THE COLOUR LINE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 251, 16 July 1908, Page 8

THE COLOUR LINE.

MAORI GIRLS AND SERVICE. Dr. Pomarb (Health Officer to the Maoris) mado a very outspoken speech oil tho "colour linn" and the position oi' Maori girls in service.. If tho I'akehas were,sincere in their expressions with'regard to the young Maoris, they should say that tlioy were prepared to provide them with tho work that tlioy understood. Objections . had been raised to young Maori girls being placed as servants of the Pakeha. He thought that there wero many objections to this occupation for them, and first of all ho would ask why were the Europeans desirous of taking Maori girls for • servants? Was it riot because thoro was a dearth of European' servants? If se'rvico was conducive to tho uplifting of a people, he would like-to know-tho precedent-that taught them so. Was the kitchen atmosphere conducive to uplifting? If tho white employers were in earnest in- their professed desire to elevate the Maori race, let them allow the Maori girls who wero in their-ser-vice to eat at tho samo table _ with themselves, and not create a distinction. Maori girls wero 'already suffering from ono disability, that of colour, N and they.-wero. adding to that another disability, that. of. servitude. , A ccrtai.n suggestion of inferiority always attached to servitude. Suppose, for instance, that an educated .Maori, like himself, a professional mail, in. contact with tho host society, should marry ono of. those; servants, would her former mistress receive'. . tho lady at her house ? There 'was 110 equality' recognised. If theso girls should go back to tho- kairigas after domestic'- service with tho pake'nas, their-lives would only be disjointed, they would have. learned the comforts of the Pakeha life, and would feel strongly'the "discomfort's of .'their'own-life, and as a consequence they would seek Pakeha husbands, who, would be better able ,to giyo tlieni the comforts 'to which they had grown used. .The-proper place' Jor* Maori' women was at home, - learning to bring up the future Maori race. ' . .Ho felt that service' with the Pakehas would undoubtedly tend ' to, .lower . the status -of their, girls.';. Tlioy ■)vould bocOmo mere dependants, .slaves.'' !'.! He wished to touch also upon' tho' question of 'tho "colour linei" for there- was a/colour.' line,' and;no ono recognised that.fact-better, than - the. half-castd. ; When; a. half-caste, associated with' tho .Maori'tho'Native' called •him a Pakeha, and;.'when"ho'-weiit•• 'bi'olt; to associate with' the ' European tho ,'European said, -"Oh, lie's a- Maori.'";" -The ;half-casto understood tho oxistonco of a; colour line. ■ The specch was greeted with. loud applause. . BENEFICIAL TRADES. Mr. ; Hono Heko, M.P., ' submitted that the trades and professions presented beneficial'openings to Maori boys, especially those whoso parohts had no land on which to place them. ' Where there was land available, ho thought that a farming -lifo was best adapted to the raco. Circumstances must compel many parents •to place their, boys in trades and professions. He thought, that Maori boys' might well try their fortunes in commerce -and,- : tho professions',' whenever they had tho, necessary ..intellectual capacity. Tho Congress might, consider tho advisableness.of securing somo, amendment'in" the law as t6'.'-a^pron'{icbship;''*yluch-/plaii!efl' : ; a; -bar oil-the employment of boys-in many trades. The best employment, ho; repeated,, was; on .tlio land. . ~ , ' Tho Rev. R. T. Kobere (Gisborne) gave notice of motion-that the Maori'boys should be discouraged from-seeking employment in the'.towns and-cities,-and encouraged, to go on the land. ..... Dr. Buck and Mr.'H. W. Stowell interpreted tho speeches. Mr. Stowell was the in-, terprcter at the, conference ;of Maori Council delegates and sanitary inspector's on th'e'p'revious day. ■ ■ SUBSTANTIAL, DONATION. The Chairman (Mr.'J. Thornton) announced during : the' morning ; that-he -had, received a cheque for £10 from Sir Robert Stout, towards tho expenses of . the Cougress, and another cheque for £10,- for the same' purpose; from Mrs. B. Rhodos,' of Wellington. ; Tho Chairman was asked-to writoi to the donors conveying the thanks of tho. Congress 'for their substantial gifts. 'In the afternoon Mr. Thornton acknowledged tlio following .additional gifts towards expenses:—Subscribed •by menibers of the ■Ngatiporou tribe £16 Is., Mr; Kensington £2 25., Rev. V. H. Kitcat (Eketahuna)- 10s. The donation of the Ngatiporou Natives, lie claimed, was a sufficient answer to tlio constant question, "Why don't tho Maoris help themselves. The total contributions • .received during tho day amounted to £38 13s. TO-DAY'S PROGRAMME. The following is the programme set down for to-day, 10 a.m. to 12.30 p.m.—Health'Maori Councils and Sanitary Inspectors, Resolutions from Official Conferences of, Address by Hbn.'J. Carroll, Native Minister. 1 , /• ' 2.30 p.mi to 5.30 p.m.—Education :, the Native School Address by : Hon. ,G. Fowlds, Minister for Education.' 7.30 p.'m. to 9.30 p;m.—Religious' Work and Missions. Review of past work and present position. - '' '.