WAITANGI GATHERING

Wairarapa Times-Age, 3 February 1940, Page 6

WAITANGI GATHERING

WAIKATO MAORIS

WILL NOT BE REPRESENTED.

KING KOROKI AND SOCIAL SECURITY.

(By Telegraph—Press Asociation.) AUCKLAND, February 2. The Waikato and allied tribes of the Maori race will not be represented at the Waitangi centennial celebrations next week. Affecting more than 3000 Maoris this decision was announced today by Princess Te Puea Ilerangi after a tribal meeting of elders in whose debate she did not participate. IL was stated that the Governor-General, Viscount Galway, had been officially advised of the position. Il is believed by the Waikato peoples that to attend the celebrations when the Government had declined to accede to petition signed by leading chiefs throughout the Dominion to exempt King Koroki from the provisions of the Social Security Act would be hypocritical. In addition a deeper cause lies behind the decision —the long-standing Waikato confiscation problem for which it is claimed successive Governments have promised redress without following gestures by any action.

One chief said he realised that the tribes’ action was likely to be misrepresented and misunderstood, but they wished to make it quite clear that no disloyalty to the Throne was implied. The Government had it in its power to make a small concession, but had failed to recognise the place held in Maori affection by King Koroki. Under the circumstances their conscience did not permit them to travel north, although they deeply regretted that such action should be necessary. Princess Te Puea recently returned from Waitangi, where she fulfilled the Waikato people’s obligation by handing over the last canoe to be completed for the celebrations in accordance with King Koroki's expressed desire.

She said that in the matter of the Social Security Act they considered the Government had displayed a cynical attitude toward the Maori king. Her nephew and herself would have been very happy indeed to have participated in any national celebrations in which they could have wholeheartedly joined but the position had been summed up by one of their leaders when he said, referring to Waitangi, "This is an occasion for rejoicing on the part of the pakehas and those tribes who have not suffered any injustices during the past 100 years.”

When the decision was transmitted to the Governor-General he expressed regret, specially as it wotdd be his last opportunity to say goodbye to the Maori people. When Viscount Galway’s reply was referred to the tribal leaders they unanimously decided to invite him to a special farewell at Ngaruawahia.

Details of the decision were also for-, warded to the Deputy-Prime Minister, Mr Fraser, from whom, Princess Te Puea said, they were seeking some tangible evidence that the Government's past professions of goodwill toward the Maori king and all he stood for were not empty phrases. No amendment of the Jaw was called for to enable this exemption to be made. It would be extremely difficult for King Koroki to comply with the Social Security Act. Any insistence on the part of the Government appeared to be aimed at humiliating him, as no doubt difficulties of meeting the requirements of tile Act would call forth exasperating strictures from departmental officers.

“The Government could have made a. gesture,” she added, “that would have convinced the Maori people at this significant centennial time that King Koroki is not being relegated to obscurity. I feel sure that in no other part of the Empire would one holding a position similar to the one King Koroki occupies be treated in the manner contemplated by the Government. After careful consideration of previous communications, I am forced to the conclusion that the Government’s action has only one object, and that is to up root much that is held worthwhile and dear in Maori life.” The tribes decision was also transmitted to the Acting-Minister of Native Affairs, Mr Langstone. He replied stating that the Maoris must choose the action they would take in regard to the celebrations, although he regretted King Koroki was determined not to go to Waitangi. Mr Langstone said he was proud to say that £l,500,000 of free money had been spent on land development, paying wages and providing homos for the Maoris. No other country in the world had such a record, yet he regretted to say many of their Maori brethren did not fully appreciate all that had been done for them. The past was gone, the present was nere, but the future was ever before them, and no one could plough straight forward while looking backward.