HINDU INTRUSION.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 182, 3 August 1929, Page 12

HINDU INTRUSION.

AMONG KING COUNTRY MAORIS AKARANA ASSOCIATION ADVISED. f EECEPTION OF HAURAKI CHIEF. A deputy from the Maniapoto Council, Mr. Hotu, of Otorohanga, has approached the Akarana Maori Association with regard to the Hindu menace in that King Country district. He pointed out that there was tribulation in a number of native families owing to young women being led astray. The trouble was attributed to Hindu labourers who have arrived in the district to do labouring work. The young women are of age, and the police were unable to interfere. The Hindus are said to take up quite a defiant attitude, and say they are acting within their rights under legal advice. The Maori parents and friends feel tha,t if this is so the law is actually shielding these aliens and permitting wrong' conditions. There is a strong conviction amongst the responsible natives in the King Country that these Asiatics should be removed, and that further immigration of this class of people should be absolutely prohibited. < < A large and important' meeting of representative- natives to further consider this subject, with a view to urging the Government to act, is to be held at Te Kuiti within the next week or so. A communication was received advising of the formation of the Waitangi Maori Welfare League, with Kaikohe as headquarters. The co-operation of the association was invited in all matters of interest and value to the native people. ' ; . : An interesting feature of the meeting was the ceremonial reception of Chief Tukumana Taiwiwi Te Taniwha, of Hauraki, who expressed pleasure to see gathered together so many of the present generation. He himself belonged to a past generation, for, as . the tree-iern withered, another sprouted to take its place. This is a well-known wise saw of the Maori people. Tukumana added to . his acknowledgment the advice that, in the course of adapting themselves to European .life, they should not forget the best things of the Maori past. Mesdames Bennett and C. Newton were elected to represent the association as delegates on the Auckland Social Workers' League.