MAORIS' GENEROSITY

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 16, 20 January 1928, Page 6

MAORIS' GENEROSITY

WHERE LAND AGENTS SCORE (By Telegraph.) (Special to "The Evening Post.") AUCKLAND, This Day. Some of the di/fieulties encountered in the task of inducing the Native* t« pettle down were explained by Dr. Ellison, Director of Maori Hygiene, at th» conference of Native school teacher* yesterday, "If the Maori land agents were mads to aappt definite charges and not rely upon the thankfulness and gratitude"©* the Maori, thera would not to-day be go much poverty among Maori people," he said. The Maori could never receive a gift or a service without raak» jng some .acknowledgment. The agen» who, had helped the Maori to secur* his land knew this very well. H» niade no charge, but he did hold oufc his hand. The Maori would not know just what tho agent had done for. him in the matter, and thp result wag that the agent usually came out with flying colours. Dr. Ellison explained that Maori land belonged in most instances to large numbers of Natives. A Maori might be able to. claim a fiftieth or someothor fractional part of a block; ■" One: could well imagine the trouble and difficulty which might be experienced, before a Maori actually had his portiom fenced off. It was a costly businesjp, but it could be made less expensive if. there was a proper scale of charge*.