MAORI COUNCIL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 12 September 1938, Page 6

MAORI COUNCIL

ACTIVITIES IN WAIRARAPA IMPORTANT WORK. HEALTH AND OTHER PROBLEMS. Few people are aware of the excellent work that is carried out among the Maori settlements in country districts of the Wairarapa by the Rongokako Maori Council. Primarily concerned with health, sanitation and hygiene, the council is able to exercise its powers, largely per medium of village committees, for the benefit of the Maori community as a whole and it is particularly pleasing to know that the present council members are most enthusiastic and keen in carrying out their duties. The district of the Rongokako Maori Council extends from Dannevirke to Palliser Bay. There are seven representatives of the Maori race, one each for the following areas: Dannevirke to Hastwell, Te Ore Ore, Homewood, Gladstone, Greytown, Pukio and Pirinoa. In addition there is an official member (Mr J. F. Thompson, of Greytown) appointed by the Government and the district health officer is an exofficio member. Each village has a committee of five, exclusive of any representative on the council and this committee is responsible for seeing that the by-laws in its village are observed. It has the power to inflict fines on delinquents. The council exercises control in Maori pas in matters relating to the general conduct of the Maoris, such as drunkenness, smoking, gambling and visits of hawkers; sets out the regulations to be observed in the case of deaths, and defines the conditions to be enforced regarding buildings, drainage, nuisances, keeping of animals, sanitation, water-supply, tangis, huis and other gatherings. Meetings of the council are held quarterly.

HOUSING SURVEY.

Giving an outline of the activities of the council, Mr H. A. Truman, district health inspector said that at the present time particular attention was being paid to housing, sanitation and watersupply. He was engaged in making a survey of all Maori settlements in the Wairarapa, paying particular attention to those aspects. Altogether there were about 100 Maori premises in the district and so far he had inspected 93. The housing conditions, he said, were fairly bad. Eleven dwellings were in a dilapidated condition and overcrowding was more or less prevalent. In' the case of another ten dwellings the owners had made application to the district Maori Land Board for assistance in the erection of new houses. Mr Truman said he had suggested to the owners of the eleven dilapidated dwellings that they should likewise make application for new houses and if this were done through the Maori Council or the member of their particular district he would support the applications and the necessary procedure would be facilitated. In some cases the council had to more or less educate the Maoris on the need for making application. There were relatively few indigent Maoris in the district. Nothing could be done unless applications were lodged. The type of building being erected for the Maoris was a splendid one. SANITATION. Sanitation, said Mr Truman, was another matter that required attention in many places. He pointed out that only seven out of the 93 premises he had inspected were really satisfactory in that respect. Eleven premises had no privies at all. He pointed out that the definite weakness in most cases was that the privies were not fly-proof and the fly, as was well known, was responsible • for the spread of disease among the Maoris. The adoption of the bore hole privy, which could be fitted up for the cost of about 10s, would provide an absolutely fly-proof and smellproof convenience that would last for years. It was merely a’ hole 20 feet deep and lOin in diameter, over which the pan was placed. This system was extensively used in other districts among the Maoris and a number of Europeans in the Wairarapa had adopted WATER SUPPLY. Referring to the water supply, Mr Truman said this was a more difficult problem in most places. Endeavours were being made to get some permanent source of supply. At Pirinoa there was a good spring available and they were thinking of putting in a ram and reticulating the pa. A survey was being made of rain water tanks with a view to ascertain the number of tanks that would be required in the Wairarapa district for a satisfactory supply in places where a permanent supply was not available. Mr Truman paid a tribute to the splendid work of the present council. Its meetings, he said, were conducted on the most efficient lines under the able direction of the chairman, Mr H. Taterc, of Dannevirke. Mr Truman •aid he had been given all the assistance possible and the whole-hearted support that was forthcoming was most pleasing. He added that the Masterton Borough Council had given the council the free use of a room for meeting purposes and he pointed out that although the members of the council had to travel considerable distances to attend the meetings from Dannevirke and Pirinoa for instance, no travelling expenses were allowed. Efforts were being made to rectify that position.