“ARROGANCE OF MAORIS”

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 203, 16 November 1927, Page 9

“ARROGANCE OF MAORIS”

STARTLING STATEMENT BY AUSTRALIAN “FOLLOWING SOUTH AFRICAN NATIVE” By Cable. —Press Association. — Copyright. Received 10.15 a.xn. SYDNEY, To-day. MR. J. A. THOMSON, a former member of the West Australian Legislative Council, on his return from Auckland by the Marama, said the Maoris in New Zealand had • been pandered to to such an extent that in the towns, at least, they were becoming both arrogant and conceited.

“THEY have been spoiled,” he said, “by too much attention, due chiefly to various Governments’ desires for votes, and in consequence are following in the footsteps of the South African native, who will nowpush the whites off the footpath if they happen to block the way. “The whites and the Maoris mix far too much in the cities of New Zealand. It is quite a common thing to see young Maori men swaggering beside quite refinedlooking white girls, and young Europeans, mostly of the bank clerk type, taking out Maori girls. “This is a tendency that reputable people in New Zealand strongly deplore, but none the less it is growing and is becoming quite a serious problem.”—A. and N.Z. “MOST INSULTING” IGNORANT UTTERANCE NOT TAKEN SERIOUSLY “There is no doubt about the fact that this is most insufting not only to members of the Maori race, but to Europeans in this country as well—that is, If we are. to take the matter at srtl seriously,” replied Mr. Patrick Smythe, of St. Stephen's College, and the secretary of the Te Aka-

rana Maori Association, when the cablegram was referred to him by THE SUN. No New Zealander, either Maori or Pakeha, he said, would make such a reference. “We all know, as a matter of fact, that such conditions do not exist in this country. They do not need to be refuted for that very reason. The Maori is endeavouring to better his social position, and realises his responsibilities, and such statements as this are of course of no assistance to him.” Mr. Thomson was typical of a certain class of visitor, said Mr. Smythe, who came to the country, did not understand the situation in the slightest, and criticised what he knew nothing at all about. “He reminds me of a man attempting to criticise a work of which he knows absolutely nothing,” he added, "and for *hat reason his statement is not worth while.” Such Maoris as Sir James Carroll, Sir Maui Pornare, and Sir Apirana Ngata had been honoured by their King for services performed in New Zealand, he said, and there were other notable men of Maori blood, as, for instance, Dr. Peter Buck, whose work had been recognised abroad as well as in New Zealand. Therefore it was absurd to cast such reflections upon the Maori people. They could not be taken seriously by thinking people.