Maoris as Labourers.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 4982, 15 April 1889, Page 3

Maoris as Labourers.

A complimentary dinner was given to Mr David Robertson, manager for Messrs J. and A. Anderson, the contractors for the Waitete contract of the North Island trunk railway, last week at To Kuiti, Mr Roberstson in replying to a toast, made several important statements re Maori labour, and expressed his sense of the kindness and consideration with which he had always been treated by the Maoris, which commenced on the first day by removing his tent out of a miserable swamp on to a hillside, where ho had lived pleasantly ever since. Ho had from the first employed Maoris on the work,and at the highest rate he was paying, and had always found them well worth their money, and well able to hold their own with their European mates. He had never pad any difficulty with them, and ho should certainly, if he got another contract, employ aR the Maori labour he could get, as ho found them not only hard working and able, but very intelligent, and he was sure that he could, if the specifications required it, construct tho main trunk line from there to Marton with Maori labour only, and do it in a superior manner. Some of the best work on this section, that hud called forth the approval of Mr Bluir, the present Engineor-in-Chief, was done by Maoris with plant of their own construction, and all the work done by Maori sub-contrac-tors was a credit to them. He was very

much surprised, considering what a new thing it was them, at the very intelligent and workmanlike way they carried the work through. He expected a great deal of trouble, and had met with loss than he ban ever had on any of his works. Ho had always found the natives extremely reasonable end reliable in any arrangements he had made with them.