PRIME MINISTER IN ROTORUA

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 50, 15 March 1937, Page 8

PRIME MINISTER IN ROTORUA

— PreflB Asaociation. •

Arawas Lay Troubles Before Him INQUIRY PR0MISED

(By Telegraph

ROTORUA, March 13. The Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage, who was accompanied by the Hons. R. Semple and W. Lee Martin, paid his first official visit to the Rotorua distriet to-day. Mr Savage arrived shortly after noon and was accorded a civic reception in the Town Square by the Mayor (Mr T. Jackson) and representatives of local bodies. Following the civic reception, the Prime Minister proceeded to Ohinemutu, where he was accorded a Maori ceremonial welcome with. full Maori honours before a very large gathering of natives and was presented with a number of valuable native gifts.Orations in Maori were delivered by a number of chiefs and the leading elders, several of whom referred to matters which were causing di2erenees of opinion among the Arawa tri,be and appealed to Mr Savage to resolve their difficulties. Sir Apirana- Ngata, member for the Eastern Maori Distriet, referred to a number of questions which were occutpying the minds of the people, includ* ing the reuovation of tribal meeting houses; provision for better housing; the status and administration of the Arawa Trust Board. A suggestion was also made tbat when Mr Savage visited England he should extend an "invitation to the Duke of Kent to visit New Zealand during the Centenary celebrations and, among other things, open the roconstructed tribal meeting-houses. Mr Savage, in reply, appealed to the natives to settle their diffierences and come before ;him as a united people. It did not matter to the Government what political party they supported, for it was determined to do its best for all. He promised that the Government would improve the' housing conditions and couditions of the natives generally. So far as the Arawa Trust Board was concorned, a Parliamentary committee had reconimended that an inquiry should be held and this would be done. This did not inean the hounding of anyone down, but simply that the affairs of the natives must be put on a better footing. His colleague (the Minister for Lands) was at preaent engaged on a tour of th'e country, during which he was investigating the conditions of the Maori community. Mr Langstone had already submitted a report in regard to the matter and he (Mr Savage) was bound to say that it revealed a condition of a2airs which must be rect.ificd. It constituted a serious reflection on someone. In the eveiiing Mr Savage attended a a ball given by the Citizens' Committee aud, on Suflday, was engaged in inspecting the native schemes in the distriet.