ORAKEI MAORIS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23732, 12 August 1940, Page 10

ORAKEI MAORIS

« .. ■' ■ „ Sir, —Tho Hon. F, Langstone (in his capacity of Native Minister} is not holpfufin respect of Orakei. As Ministor in charge of Native Affairs it is clearly "his duty to seek Maori goodwill, and liot Maori resentment. The first great error made by the Government in these matters was when it disregarded the Crown grant issued to the "people of Orakei. That grant created a trust and declared the land to be inalienable and to be a home reserved to these people for all time. By alienating the Maori title, and without reference to or approval of the people :is a whole concerned —the consequential troubles ensued—and the position of to-day is the .direct result. It is not too late' to rectify those wrongfc and to attain a just and proper solution of the problem. ' These Maori people have long since propounded their scheme whereby tho Orakei village environment might bo changed from its present enforced deterioration to , a dignified centre of Maori life. A large carved assembly house —with appropriate, dwelling quarters for the people —and a general improvements of their village environ-

mcnt, is Qrakei Maori ideal. I am sure the citizens of Aiickland #iU disapprove of tho suggested forcible action Mr. Langstone suggests. Rather let lis solve this by a just and happier method, 10 retehtion of the people 111 their niVcestral home, where they desire to remain surrounded by the ancestral memories of their past. Gko." Graham.