RIDICULOUS STORY

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXVI, Issue 145, 4 June 1936, Page 9

RIDICULOUS STORY

Premier Makes Strong Denial

EQUAL TREATMENT

(By Telegrapb—Special to “Tribune.”)

WELLINGTON, Juue 3

Commenting to-day on the message from Gisborne about the reported political activities among Maoris on behalf of the Labour Party, the Prime Minister, the Bt. Hon, M. J. Savage, stated that the thing was ridiculous.

“Our job,’’ he said, “is to deal sympathetically with the native racy It is not a question of politics ,or whether they are members of the Labour Party. Anyone who spreads talk of that kind is not helping the Labour Party, but is bringing it into disrepute. “When we make it a condition that they have to join the Labour Party before they efife get anything in the way of redrcß'j of grievances,?’ he add cd, ' ‘ we will be showing ourselves unfitted for the position we occupy.

“Maoris will be treated in the same way as other people in joining a union. Men, whether Maori or pakeha, on public works will have to be members of the New Zealand Workers’ Union. The Maoris have asked for equal treatment with the pakeha and they will get it. That means that they have to join unions to help earn the benefits that unionism brings. That has nothing to do with the Labour Party, which is a political organisation. They can join it if they want to. When a Maori makes application for job he will be judged on his qualifications, not on his politics.’’