MAORI “TRADE UNION”

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 788, 8 October 1929, Page 10

MAORI “TRADE UNION”

COMMITTEE ARRANGES GARDENING WAGES NOVEL ORGANISATION With trade unionist principles apparently, a "Komiti Maori" at Pukekohe has arranged wages ;o be paid to Maoris in the locality for work in market gardens. The organisation is an original one and its activities provide a new aspec* on market garden labour among Maori men and women, particularly in the event of employment by Asiatics. In announcing the amounts to be paid to native market garden labourers accepting the supervision of the committee, the organisation has ruled that ihe payment for all-day labour should not be less than 12s a day. It has set out payments for the main divisions of gardening work. The formation of committees in the interest of natives is by no means unusual when the efforts of Dr. E. I*. Ellison. Director of Maori Hygiene, in forming health committees, are considered. Through Dr. Ellison's work, health committees have been constituted in several native settlements. The members of these committees, which have as a duty assistance in furthering health work by departmental officers, are influential natives. Such a plan of operation, with considerable practical value, is likely to be extended by natives in other 'nterests. DIFFERENT AIMS Commenting on the Pukekohe Komiti Maori, a member of the i Akaran?. Maori Association this morning gave it as his view that the committee's main interest was the protection of the wages S paid to natives. This differed from the activities of the association in connection with the employment of Maoris by Asiatics. The association, the member explained, contended that the effect of Asiatic intrusion in Maori life did not change, no matter what rare of payment was stipulated. Those concerned with the social problems raised by the association of Maoris with Chinese and Indians are waiting for the results of the Investigations of the committee of inquiry which has made inspections principally in Auckland, and in Manawatu, Horowhenua and Wanganui. Today, * at a further sitting in Auckland, sevi eral points in the evidence given were determined for the benefit of the com- ; mittee. But Pukekohe’s Komiti Maori stands j as an original organisation for natives. The principle behind the movement, io ensure a standard of payment for native labour, is commendable. The organisation itself is an instance of the increasing tendency among natives to carry out the aims of European organisations.