MAORIS SHOULD BECOME MORE EUROPEANISED

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 22951, 20 May 1949, Page 6

MAORIS SHOULD BECOME MORE EUROPEANISED

Native Officer Says...

The present position of the Maori was in some ways not a happy one, despite the "fortunate” treatment they had received since the days of early settlers, said Mr. Te Nauru Karaitiana, field officer for the Department of Maori AfTairs, when addressing the Napier Rotary Club recently. Press articles lately had pointed to Maori crime and the fact that Maoris, six per cent, of the population, comprised 28 per cent, of the inmates of prisons. Obviously something was very wrong, he added. Mr. Karaitiana saw assimilation of the Maori race into the economic and social structure of New Zealand without loss of race and dignity as the solution of the Maori problem - today and as their' main hope for the future.

In 50 years, he said, the Maori population would be 500,000. The problem of the Maori race, who were today only 150 years removed from savagery, was one of great moment and deserved careful thought, added Mr. Karaitiana. Pride of Race A number of both Maori and European leaders thought that the Maori people should live in their own villages, preserve their customs and community life and consequently have more pride of race than if they were assimilated, he continued. 'He thought, however, that assimilation would result in no loss of dignity and pride of race.

If the Maori of today wished to bet- 1 ter his lot, secure better housing and living conditions he had to become more Europeanised, said Mr. Karaitiana.

People should not be misled by stories of the success achieved by some Maoris in attaining high positions they were all too few. A study of the distribution of occupations had shown that most Maoris were casual labourers; this meant work from day to clay, spells of idleness, bad health and home conditions. It promoted apathy and no thought for the future. Looking Backward

"This becomes the lot of Maoris who do -not become more Europeanised,” he said. “Those who believe the Maori should stay Maori overlook the fact that when people are living* in hovels they are looking backward, a great contrast to the Maoris who are on the ‘up-and-up.’ It is in these that you will find pride of race.” Mr. Karaitiana gave as a parallel the fact that races such as the Scots and Irish had been absorbed into the New Zealand population without their identity being lost. “Assimilation can only be brought about by education in its widest sense, putting Maori youth into all the occupations of Europeans and treating the Maori on lines of more equality with the pakelra,” he said.