DISCUSSION WITH MINISTER

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 35, 11 February 1931, Page 11

DISCUSSION WITH MINISTER

HELP IN RECONSTRUCTION

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.) HASTINGS, -This Day. Yesterday a meeting of Natives of various, tribes from, the districts between Poraugahau, the sea coast, and Napier, was held at Hastings to meet Sir Apirana Ngata. About a hundred representative Maori men and women were present. The Minister was formally welcomed by Bishop Bennett, of Aotearoa and Hori Tupaea. Sir Ap;rana Ngata expressed deep sympathy with the Native as well as the pakeha people. He said how glad he had been to hear most favourable reports on the way in .which the' Native race had come to the rescue of those in need of assistance. He trusted that the existing committee,, known as the Maori Welfare League, would carry on the good work in which it was now engaged. In his Ministerial capacity ho would be glad to use the league for the welfare of the people as a whole throughout the devastated district, and he would consult with the Prime Minister with, the object of finding definite employment for it in the work of reconstruction of both Napier and Hastings, w Sir Apirana informed the gathering that he had met the trustee of Te Aute College, which had been largely destroyed by .the earthquake. One of the first jobs of the Maoris would be the reconstruction of the building, which, he expected,' would provide a fair amount of work. He had received several requests from Native people in various parts of New Zealand to be allowe.d to send provisions for the Maoris here. Some • tons of potatoes had been sent in the meantime.

So far as the future was concerned, it would! require .a little time to think out details of reconstruction work in connection with the Maori homes destroyed, but he could assure the Maori people that they would not be forgotten in anything connected with reconstruction. Maori unemployed would be absorbed as far as possible.. He was glad to hear that the Maoris were asking for work and not depending on charity. So far they had done excellent work in the town, and. he trusted that the very cordial feeling already created between the two races would continue for all time.

After tho meeting several business men approached Bishop -Bennett and Siv Apirana arid spoke most enthusiastically- of the work the Maoris have done, one saying: "They have set an examplo to everybody, and one that will never be forgotten."