MAORIS’ NEEDS

Southland Times, Issue 22472, 7 November 1934, Page 8

MAORIS’ NEEDS

GRANTS FOR WORKERS MR T. TE TOMO DEFENDS EX-MINISTER A FORCEFUL SPEECH

(From Our Parliamentary Reporter.)

Wellington, November 6. Remarkably few references to the findings of the Native Affairs Commission and many observations on a wide range of other subjects characterized the contribution of Mr T. Te. Tomo to to-night’s debate on the Commission’s report. Addressing the House through an interpreter, in his customary forceful style Mr Te. Tomo started off by indicating that if he were to give full vent to his feelings on the report, he would still be speaking in the early hours of the morning. Leaving the report temporarily, he suggested that the grants made by the House should be given to workers. He was prepared to give his salary over to working people who were in distress because he realized they did not enjoy the same luxury as he did at Bellamys, but he made it clear he was not referring to the amount paid him now, but in future. After a brief excursion into tne merits of the Maori voting system, Mr Te Tomo returned to the Commission which he explained had omitted to mention the benefits his electorate had received. He then voiced a sentiment similar to that expressed by Mr T. Henare that according to the Maori way of regarding the matter, Sir Apirana Ngata should be asked to resume his seat in Cabinet. “I understand the position though, he added. “We must comply with the law, as St. Paul in his second chapter to the Romans said ‘Before the law came we lived; since the law has come we must comply with it.’ I know the Prime Minister is not able to what I suggest, because there are other influences at work that will prevent him from doing it.” . By way of illustrating the Maori outlook, he recalled that during the United regime, Sir Apirana Ngata had, in spite of the exception taken by members of the party, invited Mr Coates, then Leader of the Opposition, to unveil a memorial to a Maori chief and open the meeting house. Mr Te Tomo said he had accompanied Sir Apirana Ngata round the development schemes and had seen the great work he had done, He had done his best for his and would do his best. The biggest stumbling block to land development schemes was the Ratana movement which discouraged the scheme. “I know some people would like to see the Minister of Finance and myself out of the House so they could get hold of the power,” added Mr Te Tomo, but I have advised my contemporary to hold fast to the trunk of the tree and not cling to stray vines.” Mr Te Tomo concluded with an appeal to the Minister of Finance to give effect to the application of the Maori people for dwelling houses and not compel them to build them with their own money. People in Waikato were the worst off. From that centre he had had letters frantically appealing for assistance in that direction. . “If Mr Coates is unable to give effect to these applications,” Mr Te Tomo declared, “then someone else next, year will be in my seat in this House.”