ALL-MAORI UNITS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 20875, 29 August 1942, Page 2

ALL-MAORI UNITS

DOMINION FORCES REGROUPING~OF natives WELCOMED BY RAGE (P.A.) WELLINGTON, this day. The War Cabinet approved a pl-ip for regrouping Maori personnel in the armed forces into exclusively Maori units with Maori officers and r.on-commissioned officers. The Minister for the Native Race. Mr. P. K. Paikea. stated last night that this had been received with the utmost satisfaction and delight by the Maori people throughout the Dominion

The Maoris, said the Minister, fplt in this movement an appeal to their racial pride, an opportunity to accept responsibility in keeping wit|i their past traditions and the right to express themselves in their own Maori ways. This must not be construed as a reversion fp obsolete methods of organisation but, on the contrary, an adaptation of modern methods, based on that outstanding arid ancient characteristic Of • the Maori, to co-operate with one another in the attainment of a common object. Encouraging Progress Since the Govermpent has qiithpr? ised the establishment of the Maori war effort organisation, continued fhe Minister, encouraging and" satisfactory progress had been achieved in putting into operation fhe measures arid principles involved. TribaL committees were being established rapidly all over the p.oppnign arid their duties would be to co-operate in recruiting Maori men of eligible military age for the third Maori Battalion and other Maori units ’and in the camgaign' for Increasing prtri duction.. Generally, they, would .assist in directing and. placing the ’hemaihi ing man-power and woman-power of the Maori people where it'Ts''Calculated best to serve the interests of their copntry. Mr. Baikea said that approval given to the formation of additional Maori units had been acclaimed the Maori people as a movement close to their hearts. The Minister said the revival of leadership in the Maori people, whether' it ‘ be in tho fighting services or in their settlements, might be calculated to prove of vital importance to' the iut’ure development arid'welfare of the race. On the production side of the Maori war effort, the Minister concluded, the response of the Maori people’ bad been most enthusiastic. Preparations were being made for the producjtiop of additional vegetables and other foodstuffs in order to meet abnormal war demands.