Maori's Irony

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 19, 15 October 1937, Page 4

Maori's Irony

Our Own Correspondent.)

GOVERNMENT RED TAPE Investigation of His "Special Circumstances." LAUGHTER IN THE H0USE

(From

WELLINGTON, Last Night. A letter written by a Maori on the East Goast of the Norfh lsmnd, with the object oi obtaining Government assislance to secure a house, causcd 0 great deal of amusement when it was read in the House. of Representativea. to-night bv Sir Apirana Ngata, The letter, wliich contamed some naive phijosoi hy, whs probably a very good rtilection of tbe Maori atfitudo towarcip the adminisfcration oi the pakeha L'vernment. ''Greeting? to you and all.of you," wrote the Maori to an official of ihe Native Land Court. •'May the warm rays of the approaching summer s unthaw tlie pold blood strtJ.m that courses through the hearts of those in authqrity, "Emboldf.ned by the specches of our Mimstei when he unburdened himsolf over our glorious past and voiecd. his concern for our future^ I hastened to send in an application to build a house. "Time went by.and 1 waited and, in waiting, ' I . slept, and in sleepihg I dreamt that I was at the races, taking part in a steeplechase. As J got over one hurdle there fipppnred another, and then another, and anN other, each bigger than the last i When I had got once round I heard. a loudspeaker saying: 'Cfill the Maori off. We must look into his special circumstance. ' ■'ln my disappointmefit and rage at not being allowed to finish tlie race I awoke, and great i3 ihy sorrow that my dream ended so soonj, so without the aid of the gods of night I send you this reason for applying for a house. " If you had no seat in your old pants^ wo'uld not' that be a special circumstance for a new pair ? "Well, sir, I have no roof to my old tent house, so God bless you an(i keep you long enough to send me a uew house. ' '