LOYALTY OF MAORIS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18207, 30 September 1933, Page 3

LOYALTY OF MAORIS

SPEECH IN THE HOUSE LIFT OF, WAITANGI ESTATE In picturesque Maori language, which was intermingled with frequent flashes of quaint humor, Mr. Taite Te Tomo (G'ovt., Western Maori) spoke through an interpreter in the debate on the Add'ress-in-Reply in the House of Representatives. The loyalty of the Maori people to the British Crown and their pride in being privileged to live under the British flag were stressed by Air. Te. Tomo. “With niv hand I salute our Governor-General, who has been so generous in giving us the lands where the Treaty of Wait-angi was signed, ’ he added. In his opening remarks, Air. Te Tomo said he wished to unfold some of his Thoughts since he had been in the House. “I salute and greet the Government for the manner in which it has been looking after the Maori race,” said Mr. Te Tomo. “Before I came into the House I was of opinion that statements made bv ns out of Parliament were correct, but I have had my mind disabused of them since 1 have been here. In my electorate are people who have different ideas in regard to Parliament; some who have no ideas at all, others are indifferent to matters national, and all these I,have to carry on my shoulders. “In mv electorate we are proud to be under the British flag,” Mv. Te Tomo continued. “Although we have not been given everything we wanted, we are satisfied with a quarter of a loaf and the pakeha can have the other threequarters. . . . My observation of this House is that it- is like a team of horses: some are willing to pull and some are not. '

‘T appreciate the efforts of tiie Minister of Finance to make the finance spin out, but some of my people say he has not- been liberal enough. If he would give us more we would say that he was ft good man.” (Laughter.)