Southland Maoris Want Own Rules for Mutton Birding

Grey River Argus, 20 September 1948, Page 8

Southland Maoris Want Own Rules for Mutton Birding

P.A. INVERCARGILL, Sept. 16 Dissatisfaction among the Maoris of Southland concerning their rights in the mutton bird industry has resulted in a move to present a petition to Parliament for a redress of what they consider to be unfair dealing. . The petition states that the petitioners and their forefathers have, tor 60 years, carried on mutton birding in the province, and that the Paxeha Government, realising the importance of the industry to the Maori people, reserved to them the sole rights of the industry. „ „ , .. . The Maoris of Southland it is claimed, have conducted the industry without help, assistance, or interference from any Government or local authority, and the Government has now interferred, without reason, in the industry by .(a) requiring a compulsory application to the Commissioner of Crown Lands at Invercargill by certain Maoris for a permit before they can go to the islands to catch mutton birds; (b) requiring all Maoris to travel to the islands by Goyernment chartered ship at an excessive rate and fixing the retail selling price of mutton birds through the Price Investigation Tribunal. . Such interference, it is claimed, is unreasonable, uneconomic, and . unnecessary, and deprives the Maoris or some of their long standing rights ot individual freedom.