MAORIS AS WORKERS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9034, 22 January 1908, Page 3

MAORIS AS WORKERS.

SIR ROBERT STOUT'S VIEWS. - The good opinion that Sir Robert Stout has previously formed of the modern Maori as a worker has been in no way dispelled by his observations in respect to the Rotorua natives. "The natives on the East Coast," he said, "have become successful settlers, and there is no doubt that they will also become successful settlers in the Rotorua district if they can only get sufficient capital to start with. I think the Government should lend the Maoris money on the same terms that they lend it to Europeans. Many of the Maoris in the Rotorua district have been steadily working away for the past twenty years. It is absurd to say that the Maori will not work continuously. Many of them will work quite as steadily, and do as good work as Europeans. The Arawas seem to be mentally a very alert race, and I do not think that you could find any number of farmers, in any other part of-the dominion who would surpass them in this respect. I was glad to notice that in one case a Maori and a half-caste have started sawmilling, their mill being worked by Maoris, The natives also do a great deal of work in connection with the mills owned by Europeans, and they are said to be very excellent workmen. "I notice," he continued, "a great improvement in the Rotorua natives, as compared with the time when I saw them first. They have not yet taken up farming to the same extent as the East Coast natives have done, and I am strongly of opinion that they should have the benefit of instruction by agricultural instructors. The best plan would be to have Maori or half-caste instructors, but if this is not possible there should be European instructors. The Government employ experts to teach people how to look after butter, cheese, flax and other products, and I think the Maoris should also receive the benefit pf this system of instruction."