Job-hunting trip disturbs Wgtn Maoris

Press, 10 January 1983, Page 2

Job-hunting trip disturbs Wgtn Maoris

PA . Wellington Plans to bring a group ot East .Coast Maori schoolleavers on a job-hunting trip to Wellington have upset some Wellington Maoris. Mr Brian Hemmingsen, of the Wainuiomata marae, said that it was hard enough to find jobs for young Wellington Maoris without bringing in extra young Maoris from outside the area.

He was reacting to plans by a Maori Affairs Department official at Gisborne, Mr Monty Searancke, who wants to bring 20 to 30 schoolleavers to Wellington. “It is already difficult finding jobs here and bringing in extra people from outside is not going to make it any easier,” Mr Hemmingsen said.

It might not have been so bad if the car-assembly and

car-component factories had plenty of work available. However, they did not, and jobs were scarce, he said.

“The Maori Affairs Department should have had some liaison with the- local groups,” Mr Hemmingsen said.

Mr Searancke, who is also a co-ordinator for the Ju Tangata work programme, said that he was aware that jobs were scarcer now and he had changed his approach accordingly. In previous years about 30 to 40 young people had made the trip, but this year it would probably be 20 to 30, he said. Most of these would have qualifications such as University Entrance or School Certificate, as there were more job opportunities for school-leavers with higher skills.