; Mrs. Ratana, was supported by the Priine Minister, Mr. James Roberts, Mrs. E. Harris (Labour eandidate for Karori), and a retinue of Maori speakers. As previous speakers occupied most of the time, Mrs. Ratana did not speak fbr mbre dlian a quarter of an hour. Replyihg to Mr. Parata, she said: "One of my elders stood up and told me that my place is in the home. It is a great mistake to say that. I ask my Maori and pakeh'a sisters to help me put the Government baek. This is God 's own country, and we have God's Government." All the good jobs in tlie Maori. Affairs Department, continued Mrs. Ratana, were occupied by Nationalists. "If you vote mp. -in I will soon have t.hejn outV'1' she said. "They like the Labour pay, but they do not possess Labour hearts." Previouslv, she said, she had come up against a stone wall in that Department because of Nationalist influence; but if elected she would destroy that wall stone by stone, and briek by brick. "