Chairman congratulates Maori wardens’ action

Press, 31 March 1981, Page 25

Chairman congratulates Maori wardens’ action

PA Wellington The chairman of the Maori Council, Sir Graham Latimer, yesterday congratulated Maori wardens in Auckland who are refusing to allow two Maori families out at night because of crimes they have committed. Sir Graham said the power wardens have to impose such a curfew had been embodied in the Maori Welfare Act for many years but had not been invoked for some time.

“I would like to congratulate them for exercising their authority under the act. I would like to see all the wardens doing what they can in

this way, working more in the preventive area rather than acting as patch-uu people at the end.” In the 1950 s and early 60s, New Zealand's 365 Maori committees, in con; junction with the Maori wardens, used to impose — with the support of the courts — this tyoe of p-o--hibition penalty regulatiy. “This was part and parcel of the Maori wardens’ responsibility,” said Sir Graham. However witn changes to society and the urban drift of rural Maoris, this particular “authority” in the act had fallen into disuse.

Some people, including some politicians, had been very critical of the war-

dens’ powers. As a result, these provision s in the act had been pushed into obscurity, Sir Graham said. However, now it seemed the Maori wardens, the Maori committees and Judge Brown, of the District Court at Henderson were working together, in Henderson at least. “It will work — this is catching on. “I understand they have a terrific rhythm going among them,” Sir Graham said.

The provisions of the

act, if invoked when necessary. were the most positive way of getting Maoris back on an even keel and making people aware of their responsibilities, he said. However, Sir Graham said he saw a great need to strengthen the work of Maori committees, which worked in conjunction with the wardens. For some time they had had the assistance of officers from the Maori Affairs Department, but this had been withdrawn in the mid-19605.