A MAORI PROTEST.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 902, 8 October 1910, Page 3

A MAORI PROTEST.

‘ 1 Us, the Maoris from Hawera to Waitotara,” write fiom Patea to the New Zealand Times as follows: —“ We wish to answer the speech of G. V. Pearce, M.P., made in the discussion of the Native Townships Bill in the House of Representatives, a copy of which appeared in the Hawera Star. We strongly disapprove of this speech. Mr Pearce says we Maoris are lazy. That our work ‘ is simply to wait for the regular half-yearly payments of rent from the Public Trustee.’ Will such sums as and £lO yearly be a living and provide food and clothes for a person and his children it he does not supplement that by work ? There are quite a number of Maoris of Taranaki who do not receive yearly as rents. How can persons having only such an income indulge in drink and horseracing if they did not earn other money by working ? Mr Pearce has not yet seen Maoris going along the road with a swag, or going to his house begging food. But it is only Europeans that come to Maori homes begging food. We give them food and beds in love to them in their poverty. We are not a lazy people, but our hands are tied by the laws affecting out Lind. There are many ol us who have turned to the occupation of milking cows, and we have sent requests to the Parliament to terminate our leases that we may begin to work the soil.”