CARE OF THE MAORI

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 23, 11 February 1937, Page 10

CARE OF THE MAORI

Money Squandered On Liquor DECAY IN THE NORTH "Wiaespread attention is being focused on the problem of Maori welfare in North Auckland, both by the Government and by the people, as a result of revelations regarding the conditions under which Natives are living, says the Dargaville correspondent of the "New Zealand Herald." The consensus of repreSentative iOcai opinion is that urgent action is imperative to alleviate the difficulty, and Mr. L. W. Parore, a ^rominent Worker among his'own people, has outlinod a constructive proposal which shouid overcome many of the obstacleg which are at present preventing remedial measiires. "The physical and nioral decay of the Maori race is inevltable unless very drastic measures are urgently taken to counteract the increasing prevalence of indiscriminate drinking among. natives,'' declared Mr. Parore. "It will not come in our time or in the time of out gvandchildren, but 1 honestly feel that that is our ultimate fate, I inarvel at the patience of the business people of Dargaville in refraining frbm repOrting the disorderly conduet of some of the drunken Maoris Ln swearing and fighting outside their I business premises on Friday and Saturday evenings when the police have returned to their homes. There is no Maori in the district who is able to afford to spend money on liquor and yet do his duty faithfully to his wife and children in providing the necessities of life and im- [ proving conditions in the home, '' Mr. Parore continued. "There are instances ! of child malnutrition about here atj tributable directly to the negleCt of the parentSj and to safeguard the future of the race strong steps mustjbe taken. It must be done and done eoon. I have seen more misery and more fighting and quarrelling among Maori men and Women, too, during the last three years , than during the whole of the remainder. of my life. j "To my way of thinking it is a very ; great pity that the New Zealand Government did not retain the services of Dr. Peter Buck (Te Rangihiroa, as we know kim) to aid in the welfare of the native people of this country. With his vast knowledge of the Maori he would have been a tower of strength. Dr. Buck is the acknowledged possessor of a brilliant mind, and in this compiex question he could achieve much. Its very complexity is much greater than most realise." "Quarter-caste, half-caste and fuil Maoris are all concerned," said Mr parore. "There are equaliy undesirable jources where many pf them squander money. Besides purchasing drink ovef iiotel bars, home-brew is common. Legislation is neoessary which would prohibit jts manufacture, and I am glad to learn of the reported authority granted to the Maori Council at Hokianga empowenng it to impose fines for making home-brew." Co-operation was necessary between the Native Land Board, public bodies, the police authorities and the Health Department, and by their united efforts some good could be accomplished, said Mr Parore. The Health Department could send officers into the homes to ascertain whether money was being spent in the homes and, if not, then it would be'a case ior the police to take up. "Tho present laws regarding Maoris in hotels are not strong enough," he continued. "No Maori in the habit of regularly frequenting hotels spends lesS than 10/- a week over the bar, and that money shouid all go into the homes. It is very hard to keep a check on wages, as some natives work for private people, and the only way to overcome it is to provide special legislation supervising the payment of all money to Maoris and its expenditure. In some cases orders have been made on wages, money being paid to shopkeepers. When a wife is of strong character the order achieves the desired results. but that is not often. Also, at present orders are being exploited to obtain credit. "The way out is this," said Mr Parore. "Instead of money being paid direct to workers, only orders on stores shouid be given, and, so that it is impossible to get credit, local body officials must be given poWer to see that orders are carrjed out to the letter. That will eliminate the root evil and clear the way for subsequent relorms." . ^ X.