RACE RELATIONS IN NEW ZEALAND

New Zealand Listener, Volume 32, Issue 821, 22 April 1955, Page 25

RACE RELATIONS IN NEW ZEALAND

Sir,-James Ritchie, in criticising Dr. Winiata’s radio talk, demands more field reports before discussion should take place. May I say that such reports cannot be regarded as the alpha and omega of an understanding of Maori affairs? The ones in existence, written by pakehas-from an _ outsider’s point of view-are obviously coloured by the background of their compilers. The Hawera Survey, to which Mr. Ritchie contributed a section, part of which unscientifically and unlinguistically. introduced a Maori glossary in non-phonetic script, only very superficially" gives an outline of contemporary Maori society in an area where the policy of intensive assimilation was applied for specific teasons. Better if Mr. Ritchie had assisted Mr. Raureti, or some other local Maori student, to carry out the survey. The results would have been fuller and deeper than those obtained. The reading of Dr. Winiata’s script in The Listener will show that Mr. Ritchie’s reference to the place of an illusion in the progressive development of the Maori people is quite irrelevant. However Dr. Winiata’s interpretation that the Maori is under an illusion concerning pakeha interest in his culture, concerning, too, the status of his culture in New Zealand society, seems to be borne out by the tenor of Mr. Ritchie’s letter, ie.. there is no Maori culture, though most Maoris continue to think there is. Mr. Ritchie fails to practise his doctrine of saying something new when he harks back to a Socratic principle "Know yourself," which to him seems to form the cornerstone of progress. If Mr. Ritchie considers that the Western world today represents a higher stage of progress merely because it is technologically advanced, then he had better get hold of some other illusions. When a Maori looks out and sees increase in crime, child delinquency, high and low finance, political machinations both at the international and local. levels, threats of human destruction with atom and Hbombs, and the subjugation of truth to expediencies-perhaps he may be pardoned for withholding his verdict. Let Mr.: Ritchie know himself, the pakeha, first. Let him make a thorough study of the psychological roots of the stereotyped and prejudiced thinking among pakehas concerning aoristhen he will begin to understand something of the consequent reaction of the Maori as a group in New Zealand

society.

MARAMA

KOEA

(New Plymouth).