MAORI SELF-RELIANCE

Northern Advocate, 29 October 1932, Page 10

MAORI SELF-RELIANCE

NORTH AUCKLANDERS PRAISED

DEPARTMENTAL COSTS. ■EXTRAVAGANCE DENIED. (From Our Parliamentary Special.) WELLINGTON, This Day. An arresting description of the results of the policy of self-reliance pro- ; secuted by the North Auckland Maoris . was given in. the House last night by • the Hon. Sir Apirana Ngata, Minister s of Native Affairs, in the course of an , emphatic denial of the charges of extravagance levelled at the administration of native affairs by the National Expenditure Commisison, “This charge of extravagance is one I absolutely deny in connection with : the development of native land,” said the Minister. ‘ ‘ Later in the session I hope to be able to traverse that charge and put before the House facts and figures regarding the whole of the ' native land development work, which is the most important activity with which I have been associated during , my Ministerial life.” The Minister said the problem was not merely one of land settlement, but of everything that related to the na- . tivos in the North Auckland territory. As far as the treatment of the problem was concerned there were some things which could not await the passage of legislation or the making of fine financial adjustments. In the winter of 1930, when timber work had . finished, and public works, including • road-making, had trailed off, the local bodies were no longer in a position, to to assist the, natives .regarding road work. The northern Maori tribes, who . were the most independent and the ■greatest exponents of the policy of self-reliance in New Zealand, were unable to have their lands rated for readying .purposes, but offered their labour ' to do . the work at. half the usual rates of, pay. By that-means roads were constructed through the native land in question.

' Mostly Their Own Money. Sir Apirana pointed out with em- ; phasis that up to 1920 the money ex- ■ pended on native lands was the money of the Maoris themselves. Not one penny piece had come from the pakeha 'taxpayers.. The first contribution was furnished by the legislation of 1929, ■ and up to March 31, 1930, the total expenditure of such funds on native land development was £6500. “The sum of £6500 in 100 years!’ ’ commented, the Minister. “How much has the pakeha had in that time? For an example, we can take the State Ad- - Varices Department alone.” Continuing, Sir Apirana said that in 1931, under the pressure of unemployment and distress, the Ngapuhis had asked that the development of their land be undertaken. The total expenditure from June, 1930, to March 1 31 last was £48,000. By the end of the current year it was estimated that; the total number who had been assisted’Would be about GOO, “T deny absolutely the charge of extravagance as far as the Ngapuhi tribe’ I is concerned,” said the Minister, with ■some w’armth. “They W’ould take no fnoney for their labour until unemployment came along. Of the £48,000 mentioned, £45,000 is represented by stock, wire, staples, posts in some cases, 1 dairying utensils, and materials generally;” There was a large area in properly cultivated grass, the treasury security being represented by 25,000 acres in fair to good grass, fenced and sub-divided. Inexpensive Felling. The Minister asked whether any v member had heard of busli being felled for 8/. an acre, as had been done in the North. At present 849 acres were being felled at 10/ an acre. “What sort of bush?” inquired Mr W. J. Jordan (Labour, Manakau). The Minister: “Heavy bush. And it is an example of their self-reli-ance.” Mr F. Langstone (Labour, Waimarino): “You should be ashamed to admit it.” The Minister: “I am proud of it. There are two ways of solving the depression, and my people are trying to do'it in their own way. If it suits them what quarrel has Mr Langstone ? ” . Preceding, Sir Apirana said the attitude of the Maori w r as that he w’as not as “flash” a farmer as the pakeka, with the latter’s experience, resources, etc. The natives said: “All right, the pakeha is a better man. We have just crawled out of the swamp and the raupo hut a little while ago.’.’ The Maori’s standard was lower, and he w’as taking advantage of it in these times of depression to solve the problem in his own way; and he was being inspired to the fullest extent to make use of his advantages. In addition to the 25,000 acres mentioned, said the Minister, there was further security in the cattle being run and the fencing iriiprovements, which had been carried out by native labour without any cost to the development fund. High Tribute. The load on the land in the Ngapuhi district was £2 an acre, in grass (and carrying 6000 head of cattle), and if pakeha farmers could produce a better proposition he would take o(T three hats to them, and say that someone had arisen earlier in the morning than the Native Minister and had brought land in for next to nothing. “As an East Coast Maori,” said the Minister, “I take off my hat to the Maoris in North Auckland.”

The Minister disclosed that up to March 31 last the-natives had been

able to pay back over £OOOO, which represented a return of 12i per cent, notwithstanding the low prices of butterfat, and the high prices charged for cattle in the first year. Although the current year promised to bo the most difficult New Zealand had ever experienced, he expected that the return to the North Auckland people would produce the equivalent of I;' per cent. How many concerns in New Zealand were paying half that, figure, demanded the Minister, who added that he did not know of anything in any -other temperate country under the British Flag that would equal the development of native lands that had been carried out in North Auckland.