Did Official Hint Squash Local Maoris Interest?

Northern Advocate, 18 October 1947, Page 8

Did Official Hint Squash Local Maoris Interest?

HOKIANGA LOCAL BODY POLLS

(Special) RAWENE, This Day. THE possibility, which appeared only a few weeks ago. likely to develop into a very real probability, ot Maoris block-voting to put their own candidates into office in the three Hokianga local bodies seems now to have receded.

It was considered more than likely that Maori candidates would be nominated to stand for all but one of the ridings. It is freely staled among the Maoris in the county now that word has come through Mr P. K. Paikeu, M.P. for Northern Maori, that Mr Peter Fraser —who, to the natives, is “Te Paraeme Minila e te Minita Maori”—does not wish this business of Maori versus pakeha to be carried any further. Accordingly, local leaders have been asked to put the soft pedal on the racial organisation which was obviously gaining strength. Thus it appears unlikely that Maoris will stand as candidates. There are one or two ridings where the position is far from clear, and where the Maori may yet wish to stand, but even there it is questionable how much native support they will receive. Cue concrete result of the organising that went on is the fact that hundreds of additional names—Maori names—are appearing on the rolls now being prepared by the returning officer iMr H. Chappell).

It can be safely said that the large Maori communities of South Hokianga, at Taheke, Waima, Omanaia, Whirinaki and Waiotemarama will not be unduly interested in the local body elections.

NORTH HOKIANGA INTEREST

In North Hokianga it is a very different story. There are several different groupings, whose hapus are still a long way from complete cooperation and friendliness towards each other.

Whangape riding, the most northerly in the county, is certain to be one of the most keenly contested, although even there it is still doubtful whether a Maori candidate will arise.

Anyway, the possibility that Hokianga might have provided New Zealand with its first Maori-dominated county council, hospital board and harbour board appears now to have passed.