MAORI IDEALS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 232, 30 September 1936, Page 12

MAORI IDEALS.

• EXPRESSED IN WORK. ■ INFLUENCE, PRESTIGE, MANA. • fARM SCHEMES SUCCESSFUL. (By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.. WELLINGTON, Tuesday. ( "The impact of western civilisation . has wrought many changes on the communal system of ancient Maoridom, but the influence, prestige and mana of chieftainship is still the dominant force and to-day the recognised leaders of the people are united in their desire to emulate their European neighbours in the art of agriculture," states the Minister j of Native Affairs, Mr. Savage, in the report of the Board of Native Affairs, which was presented to Parliament today. The outstanding feature of the year's activities was the marked increase in the volume of production, both from dairying and pastoral operations on the State development schemes controlled by the board, which, combined, with the upward trend in prices, resulted in revenue receipts from butterfat, wool, live stock and other produce reaching the satisfae- ! tory total of £129,787, in comparison with £79,215 for the previous season. ; An increase of 03.8 per cent in the i Department's share of cream return? — usually one-third of the total output— . amounted to £51,334, an increase of ( £20,447 over the previous year. Wool i sales realised £11,656, as compared with ] £0340 for 1934-35, and proceeds from j live stock were £55,754, whereas in the corresponding previous year the returns . from sheep and cattle sold amounted to £30,041. j To-day there aro 73 State schemes in c the North Island and three in the South ] Island for the settlement of native lands, t and these schemes embrace a total area of 668,885 acres, of which 161,941 acres c are in various stages of development. s The number of individual units c already established at March 31, 1936, s was 1388. It is estimated that these settlers, combined with share milkers, farm hands and other workers, support a total population of 11,203 dependents.