CHINESE MARKET GARDENS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20870, 9 November 1929, Page 10

CHINESE MARKET GARDENS.

EMPLOYMENT OF MAORI WOMEN. REPORT OP SPECIAL COMMITTEE. (Feom Oub Pabliauentabs Repobteb.) WELLINGTON, November 8. “ The time does not appear to be opportune for prohibiting the employment of Maoris by Chinese and Hindus, but pending suitable steps being taken to obviate the necessity of such employment we are of opinion'that improvements of the existing conditions and means of safeguarding the Maoris against exploitation might be effected." In those terms the committee appointed by Cabinet to inquire into the employment of Maoris in market gardens concludes its report, which was tabled in the House of Representatives to-day. The committee comprised Dr T. J. Hughes (medical officer of health, Auckland), Mr W. Slaughter (officer-in-chargc of the Labour Department, Auckland), and Mr Tukere Te Anga (Native depot), assisted by Dr E.P. Ellison (director of Maori hygiene), in an advisory capacity. Summarised, the committee’s findings are as follows: 1. Suitable accommodation similar to that Required under the Agricultural Labourers Accommodation Act and regulations thereunder with certain exceptions should be provided for all workers employed in market gardens, whether controlled by Europeans or Asiatic?, and in the case of Asiatic gardens the site of such accommodation shall be approved by the local authority in co-operation with an officer of the Native Affairs Department. 2. The committee refiommends that the aforementioned regulations be applied to the accommodation of Asiatic market garden employers where there are no building by-laws in force. 3. The committee recommends the prohibition of the employment of Maori females under the age of 21 in market gardens controlled by Asiatics, unless under such supervision as may be approved by the authority' or his delegate mentioned in the following recommendation. ,4. The committee recommends that provision should be made for the fixing of a minimum wage for all workers who are paid by time. As, however, it appears to be the practice to let work by contract or piece-work, the committee is of opinion that some responsible authority, who may delegate _ his powers to some suitable person' residing in the locality, should be appointed for the scrutinising and approving of all contracts or piecework agreements entered into between the employer and the worker. 5. The committee recommends the revision and raising of the education test of the Chinese. 6, The registrars should obtain such details concerning the marriages of Maoris and and other Asiatics, and births, legitimate or illegitimate, of Maori children of Asiatic fathers to enable the Government Statistician to keep full details. With regard to this question the committee directs the attention of the Minister of Native Affairs (Sir Apirana Ngata) to the resolution unanimously passed by the Maori members of the Anglican Synod in Auckland recently which stated; “That the women and girls of the t Ngapuhi tribe who have drifted into city and suburban areas and seek employment in market gardens be repatriated, seeing that they have land interests and remunerative occupations to return to." In that connection the commitee says it recognises that it would cause' hardship to place any further restriction on the Maori workers until other suitable avenues of employment are available. For the latter purpose the following suggestions are made:—(l) The education of the Maoris with a definite agricultural bias; (2) speeding up of the consolidation of Maori interests in land; (3) revival of ancient Maori arts and crafts and arrangements for marketing the output; (4) domestic training of Maori girls. The last two suggestions would, in the opinion of the committee, necessitate the making of provision for training centres and hostels. Finally, the committee recommends that the efforts of the Health and Education Departments to raise the standard of living among the Maoris be supplemented by the extension of the hygiene course in Native schools.