Maoris Advised To Break Barriers

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31340, 10 April 1967, Page 1

Maoris Advised To Break Barriers

(New Zealand Press Association)

HASTINGS, April 9.

The Maori race was “over-sensitive” about racial relations with Europeans, yet Maoris themselves were in many cases “pretty hard” on other races, the Assistant Controller of Maori Welfare, Mr P. K. Puriri, told the Maori Council’s meet-the-people gathering at Omahu Pa; Fernhill, today.

Mr Puriri said the Maori race had made great progress since just 20 years ago when there were barriers between their own people, but they would now have to break down the barriers between Maori and pakeha. Although Maoris complained about other people’s attitude towards them, their first problem was themselves. He would have to adopt a more positive outlook to the world and ait the same time

give the younger Maori generation more encouragement. The Maori hoys who were getting into trouble were the ones who. “don’t know what or where they are,” Mr Puriri said. Youths who had a sense of belonging to a tribe or family did not get into trouble, he said. Mr Puriri also warned the meeting against wholesale family planning. This, he said, was “racial suicide.”