Waikato Maori in business 7 years.

Tu Tangata, Issue 35, 1 April 1987, Page 11

Waikato Maori in business 7 years.

The Waikato Maori Businessmen’s Association was established seven years ago and it is still the only Maori businessmen’s organisation in the country. Its organisation structure and aims and objects are along the lines of Rotary and Lions clubs. The Association was initiated by the Maori Affairs Department in Hamilton because it was felt there was a need for it in the region. There were Maoriowned businesses which needed imput, guidance and financial assistance. When first established, 140 business people enthusiastically joined within an area embracing Hamilton, Cambridge, Te Awamutu, Morrinsville and Otorohanga. Pihema says the membership has since levelled out over the last three years to include the more stable and settled businessmen and women remaining as the nucleus of the associa-

tion. “We currently have 60 members which is a good number to handle as far as communications are concerned,” he said. “The main thrust of the association is to exchange ideas and support each other so that any problems, financial or otherwise, can be resolved.” Pihema said the president of the association, Les Gammie has been a prominent restauranteur in Hamilton for the past 25 years and this was an indication of how successful Maori businessmen can be in competitive businesses. Other association members include a menswear retailer, solicitors, tyre retreaders, computer specialists, plumbers, coal merchants, an employment consultant, hairdresser, electrical contractors, doctors, painters, architects etc. All these people are either working for themselves, in a

partnership or have formed companies. “It’s as good a cross-section of the business community as in any region of the country,” says Pihema. The 46 year old Pihema is married with four daughters and lives in Te Awamutu. He is a former dairy farmer who worked his way up to farm management and ownership. He is a Nuffield Scholarship finalist, chairman of a branch of Federated Farmers and committee member of the New Zealand Dairy Board Co-op in his town. He served overseas with the NZSAS commandos for six years and was a representative rugby player. His wife Dorothy Taro is a psychiatric assistant at Tokanui Hospital. Pihema has managed and manned a three-man agriculture weedkilling operation for the past six years.

“I’m the only Maori weed-killer contractor in the whole Waikato. It’s a very cut-throat business. In Te Awamutu alone there are eight contractors so I have got to work really hard at it. “Like any other business a lot of finance is needed to start a weedkilling operation. I had to have an initial outlay of $70,000 and I also needed to be registered and qualified otherwise I would have missed out in Government contracts. “The Waikato Maori Businessmen’s

Association has been an inspiration to me. It was a big step for me to sell my dairy farm and then eventually taking on a contracting business.” Pihema brought a 100 acre block of land which was originally used for dry stock but because of the serious rustling problems in the area he was forced to sell off his stock and he converted the land into maize growing. He contracted out the cultivation, planting and harvesting. Maize growing like most other farming pursuits had a bad

slump during 1986. Pihema said the slump has been due to overseas price fluctuations, the value of our dollar, the removal of subsidies and the lack of future management planning. “I believe that 85 percent of farmers have gone broke today through their own fault. They can’t blame Government intervention. Farmers should save for the possibility of bad years.”