SOUTHERN MAORIS

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 264, 1 July 1932, Page 5

SOUTHERN MAORIS

("Post" Special Commissioner.)

THE by-ELECTIQN MR- NED PARATA SELEGTED ..... AS OFFICIAL GOVT. CANDIDATE WELL KNOWN FIGURE

WELLINGTON, Thursday. The vaeancy in the representation of the Southern Maori district owing tq the death of the late Mr. Tuiti Makitanara, necessitates a by-election at • an early date. The election of a ean- { didate in the interests of the Coalition Government has been engagirig the attention of the United Party. On the fofmation of the Coalition Govern- ' ment prior to the last " election, Mr. Makitanara was the official Govern- ' ment candidate for the seat. i Before leaving for Ottawa, Rt. Hon. ' J, G. Coates intimated that the ameni- i ties of the politieal situation would be ohserved and that full support would , be given to the candidate selected by : the Prime Minister, T|he Prime Minister now announces tliat Mr. Ned Parata, son of the late Tame Parata , who for so long represented the dis- ! trict will be the official Government | candidate. , ... ^ Mr. Parata is a brother of the lata Mr. Charlie Parata who held the seat until his death. Mr. Ned Parata is a national figure and the father of the Maori Rugby football. He was educated at Te Aute College, and was for ; many years in business at Rotorua. ! His business and sports connections in both Islands have given him an insight into the requirements of his own people besides qualifying him to regard problems from more than a par- • ochial standpoint. . i

The Parata family has, moreover, always taken a deep interest in politics,. and in the affairs of the Maori raee. Mr. Ned Parata's name should have a wider appeal than the special interests of the South Island Maoris.