Shower of Questions

Te Ao Hou, November 1957, Page 28

Shower of Questions This brief outline brought a shower of question What part will the Department play? None, the business of the society is a matter for members only. In any case the Department hasn't the staff or the money to establish societies. What happens if a loan is not granted? This sometimes is a hard job, and it shows the importance of electing suit able people to the committee. It is made some what easier by restricting loans to productive and provident matters, provident meaning for instance

Delegates and interested persons of all ages come out to have a look at the dreary weather. The meeting house is Waimirirangi at Lower Waihou. chool fees, sickness and so on. What security is asked of a working man who doesn't own any property? This depends on the character of the man. The Panguru society has not so far asked for any legal security. No loans made so far have been over £100, and none have been long term loans. If larger loans and longer terms were wanted the society might have to ask for more security. Where is the money kept, in a tin or in a bank? At present some is kept in the Savings bank and some in the BNZ, and all payments are made by cheque. Every member has a society deposit book. As question and answer went on and heads were bent over note books emphasis shifted quietly from details to obvious benefits. Methods and aims of the societies fitted comfortably into the Maori way of doing things; if a group could help its members, an organisation of groups could help more. It was suggested that activities might extend into asistance with tax and accountancy problems, into co-operative assistance in marketing produce, into seed buying. In short, so much good could be done for so many, that more people should know about it. So with no prompting the meeting settled to discuss how to expand the movement. Visitors from Te Kaha in the Bay of Plenty took a keen interest in the proceedings. From left to right: Messrs W. S. Swinton, N. Perry, J. Waititi, all officers of the Te Kaha Co-operative Dairy Company. Steve Ngaropo, conference chairman, and John Samson (right), secretary of the investment society at Lower Waihou.

In the meeting house lighting his pipe is Father Wanders, the priest from Panguru, who has wholeheartedly supported the investment project. First came the suggestion that the Department make John Booth available as promoter in a wider field. This was met by strong feeling that the movement could be and should be a Maori one, supported as need be by Maori effort and Maori money. In the process tribute was paid warmly and frequently to Mr Booth's faith, patience and guidance during the three years that he had worked in the Hokianga area. His help was still wanted, but it was self help first. Two interested listeners were Mrs Maraea Morunga (left) and Mrs Lucy Ngaropo (right). Discussion crystallised into the setting up of the following committee of ways and means: … Chairman: Steve Ngaropo (Lower Waihou); Secretary: Norman Perry (Te Kaha); Members: George Sutherland (Auckland), Waata Tipene (Ahipara-Kaitaia), John Waititi (Raukokore), Wi Reweti (Whangarei), Robert Proctor (Pawarenga). This committee was directed by the conference to give urgent attention to the propogation of the aims and objects of investment societies among the Maori people, and to make provision of funds from Maori sources for this purpose.