ASPIRATIONS OF THE MAORI

Otago Witness, Issue 3886, 4 September 1928, Page 75

ASPIRATIONS OF THE MAORI

THE GOODWILL OF THE PAKEHA. SIR APIRANA NGATA’S APPEAL. AUCKLAND, August 28. “We want the goodwill of the pakeha; we only “want to take a hand in managing our own affairs and to find a way of living with him in this country,” said Sir Apirana Ngata at the Auckland University College in an address upon the aspirations of the Maori. “ The least help you can give,” he continued, “ is not to laugh at what may seem our poor efforts. You took up the task 'of civilising the Maori, you left him none of what he had before, and you have been doing your best by education and in other ways to find him a new mooring ground.” Sir Apirana said the Maori was taking up the task himself. He no longer wondered at discoveries and inventions, but was keenly desirious of turning some of them to his own account. If possible, he wished to escape from the evils caused by the culture which the pakeha had imposed on him. “<he pakeha is a good chap, but he has got into a rut,” said the speaker, “ and in regard to some of the problems we have found a way of approach which is better than his.” Referring to his own people, the Ngatiporou, Sir Apirana said they had benefited greatly from having among them the members of the Williams family, from whom a few members of the tribe had learned stock raising and some of the handicrafts. Gradually the youth of the tribes all over the North Island were being linked up in a movement to engage in dairying. He asked the goodwill of the pakeha in connection with that movement. Sir Apirana said the Maoris were now looking to their own leaders to learn what could be done in farming and other activities. The last man from whom they learned was the pakeha. The communal organisation of the Maori had enabled many members of the tribes to live on small wages, but many had unfortunately broken their connection with the communal system and had drifted to the cities. In Auckland, there were about 800 representatives of tribes from every part of the North Island.