The People's Forum

Northland Age, Volume XII, Issue 44, 12 August 1943, Page 3

The People's Forum

In this column will be published expressions of opinion on matters of public interest, if temperately worded. The paper is in no way identified with the views expressed by correspondents MAORI AND PAKEHA Sir. — Just at the moment there is a little feeling abroad about the segregation of the Races, Maori and Pakeha, and a word of comment is not out of place. Mr. Busby contends that the ultimate ideal New Zealand will be part Maori, part Pakeha, and he goes on to prove this by pointing to the Maori V.C. of recent fame. But here he misses the mark, for the V.C. is of pure Maori stock and hence his spirit and worth. The Maori gains nothing by his marriages into the Pakeha family. The pure full-blooded Maori is somebody to be proud of. When the White man, with all his diseases came to New Zealand he found the Maori strong and vigorous, with no hospitals and pauper benefits, everyone, man or woman could and did give good account of him or herself. It is a sad thing to-day to find how the Pakeha has dragged down his Maori brother, until now we have as many sick Maoris as W hites and a desire on the Maoris’ part to be like the whiteman and to have a nice big hospital in which he too can enjoy bad health. Let the Maori awake and get back to his original fitness and shun the whiteman and his politicians. Let us all strive for purity of strain and purity of soul and spirit and deed. If it is right for the Maori to wed the whiteman and his ailments, it is right for the Chinese, the Indians, the Jews to wed us; and, when, I want to know, we are all inter-married and all have a fair inheritance of diseases and are all in hospital and on the benefit, who is going to be fit enough to look after us. Let us remain separate. S. W. COPE.