MAORI WELFARE

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 131, 6 June 1938, Page 10

MAORI WELFARE

GOVERNMENT'S DESIRE

"WE ARE BUT ONE PEOPLE"

LABOUR CONFERENCE

The desire, of the Government to help in promoting the legitimate interests of the Maori race was expressed by the Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage), when officially opening the Maori Labour Conference in the Trades Hall, Vivian Street, this afternoon.

Mr. Savage voiced his pleasure at being present to welcome the delegates and extended his congratulations on the successful development of their organisation. "The Maori, though he is comparatively small in numbers, has a greatness which the pakeha warmly acknowledges with feelings, shall I say, of brotherly pride," he continued. "Though there are two races in New Zealand we are but one people, and I regard it as a great honour and privilege to be Native Minister as well as Prime Minister. I have continued to hold the portfolio of Native Affairs but, owing to my absence from New Zealand to attend the Coronation and the Imperial Conference, and, since my return, owing to the pressure of other duties, I have been compelled to delegate to the Hon. Mr. Langstone the actual labours attaching to the office, and may I take this opportunity of paying a tribute to the splendid way in which he has carried them out.

A WIDE FIELD. "Native Affairs is a field covering many activities. There is, for example, the promotion of the material welfare and prosperity of the Maori race; its social advancement, the improvement of the health of its members both individually and as a race; its vocational and industrial training; its economic establishment and its fullest absorption into the citizensliip of New Zealand on an equaUty in all respects with the pakeha. "The Maori is the representative of "a great race of people. He has a tradition of which he is justly proud—and the pakeha as a New Zealander feels that he, too, shares in that .tradition, and I am sure he desires to help the leaders of the Maori people to preserve and cherish all that is best in Maori culture on behalf of thes future generations. And I would like to stress this fact; the Maori is not living in or on his past—he has a great future and he is actively proceeding to build, for himself a new mode of life, to fit in with modern civilisation. He is indeed in the position of being able to draw upon two civilisations—his own and that of the white man—and from the progress he has achieved in recent years we know how well he is succeeding in adapting himself to the new culture. And here let me pay a warn and sincere tribute to the great services which have been rendered by the Maori leaders for their magnificent work in this respect."

EQUAL BENEFITS. In surveying what the, Labour Government had achieved in the field of Native Affairs over the past two and a half years, Mr., Savage said that the Maori was participating with the pakeha in the new prosperity which had been built up. The principal economic and social msasures had benefited both races alike, whether it be guaranteed prices, increased unemployment benefits, pensions, educational facilities, and so pn. But the Government had attempted to go further, and would do still more with his co-operation to give the Maori full equality of treatment, and possibly in some cases better treatment than was given to his European brethren. In •that respect it was endeavouring to do what it thought was only just and fair. > I The Government recognised that the welfare of the Maori was inextricably bound up with his land and that the development of the Maori people could best be achieved through effective land settlement The Government was doing all it could to encourage arid assist the Maori in whatever field he desired to apply .his talents, but since it was through the land that a new. form of Maori life was being created, it was in that field that the principal effort was being made. The development of Native lands with Government assistance was commenced in 1930 and the results obtained so far had been very inspiring. When the Government took office there,were 76 schemes in active operation, comprising an area of 668,885 acres. After two years the number of schemes had increased to 126 and the area included in the schemes to 804,864 acres.

OUTSTANDING RESULTS. Referring to unemployed Maoris, Mr. Savage said he thought the Government could justly claim outstanding results from the steps taken to deal with the problem. Maoris had been placed on equality with Europeans in relief rates of pay and the number of Maoris on the No. 5 scheme , and on. sustenance showed a decrease of 1157 since the Government took office. The reduction was approximately 62 per cent. What is foremost in the policy of the Government was always the absorption through the Native Department of all registered unemployed Maoris on the development of Native lands with thie ultimate object of settling the Maoris on their own lands. IMPORTANCE OF HOUSING. Mr. Savage reviewed the activities resulting from the Government's recognition of the most important bearing of Native housing upon.the health and material comfort and well-being of the Maori people. He said that at the present time, in order to widen and extend the scope of the' housing provision for. Maoris, the Government was considering amending the Native Housing Act. Up to March 31 last a total of 1438 houses had been erected or approved for erection. Much progress had been made in the consolidation of Native lands and the need for the completion of the schemes was ever in the mind of the Government. The advances which had been made in Native education were worthy of particular attention, said Mr. Savage. They had proceeded a long way from the teaching of English as the chief school function. Greater attention was now being paid to Maori culture, and the stress which had been laid on the social responsibilities of Native education was now actively being carried out in practice. The Government was proud of its achievement in the improvement of Native school buildings. Native post-primary education was also being given full consideration. Health educatioh was another active feature, and the existing health services had been extended to deal successfully with the diseases to which the Maori was susceptible. Every effort was being made to educate the Maori in the laws cf healthy living. It was not merely a question of bettering home life; of still more importance was the adaptation of the Maori to his altered environment. NEED FOR CO-OPERATION. "Permanent progress can only be made with the full co-operation of the

Maori people, and I would like to emphasise that the improvement of the Maori standard of life is the objective of the Government. And in regard to health services I feel, and I voice the sentiments of the pakeha, I know,- that the Maori deserves the very best and the most that the State can give him." Mr. Savage mentioned also the increased pension and family allowance benefits for Maoris. He expressed gratification at the way in which the Maori population continued to increase, and said that with economic and social conditions, and more particularly improved health facilities, towards which the Government's policy was being directed, the prospects for the futurt were good.