HELPING MAORIS

Waikato Times, Volume 121, Issue 20262, 3 August 1937, Page 11

HELPING MAORIS

GOVERNMENT’S SCHEME. COMFORTABLE HOMES. METHODS OF EMPLOYMENT. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Monday. The methods toy which the Government was assisting the Maoris to obtain housing facilities, and to improve their existing homes, were explained by the acting-Minister of Native Affairs, the Hon. F. Langstone. The policy of the Government, said Mr Langstone, was to provide means for the rehabilitation of the Maori in comfortable homes more in accordance with present-day standards of health and hygiene. In everything now being attempted for the uplift and benefit of the Maori people nothing was further from his mind than the giving of something for nothing. “For some time past, and with the help of members of Parliament, members of the board of Native Affairs, and departmental officers, I have been endeavouring to arrange that some attention should be paid to the care and beautification of Maori pas, and in a few instances, and as a start, natives have been employed at No. 5 scheme rates of pay to attend to this work,” said the Minister. Three Methods. “I would welcome the co-operation and support of local bodies who have Maori pas or villages within their districts in furtherance of this campaign of pa cleaning and beautification.” Mr Langstone said that there were three ways under which assistance was being given to provide Maori housing and improve existing homes. In the first instance, advances up to £750 could be made to any Maori applicant under the Native Housing Act of 1935 on approved security for the purpose of erecting a new house or effecting renovations or additions to existing houses. Should an advance in excess of £750 be required, and there was ample security, the Minister of Native Affairs was required to obtain the authority of 'Cabinet to such increase. There were more than a dozen houses now being erected under the Native Housing Act, and a number of existing houses were being renovated and repaired, added to and painted. Advances Made. A condition of the advance was that all houses so assisted must be. subject to supervision to ensure that they were kept up to the standard required as a security for the advance. Up to the present about £IO,OOO toad been approved in advances for this work. Secondly, houses required for Maori farm occupiers or units under the native land development scheme were built under the direction of the Native Department. About 300 small farm oottages were on the present programme of works. Some of these had been oompleted. Thirdly, the Government had initiated a housing scheme to meet the cases of indigent Maoris who needed houses, but who had neither land nor income other than wages or a pension to offer as security for the amount required to build a dwelling. Cabinet had provided £50.000 for this purpose, and already £6396 of this amount had been approved for expenditure. “Not Something for Nothing.” “In order to keep down the cost as much as possible native labour will be used for this xvork,” said Mr Langstone. “Men will bo employed under the Maori employment scheme, and paid accordingly. Work will be set out for them, and they will be under expert supervision. Plans and specifications of different types of houses have been drawn up by tbc Public Works Department. In everything now being attempted for the uplift and benefit of the Maori people nothing is further from my mind than the giving of something for nothing. The natives will have to work and repay the advances made. Even a pensioner who ts provided with a house will be required to deduct a small amount out of his pension money to repay the advance expended for his benefit.”