HELPING THE MAORI

Northern Advocate, 7 June 1933, Page 3

HELPING THE MAORI

•SETTLEMENT SCHEMRS. A DOUBTER CONVERTED. A frank admission of mistaken opinion was made by the Hon. A. D. McLeod, speaking at the Native Rating Conference in Wliangarei yesterday. “I was prejudiced a good deal against the development schemes advocated by the present Native Minister, and I prophesied their failure,” he said. “This committee has inspected a number of these schemes now in actual operation, and we have been surprised at the results* gained, particularly in the Rotorua district and in parts of the East Coast. The achievements reflect a groat deal of credit upon the natives themselves, on the capable supervisors, and on the Minister. The capital has been found for them and they are responding to it much better than I ever anticipated. The roughest of scrub country has been brought under the plough and grassed for an average cost of only £3 per acre.” Mr W. Cooper, officer in charge of the Native Department, Wliangarei, explained the difference in the schemes operating in Northland 1 and in other parts of the North Island. In the Rotorua, East Coast and Bay'of Plenty ditsriet, the Horn IToro, or absolute group system, was meeting with splendid results. Eiuler this t!m department was abb l to select the best of the community for placing on the Largo blocks available. Tn the North it was found that natives were already established on individual holdings tip to a point, so that the unit system was brought into operation as a matter of expediency, whereas the IToro Horo plan was one of business, Tn the North, capital advances were made in a degree based on observation of personal capacity.

With regard to statements made by Mr d. A. S. Mac Kay in reference to retarded slevelopment, in the Fipiwai district, Mr Cooper said that the department was not satisfied with the units already picked up* there. Under the unit system, assisted natives were sandwiched iu between others not included, and, until all were embraced in the Horo Horn scheme, development would be restricted. Present progress in enlarging the major scheme was restricted owing to lack of capital.