HOUSING FOR MAORIS

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 208, 18 September 1937, Page 3

HOUSING FOR MAORIS

-Press Association.)

Settlement on Their Own Lands

(By Telegraph-

WELLINGTON, This Day. "As a representative of the Maori people in this Chamber I am very pleased to seo that the Government is about to take active steps in the settlement of our lands and in the improvement of 'our conditions. ' ' said the Hon. R. Mawhere (Wellington), speaking in the Address-in-Reply ' debate in the Legislative Council yesterday. The Maoris, he said, had been living in wretehed conditions. Through assistance and sympathetie feeling those conditions had been improved eonsiderably. Arrangements had now been made for a housing survey. District nurses had been appointed in some districts. The Maoris were getting better treatment. now than they had before. They were very keen to live on their lands provided conditions were made easier for them. The Minister had taken a very active part in putting the§Maori people on their lands and makiri g them realise their -responsibilities so far as the country was concerned. Maori schools had been handicapped in tlie past, but now the Minister had taken it upon himself substantially to iinance these schools and bring them up-to-date. Most of the Maori girls who left secondary schools wished to learn nursing, and Mr Mawhere said he would Ii.ke tlie Government to open training hospitak to enable them to train as nurses. They could be taken out into the pas to assist the European nurses. Mr Mawhere said he would like something this session, if it could be doue, toward the restoration of Maori Counrils. That would help the Maori people. It would be a means of avoiding the sickness and . ill-liealtli which had been serious lately but was improving.