Maori Member Talks on Titles and Spoils

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 737, 9 August 1929, Page 11

Maori Member Talks on Titles and Spoils

“SOME WERE DUDS” MR. SPEAKER’S REPROOF i (THE SUX’S. Parlicnnenrarr / Reporter) WELLINGTON. Thursday. Some small-beer gibing at members of the Reform Government of past years was indulged in by the member for Southern Maori (Mr. T. Makitanara) this afterooon during the course of hie speech in the financial debate. He said that a lot had been heard of spoils to the victors, but he wanted to point out that nearly all the members of the late Rt. Hon. W. F. Massey's first Cabinet had had a title conferred upon them. A Member: What was wrong with that? They were all good men. Mr. Makitanara (amid laughter): Yes, but some of them were duds! Here Mr, Speaker called for order, i “Now I come to Maui Pomace.” con- ! tinued Mr. Makitanara. “A title was conferred upon him, to. I suppose that was all right.” (Laughter.) A Reform Member: You ought to be proud of him. Mr. Speaker here sought to know what was the point of Mr. Makitanara’s remarks. “Spoils to the victors,” was the ingenuous explanation of the Maori member. “I am afraid,” said Mr. Speaker, “the member is hardly in order in referring to titles granted by his Majesty the King.” (Hear! Hear!) “I hear ‘hear, hears,’ ” qubth Mr. Makitanara, rolling his eyes in the approved fashion round the chamber. Once more the voice of Mr. Speaker called for order. Evidently Mr. Makitanara thought it wiser not to pursue the subject, but later he said that as a fitting climax to the “loop the loop” railway, the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates, Leader of the Opposition, might have assumed the title of Baron of Kirikopuni. The House tittered. A little later the member was again in difficulties. He was referring to a recent speech on tourist traffic, made by Sir Francis Bell in the Legislative Council. Mr. Speaker: I am afraid that is not in order. Mr. Makitanara: But it was most damaging. Mr. Speaker: You cannot comment on proceedings which have taken place in another place during the present session. A categorical denial of a description applied to him by the member for Southern Maori, and strenuous defence of Refcrmei £ criticised by the same member, were made later by Mr. R. A. Wright (Wellington Suburbs). He had been described by Mr. Makitanara, said Mr. Wright, as “dressed in a court costume, waving a Bolshevik flag from a soap-box.” That was a personal remark which j should never have been made. Mr. i Wright denied the description of him j categorically and went on to say that ! the member had criticised men who had done more for the native race than ever Mr. Makitanara would do. j (Hear, hear.) He had criticised Sir William Herries, one of tlie greatest friends the native race had ever had. Then he had criticised the member for Western Maori, Sir Maui Pomare, who lay seriously ill. “The statements,” said Mr. Wright, “were most undignified and unworthy of him and unworthy of the Maori race. I will leave it at that.” Claiming he had been misrepresented, Mr. Makitanara was later granted leave to make a personal explanation. “Surely the honourable gentleman allows me a little common sense as a member of Parliament,” said Mr. Makitanara, amid laughter. “No personal attack was made by me. I was replying to a charge of spoils to the victors made against the United Party, and surely 1 had the right to reply in the same spirit. I did not impute anything outrageous to any of the gentlemen I named, and it was never in my mind to make a personal attack on those who were dead and gone.”