YOUNG MAORI IDEALS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLVII, Issue XLVII, 19 April 1912, Page 7

YOUNG MAORI IDEALS.

SALVATION IN WORK. DR. BUCK'S ADVICE. BE PRACTICAL, NOT VISIONARY. The Hon. To RViiigihiroa. (Dr. Buck')'.' M.P.. in his presidential address at » meeting of the Young Maori party, point-, c-d out that the salvation oi the Maori was- reallv in work, an instruction wlr.ch hadibecn'drill-'d into the rn often by their European friends. As a party, they quite this,' but what they were desirous of obtaining was a practical [scheme when ir>" the energies of the rai-3. that had boen'lying migh; be .J. Erected tho' 'working of their own lands. It was not desired to plaqe anv difficulties in tli-o way of land settlement, but they held that their first consideration should b-e directed in favour of Maori settlers. As a- partj. they had always held that the Government should assist Maori farmers finanniallv. and by means of practical instruction.' and this had been urged 'by their representatives in Parliament. It was matter for congratulation that in the Governor's Speech at the opening of Parliament there was a paragraph suggesting s step in this direction. If this were done, it would give the Maori an opportunity of showing what he was capable of. and that was all the Young Maori pnrtv asked for—that the Maori should Ke (riven his opportunity equally with the white farmer. Then they could help to shoulder the burden of citizenship.

THE MAORI COUNCILS. As to the question of Maori councils, Dr. Buck urged the party that as they left school and college to take up their positions in the kaingas they should become members of the marae committees, rising to membership of the council, and even higher, that their influence amongst their people might be of a practical kiiid. The* functions of the Maori councils were to act as. sanitary authorities to carry into effect the laws that would promote the health of every village of the community generaiiv.

CARE OF THE SICK. Though thev had not done all that was exp?ctcd of thc.m, and were lax in some districts, there was no denying the fact (hat' the health of the people had improved since the councils were estab lishod. And the sanitary condition of th. villages had also been bettered. The practical effect was shown in tho increase of the native population. Owing to the unsat isfactorv working of the scheme Of subsidised medical officers to attend Maoris, the Government had be-en acting ■in the direction of appointing trained nurse* in various Maori districts. Whilst nurses could be expected to take .the place of medicaLnun. they knew that instruction in the care of the sick .and the treatment of infants would be invaluable to the Maori. The Anglican Church had certainly. done a- great deal of work in this direction. The credit was due to the Rev. 11. A. Hawkins, a member of the Young Maori party, for the organisation of tho scheme- whereby European nurses, with one or more Maori girls as wci'i located in Maori districts at the expen.-w of the Church. The superintendent of Maori councils was sending a circular round to the councils dealing with the subject- of nursing. 'lji conclusion. Dr. Buck expYessed th« hop-.?, that thi' partv would strive to be practical .and so direct contradiction to th-e taunt- that had been hurled at thorn front some quarters that they were a party of visionaries- (Applause.)