TEAM WORK IN RELATION TO MAORI FARMING

Te Ao Hou, Summer 1954, Page 59

TEAM WORK IN RELATION TO MAORI FARMING C. N. de Lautour of Gane Milking Machine Company writes:— Last Month I gave a very brief summary of some of the highlights of my past experiences with Maori land development since its inception. Perhaps we can ask ourselves this question. What has this great scheme done for the Maori people? One answer is that it has given those who have persevered a completely independent position and an important role in our national economy. This achievement in the earlier instances was an inspiration to others to do the same and today there are hundreds of units in this happy position. Another result of this common cause is to bring together the people of different tribes. I well remember that great day at Maketu back in the early 30's when perhaps 50 motor cars carrying members of the Ngapuhi people and led by Sir Apirana Ngata officially met the Arawa people for the first time since that tragic page of history was made by Hongi Hika in 1823. It was a great day to remember. After all the greetings were exchanged Sir Apirana addressed the meeting, and asked them amongst other things, to keep behind him with this new development of the lands from their unproductive existant state. He stressed the importance of ‘team work’ and in those two words is the real answer to our question. In the early days of the scheme, mowers and rakes were purchased and three or four units ‘teamed’ up to harvest their hay. Plows, disks, scufflers and harrows were purchased and here again the units ‘teamed’ up to till the soil, grow potatoes, maize, and new pastures. At this early stage some politicians and some of the public were saying look at this waste of money! Maoris don't know how to farm—the land will go back to fern and manuka—pumice land is no good—and many other adverse criticisms which really had no truth in them at all. I remember for instance the Kaitimako Block at Tauranga where a young supervisor named Rewiti said to Sir Apirana, ‘if you let me plant maize on this block the first year I can get enough money from the crop to pay for the fencing and grassing the next year.’ Sir Apirana agreed and this result was achieved and with a balance of cash as well. The slump slowed up the progress but did not stop it and as the grass was established larger herds of cows were put on and ‘Gane Milking Machines' installed—here again the team work of the men, women and the ‘Gane’, really started to turn the tide in the right direction, herds were milked out cleanly and rapidly and even those ‘hard hearted’ fellows in the office who look after the money could see new hope and at last the poor old ‘Unit’ could get ‘a couple of pounds' to spend when he went to town. The milking machine and separator are the ‘Taikaka’ of the farm because through them are converted into cash the efforts of the toil, and expended capital. A Gane milking machine is the most important of all farm machines because a bad machine can cause a loss of stock which is big money. The Gane machine was first introduced nearly 50 years ago and as a result of all the experience gained is the fastest, cleanest and easiest milker on the cows at present on the market. It is simple to clean, simple to operate and has the best materials obtainable incorporated in it. The ‘Gane’ has helped more than any other item of machinery to build your great development programme up to its present day position. If you want a ‘milker’ always ask for ‘Gane’. Gane Milking Machine Co. Ltd. ANZAC AVENUE, AUCKLAND Branches at Hamilton, Whangarei, Palmerston North. Agents everywhere. (Advertisement)