MAORI FARMING.

King Country Chronicle, Volume III, Issue 148, 19 April 1909, Page 5

MAORI FARMING.

Sir Robert Stout's Views. A paper on Maori Farming, written by Sir Robert Stout, was read by the Hon. Ngata, at the sitting of the con ference of the Young Maori Party at Retorua, on Thursday. It referred to the former style of cultivation, which met existing necessities, but pointed out that to enbfe the Maori to live now he must adopt the Mas of the Pakeha; pjfterwiap they would sink to the pos*i|jpn; pi slaves to the dominant race, or perish aitogsthf r- He suggested cooperative farming, as already tried in sheep farming and dairy farming, should be followed on certain lines as indicated at Nohaka and one or two other ptacs. A number of young Natives should be chosen, and sent to experimental farms, and also to places where trades could be learned, the trained men to afterwards instruct others. Fruit farming was also suggested and a plan on which it could be crried out was indicated. The paper orged the necessity of undertaking open air work.which would he the only hope of saving the race, a* sedentary Efanations were unsuitable. The evil 2 crowding to Z» was evidenced in fiuxfifwan popoiatJav, which was forced into slums and hmniirrT surroundings. These evils woofcj deteriorate the whites unless ■tens were taken to counteract their tuftoences, and the same results would follow m the case of the Natives unless they pursued the more natural life. The paper was received with much lnteestard applause.