MAORI RACE

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 152, 30 June 1938, Page 15

MAORI RACE

"BORN SOCIALISTS"

COMMUNAL OUTLOOK

OWNERSHIP OF LAND

"The Maori is a born Socialist; his Socialism is based on his communal teachings," said the Hon. Rangi Mawhete (Wellington), when seconding the Address-in-Beply motion in the Legislative Council yesterday afternoon. The conservation and preservation of food—and that was tantamount to wealth—and its equitable distribution amongst the tribal people had always been important in the life of the Maori, he said.' That spirit had even gone as far as to include the jland, which was owned by the tribe land could be lost only by conquest.

Mr. Mawhete said that leaders and elders of his race had : sat in the Council before him, but he was the first to take part in. the initiaL stages of such a debate and he thanked the Leader of the Council (the Hon. Mark Fagan) for the privilege. The promotion of the welfare of the Maori race provided a wide field for work, and good work had been done in recent years. He believed the day was not far distant when the Maoris would be absorbed into citizenship on an equality with the pakehas. The Maoris were proud of their traditions and.he was glad the pakehas were helping to preserve those traditions and the Maori culture. The Maori was building for himself a new mode of life that would help him to fit into modern civilisation, and all Maoris: were. responding to the encouragement given by the Government in that direction. BENEFITS EXTENDED. The Government had extended benefits to the Maori people through pensions, education, health, and housing, and the Government ha& also recognised that the life of the Maori was inextricably bound Up with the land, and that it was through the land that the Maori must develop citizenship. He quoted figures to show how the [development of Native lands had in--1 creased during the last two years and how production by Maoris had helped to swell the productivity of the country. • " The Government had. recognised the Importance of providing the Maoris with houses if they were to play their part as good citizens, and over'l4oo houses had been, built or authorised. Hie consolidation of Native lands was also being undertaken. Many Maoris had small interests in many parts of New Zealand and could not become good citizens until those interests were consolidated so that the Maori could establish a home for his family on a particular area. A large number of Maoris had been unemployed, but improved conditions had altered that, and better pension provisions had helped those landless Natives who could not work. Educational facilities had been increased and provision had been made for the teaching of Maori culture in the schools. The Health Department had been particularly, active, and nineteen nurses and six health inspectors had been added to those working for an improvement in Maori health. Two Maori dental surgeons were,working in the more thickly populated areas and nurses were being trained to join them in the work .which would extend even into the backblock/districts. . MAORI PROPHECY. A Maori prophet had stated that New Zealand would some time have a Government composed of blacksmiths, shoemakers, and, carpenters, and under that Government the claims of the Maoris would be fulfilled, Mr. Mawhete said. Since the Labour Government took over the reins of Government the Maori claims based , on the confiscation of land that had taken place in the early years of European settlement had received consideration, and he believed those long-standing grievances would be settled.- Arrangements had been made for three representatives from a' tribe making a claim to meet three representatives of the Government in conference, and that was a solution satisfactory to the Maoris because it did hot involve the briefing of-costly advocates.

Discussing Socialism as it applied to the Maoris, Mr. Mawhete said that Socialism was a system that provided for the maximum of production. and distribution of wealth. To the Maoris the wealth was represented in food and land. Socialism as applied by the Maoris concerned humanity instead of money. ; Under the European system of private enterprise the enterprise was confined to a small group .and' the ordinary individual could .not get into that group, so the profits made were taken from the humanitarian side and added to r the capital of the few. To the Maori, Socialism was based on the teaching: "Love thy neighbour as thyself-and give him part of what you possess even unto the land."