TWO RACES

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 144, 15 December 1933, Page 9

TWO RACES

MAORI: PAKEHA

IS THERE SUSPICION?

NATIVE MINISTER'S VIEW

The attitude of the pakeha towards the Maori was the main theme of the speech made by the Minister of Native Affairs (the Hon. Sir Apirana Ngata) in the course of the debate in the House of Representatives last evening on the report of the Public Accounts Committee on the statement of the Controller and Auditor-General (Colonel G. F. C. Campbell) in reference to the administration of the Native Department. Referring in tho first place to the Barry case, the Minister said he did not think it could be said that he had ever spoken strongly against Mr. Barry. He had had very good reasons for giving his decision that Mr. Barry was no lon'goi' required by the Native Department, and he would be glad of the opportunity the Commission would afford of going into the whole matter. It had to be remembered that Princess Te Puea had never had a chance of stating her side of the case. Sir'Apirana dealt with other officers who had been dismissed from the Native Department and expressed the hope that all those cases would be fully dealt with by the Commission. Referring to the Native Land Settlement Board, Sir Apirana said that the> decision came into effect in January last and almost immediately steps were taken to set up the board. It had been, necessary to take action in certain directions before the board was actually constituted, but, he did not think that the Government or the country had lost anything as the result of that. One action was to purchase 57,000 sheep, and there would bo a good prdfit to the Department as the result of that this year. The board had been functioning sinco the beginning of the year, and while tho House had been sitting the board had held .one of its most important meetings. It had been insisted that those in charge of the various developmental schemes should work to a budget. He pointed out that the audit investigations which were now taking place were in respect of happenings which had taken place beforo the Native Land Development Board was 1-onstituted. < 'PRISONER AT THE BAR." "Tonight I am one of the prisoners at the bar,'' said Sir Apirana. "I want to say that, if anyone can derive qny pleasure out of the debate tonight, it is because of the tone which members have adopted. I propose to speak for a few minutes, not so much as the Minister responsible for the Department which is under review but as one of the Maoris of New Zealand. What has given us most concern at this time is the attitude of the pakena towards tho Maoris. There havo been 'many misunderstandings and a lot depended on the tone of the debate tonight. We were anxious to be assured whether ■we. had the goodwill of the pakeha of New Zealand or not. A Labour member: That was never in question. Sir Apirana: The Maoris must take their cue from the tone of this ChamT>er. tonight. If. the tone, had not been in keeping with the attitude which has always been taken up towards the Maori race, a lot of queer things would have happened in the next few months. Mr. R. Semple (Labour, Wellington East): That is an extraordinary statement.1 ■ . : • Mr. F. Langstonc (Labour, Wannarino): Yes, just what do you mean? Sir Apirana: That is no threat. During the last week or so, messages have reached us, written probably in moments of heat, expressing resentment at what has happened. I am not levelling charges at members of the Labour Party, or fit any other section of the House, butN at the prjeoha of New Zealand. Where does the Maori get his impressions from? From the Parliament, the Press, the man in the street, and the man outside. The Minister said that every man and every woman who was connected ■with the native land .development schemes felt today that the pnkeha had something in his, mind and perhaps in his heart about him or her. . Mr. Sempk: Absolute nonsense. , Sir Apirana: The tone of the debate tonight has conveyed to us far more than what members have actually said. MINISTER'S POWERS. The Minister said that it was proposed to take away from the Native Minister,some of the extensive powers he had nad, and the Maori people were wondering whether that was directed at the Minister, who was a Maori, or at the Native Minister as an institution. Ho was trying to convey to tho House the possibility of serious misunderstandings outside. The Government had decided that the native land development schemes wero to be run on certain lines, and he wanted to assure Ihc House that the schemes would bo completely successful. It had to bo remembered that any schemes had to be brought about gradually, and that was being done. "Wo have never got money from Parliament before for the Maoris," said the Minister. "This is the first time that it has been given to us and it is not very much. The public of New Zealand are showing far more concern about the £500,000 given to the Maori settlers than over the millions of pounds that have been spent in other directions. Mr. W. J. Broadfoot (Government, "Waitomo): Yok, £8,000;000 for solfliers' settlements. ■ Sir Apirana: I want to thank the House for its consideration and also for the tor.-} of the debate tonight. It will mean n good deal to the men and women outside. He said that the present troubles j had arisen out of what he characterised as honest misunderstandings. It was obvious to him that no Maori ■would, evrr satisfy the paknha and there was ;i feeling that there was a bias against the Maori. "A KIND OF THREAT." Mr. E. Semplo (Labour, Wellington East) said that tho concluding words of tho Minister's speech contained a kind of a threat in that the Maori race would be indicted or insulted. The members of the Opposition gave place to none in defending^ the Maori Tace. There was no criticism in the House that would lead tho Minister to believe that there was any feeling against the Maori people. Mr. F. Langstone (Labour, Waimarino) said that there was no question in the minds of Parliament or the pooplo on a pakeha v. Maori issue. That had never entered the mind of any members, and neither had members stated that the Native Minister had been less efficient than his colleagues. There was no man in the House with a greater or more profound knowledge, and he was generally recognised by the Opposition as the genius of the 'Government. When irregularities Tvore pointed out by the AuditorGeneral, no matter in what Department, .it was only right that they should he fully investigated, and it. was the duty of Parliament to see that that

investigation was carried out. The Minister could not be blamed if a member of his Department abused a trust, but tho Minister was responsible for the administration of his Department. Tho Auditor-General's report showed several instances in which tho Government had committed flagrant bjeaehes of the. law. The Government was enforcing the law down in Samoa, but the Government itself was breaking the law. Mr. J. A. Nash (Chairman of the Committee)-said that Barry was not dismissed straight away, but was sent to another position. Finally, his services were dispensed with by the Public Service Commissioner. Five different charges were laid against Barry a few years previously, and an officer of the Department was sent to New Plymouth to invostigato the position. The result was that it was impossible | for Barry to remain in the Departments service at New ( Plymouth. It was just as well members should know that. Mr. P. Frasor (Labour, Wellington Central): ' They were very minor charges. Mr. Nash said they dealt with soldier settlers, selling goods, flour, and various other things.

A full report of the discussion on the Public Accounts Committee's report on Native affairs appears on page 5, and extracts from the evidence tendered before the Committee are published on page 16.