MAORI WELFARE

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22195, 11 September 1937, Page 20

MAORI WELFARE

TO THS EDITOB Of THE PMS 3. Sir,—-Both "Wiremu Teira" and E. H. C. Ridder have raised objections to the remark about "inferiority complex." I have seen far too little of the Maori people to be in a position to make any dogmatic statement on the subject.. As I stated in my letter, this remark was made by one of the Maori members of the Parliamentary committee that visited Little River recently. The originator of the remark was one of the elected representatives of the Maori people; it was made at the end of a most careful survey of the whole of the Maori people of this country and appeared to meet with the approval of the other members of the committee, both Maori and pakeha. It appeared to me then, and it still appears to me, that it explains many things, and in any case I should not presume to dispute the opinion of an authority with a lifelong experience of the Maori people. Mr Ridder further states in reference to me and our present system of Maori and pakeha education, "Whilst deserving of commendation for his outspoken opinion, I suggest that, at the same time, he can afford to be generous enough to accept some of the blame for the sorry result." If he can tell me how I am responsible for the lack of scientific method in our system of education I shall be indeed grateful. Personally, I consider that a system of education based upon individualism and selfishness is quite inconsistent with the long continued existence of the Empire. We have seen the rise to power of Italy, Germany, and Russia, all based upon compulsory co-operation and fear. I want to see us adopt a system of voluntary cooperation, based on mutual benevolence, and not wait for war and the introduction of conscription. Next time we may not have France to hold the enemy while we set our house In order. , _ ~ The Maoris are particularly suitable for educational reform. They, possess the necessary intelligence; they are prolific; they are used to co-operation. A Maori chief who spent his wealth except for the benefit of the whole community was an object of contempt MisS McMillan has demonstrated the wellnigh miraculous results of the introduction of co-operative methods in education. She took children from the worst slum in London and a few years later they were physically and mentally superior to children of the same age belonging to the upper middle class at Home; i.e., the pick of the nation. . ~ . . Co-operative education could De introduced only in a very small way as so few suitable teachers could be found at the start; and if it were introduced with the Maoris, there would be nothing to prevent their proving themselves superior to pakehas trained under the old system, which would naturally result in the co-operative system • becoming general throughout the country, and, let us hope, later the Empire. We all profess to believe m the value of co-operation and service; that is why games, the scout movement, etc., are so valuable, and yet if one child helps another child in class, he probably gets the strap—a weapon that Kemal Pasha will not allow to be used on a young Turk Why make our children think that co-operation and service are only for playtime? Why exclude them from the classroom and the serious preparation for lite.—Yours, etc., LESLIE S. BURNETT. P.S.—Since I am held partly responsible for the present state of education, perhaps I had better say a word or two about pakeha education. (1> I would introduce nursery schools for the whole community as soon as efficient staffs and suitable schools could be provided. <2) I would try to grade pupils and teachers according to intellect, (a) It is a crime to leave Al intellects in mixed classes, including anyth'ng UP to, C 3 intellects, (b) I would not dismiss an efficient teacher because she was married, (c) I would see that no brilliant teacher was kept back on account of a physical disability; but I would make full use of his services, (d) I would do my utmost to attract all our most brilliant graduates from our university colleges to the teaching profession, (e) I would do my utmost to substitute an aristocracy of Intellect and service for an aristocracy of wealth. . ■!.„«- Little River, September 9, 1937,