More Maori pupils in sixth form

Press, 31 August 1977, Page 3

More Maori pupils in sixth form

PA Wellington The number of Maori pupils entering the sixth form in secondary schools is increasing, according to the annual report of the Department of Maori Affairs, tabled in Parliament yesterday. “While this situation may be put down to the growth in the Maori population on a proportionate basis, the over-all situation is showing a worth-while improvement,” the report said. However, this improved representation in the higher levels of secondary educai tion did not, from the information available, appear to have been carried on into the trades, where progress had levelled off. In 1972, the percentage of identified Maori apprentices

reached its highest point of 5.6 per cent of all apprentices. However, by 1976, it had fallen to 5.1 per cent the report said. There was no separate recording system for determining which apprentices were Maoris and so the true figure was probably a little higher. On a population basis, the figure should be nearer 10 per cent. “Nevertheless, the fact that Maori representation has been brought up and maintained at a relatively consistent level, in spite of the difficult economic situation, can be attributed to the injection into the trades of young Maori people from the special pre-apprentice-ship trade-training courses,” the department, said.

Turning to land development, the report said that 75 development schemes were controlled by the department at June 30, 1976, with a total area of 107,778 hectares. The schemes carried 481,325 sheep and 62,262 cattle, making the department the second-largest farmer in New Zealand. Income from the 75 development schemes to March 31, 1977, amounted to more than 59.2 M. This was an increase of 53 per cent on the previous year and exceeded the total expenditure on the same schemes by some $2.4M. The department during the year under review, helped 956 families to obtain houses and made loans available to 552 families for home repairs and additions.