Mr Rata seeks S.I. support for election

Press, 12 August 1980, Page 6

Mr Rata seeks S.I. support for election

Mr Matiu .Rata, the former Labour; member of ' Parliament fdr Northern Maori; said yesterday that he would stand again for the seat in the 1981 General Election if he was nominated by the Mana Motuhake movement; Mana Motuhake would contest, all four Maori seats and between six and eight marginal general seats in the election; . . .., ...

Mr Rata, who is the president of the movement is on his first visit to. the South Island since his defeat in the Northern - Maori - by-election in June. ' . He said. in Christchurch that the time‘had! come 'for the movement to seek support in. other; parts of New Zealand. He hoped that.». a Mansi Motuhake .branch would be established in Christchurch within ;the next three months and a branch in Dunedin after, that< Branches on the West- Coast and in Temuka might also be founded. . South Islanders and the Maori people suffered similarproblems: there , was a common .. feeling■ Of social depresr sion and. frustration, cultural stagnation, and economic ne-'

| gleet. But in both cases separatism was not the answer. Mana Motuhake, wanted .to live in New Zealand but sought to have “an independent, autonomous right to exist, to flourish, and to advocate on Maori terms.” Mana Motuhake would actively seek support for its policies from other candi-l dates in the General Election.

"Where that support is not forthcoming 1 we could put up candidates if for no other reason than to stop the winner from winning,” said Mr Rata. The confusion over the electoral rolls had resulted in the -accumulation of a solid core of . Maori voters in most seats which could be called on “to assist our cause.”- In the Bay of lslands about 600 Maoris were on the general roll And 200 to 300 votes in this seat could be vital. Mr Rata said that his only reason for wanting to return to Parliament was to ensure that . Mana Motuhake’s policies were passed into law. He had no desire to enter Parliament again “for the sake of it.” I If elected he would use his! 17; years of Parliamentary ex-1

perience to “re-establish the political rights of the Maori.” ' He hoped that a link might : be forged between the movement and the Labour Party, but he was adamant that the movement would remain a j separate entity. “We will co-operate at all i times but we will not be coopted.” he said.

The Ratana movement might support Mana Motul.ake’s policies.

Mr Rata was optimistic about the support Mana Motuhake could command in the General Election. He was confident that it would turn out a well-oiled political machine. The movement’s supporters had had their "battle-standard bloodied in the by-election and are equally anxious and keen to get into the fray this time.”

Mana Motuhake was contemplating putting up a candidate in the Auckland local body elections in October. There was an urgent need for Maoris rto understand clearly the functions of local government. The. movement would support local body candidates who were sympathetic to its views.