MAORIS AND POLITICS

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 11253, 4 July 1922, Page 2

MAORIS AND POLITICS

SIR MAUI POMAJRE CHAFFED. Political unrest on tire eve of an ! election is not confined to tire Pakdia ; (says the Auckland ‘'Star”). Maori is having his preliminary gatherings and already there axe more than 1 bints. of a split in the camp. Kawlmhas started the campaign. A largo gathering of some 700 Waikato na- ' tives has been in progress during the week, and it was sufficiently important ; to attract Sir Maui Pomare, who represents the Western Maori electorate, and is also in the Cabinet. It seems (.hat a son of Itatana. (the Maori healer) bus been if he will stand as candidate for the Western electorate. This has compelled the Waikato Maoris to make an attempt to consolidate thoir forces. Sir Maui explained to tho assemblage that when he had refused to subscribe to the new “Covenant” of the H-atnn-aites and asked what his shortcomings were, was told that he had none but he “lacked the vision of the Lord.” After a long harangue, in which Sir Maui told the people that ho did not ask them directly for their votes, he advised them to oonsider well before making their choice. Personally he did not think young Itatana a Suitable person to lead the race. Tho knight was subjected to some ohaff over his acceptance of a “showy and tawdry” title, but he held that it was given as an honour to the Native race, not merely a personal deqoratiou. To Rata, the nominal “King,” was looked to by the gathering to give a lead as to which wav Waikato's sympathies should swing, hut he is evidently an astute politician, for summed ur> his advice was that Waikato should lie low like Brer Rabbit, and say nothing. Like most Maori meeting* the lvuv.hin hui was a pronounced success gnstronomically, but what the political result was no Pakeha could attempt to guess.