“Depressed Conditions” Of Some Northland Maoris

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29291, 24 August 1960, Page 14

“Depressed Conditions” Of Some Northland Maoris

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, Aug. 23. Maoris were living in depressed conditions in parts of Northland, Mr D. J. McKay (Opposition, Marsden) said in the House of Representatives tonight. He was speaking during discussion on the Maori Affairs Department estimates. Mr McKay said that 46,000 acres of Maori land was lying idle in Pipiwai Valley, in his own electorate. ‘‘Some of these Maori people are wanting real leadership, and I’m afraid they are not getting it,” Mr McKay said. He said there had been some ill-informed criticism of the Maori . Affairs Department over the abandonment of Maori farms. In 171 cases there were only four where the department had a right to intervene in the management of the farms, Mr McKay said. Mr T. P. Paikea (Government, Northern Maori) said there was no encouragement for many of the Maoris to stay on their farms. “We must encourage them by giving them a foothold on the land,’’ he said. Title to Land Mr G. A. Walsh (Opposition, Tauranga) said the reason many Maoris were leaving the land was that they could not get titles to the land. They were putting their own capital into the land, but it was discouraging when they were not able to get titles to it.

Mr T. Omana (Government, Eastern Maori) said that the Maoris could not be blamed for leaving land that was uneconomic before the discovery of the trace elements they were lacking. The land now covered with second growth would need much money to bring it into production, and only the State could find this. The Prime Minister and Minister of Maori Affairs (Mr Nash) said that the Government would have to continue Maori land settlement, even if it did not pay. It was essential to get men on

to the land who had a love of the land and of animals. Some way would have to be found to persuade the owners to use their land, but it was hard to compel either a Maori or a pakeha to use his land. It was not all Maori land that was the trouble. Fifty-six per cent, of the land in Northland was European, 20 per cent, was Maori, and 24 per cent, was Crown land. Mrs I. M. Ratana (Government, Western Maori) said that Maori owners did not have the finance to stock their land. Some farms financed by the Government were too small. She asked whether it was the Maori who was responsible or the pakeha system of land holding. The problem was growing with the growing population, but in fact very few of the Maori people owned land. She suggested that the Maori Social and Economic Advancement Act be brought up to date to solve some of the problems of the Maori people.