PACIFIC CONFERENCE

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 971, 14 May 1930, Page 10

PACIFIC CONFERENCE

MAORI WOMAN TO TALK ABOUT SAMOA NATIVES NOT ENTHUSIASTIC j A proposal emanating from the Auckland branch of the National Council of Women, that a Maori woman might attend the forthcoming Pan-Pacific Conference, virtually to speak well of New Zealand's administration of Samoa, does not wholly meet with the approval of the native people. WHEN the proposal was discussed * by members of the National Council last month, the president, Miss, Ellen Melville, remarked that the sug- j gestion was a valuable one, particulariy in view of the Samoan difficulties. as it would show in a very definite manner the good feeling that existed between the white and native races in this country. “New Zealand,” said Miss Melville, ! “is being freely criticised abroad in re- . gard to Samoa, and it has got to do something more than merely discuss : matters. A Maori can speak for us as ; perhaps no other can.” “STORMY DISCUSSION” The council’s suggestion came be- ; fore a recent meeting of the Akarana ! Maori Association, when, in the words of a member, Mr. George Graham, a , rather stormy discussion took place. In fine, the association felt that it could not support any plan which i would mean the sending abroad of a . Maori woman as a national represen- j tative. No objection would be raised. ; however, if an emissary were the representative of- some recognised ’ native organisation, who would not j be dependent on the Government for her expenses. Further, any represen- p tative must be permitted to voice her j own opinions. A second and more serious objec- } tion was that the natives felt it was undesirable to have the Maori people embroiled in Samoan and New Zealand politics, in view of the unrest in the islands. “Furthermore,” remarked Mr. j Graham, “the association cannot sup- j port the proposal that a Maori woman ! should tell the conference that the : natives are satisfied with New' Zea- ; land’s administration of Samoa. That j is what the idea amounts to. On the contrary, the Maoris are not by any > means content with happenings in | Samoa. They are still dissatisfied with j the return of their letter of condolence j to Mrs. Tamasese, which came back ; marked “unclaimed.” Miss Melville had said that the pres- j ence of a Maori woman in Honolulu j would show in a very definite manner j the good feeling whicji existed between t the white and native races in this j country. The association was of opinion, said Mr. Graham, that such good feeling ! was subject to qualification. The can- j did view of the race as a whole was j that there were many grievances such | as the problem of confiscated lands i w’hich yet remained to be adjusted. !