MAORIS CONGREGATE

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 147, 19 December 1944, Page 4

MAORIS CONGREGATE

UNHYGIENIC CONDITIONS f O.C. PALMERSTON N., This Day.

The conditions under which Maoris are living at Opiki, near Shannon, were described at a meeting of the Palmerston North Hospital Board as not to be tolerated. It was reported that 200 people were affected, the majority being engaged on the market gardens. They were described as a moving community and Army huts had been secured in some instances to accommodate them, but the sanitation arrangements were very poor—open rubbish holes in the ground, open drains, and one lavatory sei'ving as many as 40 people in one instance. Some of the Army huts were resting on the ground instead of on piles.

Mr, G. A. Monk, who is chairman of the Horowhenua County Council, said the building bylaws of the county had been ignored. The whole position v/as deplorable and has been brought about by the appeal to grow more vegetables. The Maoris did the weeding, etc. If only the working Maoris had to be housed the position would not bessto t bad, but children, grandfathers, aunts, and .uncles also came along. The question was really a national one.

Mr. J. Hodgens, M.P., agreed with Mr. Monk, but thought that some of the responsibility also rested on the shoulders of the vegetable growers who employed the Maoris.

Mr. Monk said the economics of vegetable growing would break down if the growers had to house all the1 Maoris who arrived on the scene.

Dr. T. C. Lonie, medical officer of health, said the Opiki situation should not be tolerated in a civilised community. In 1927-30 he was in Malaya and part of his duties was the supervision of native housing on the rubber estates. The Government there had laid down standards, and^conditions such as existed at Opiki would not be tolerated for five minutes. Some action must be taken to improve matters, and h° suggested writing to the Minister? of the several Departments of State concerned. This the Hospital Board agreed to do. Dr Lonie added: "Whatever the board does. I am determined ■myself to pursue it."