NORTHLAND MAORIS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 62, Issue 87, 23 January 1942, Page 4

NORTHLAND MAORIS.

ONLY FIVE ONSUSTENANCE « (P.A.) WHANGAREI, Jan. 22. An emphatis denial (of statements made by the chairman of the Whangarei County Council to the effect that many able bodied Maoris in Northland were content to receive sustenance instead of working was made by the Hon. P. K. Paikea to-day. I cannot understand why a responsible person like Mr Mackay should make such a statements without being in possession of the. facts of the case,” said Mr Paikea, who added that he had investigated the question. Information supplied by the Social Security Department revealed that in Northland only live Maoris were in receipt of sustenance and they were absolutely unfit for work. Mr Paikea said he had just completed an extensive tour of Northland and was most impressed by .the wholehearted loyalty of the Maori people. Their energies were directed towards a greater war effort. They realised that with the extension of the war to the Pacific the battle front was much nearer home and had reaffirmed their loyalty to the Crown. They were 100 per cent, behind the Governments war effort. He was pleased to notice how the womenfolk were doing their bit on farms while their husbands and brothers were serving with the forces in New Zealand,and overseas. The result of the appeal made by him some, time ago for a more intensive cultivation of the land and a greater production of vegetables had been very gratifying. Fine gardens of first class and valuable vegetables were now to be seen where weeds had ‘grown before.