SURVEY OF MAORI RACE

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 714, 13 July 1929, Page 14

SURVEY OF MAORI RACE

GOVERNMENT UNDERTAKES ECONOMIC TASK WORK OF GREAT CONSEQUENCE (From Our Resident Reporter.) WELLINGTON, Today.. . A new work which is being underj taken by the Government, and one of I great consequence, is an economic survey of the Maori race. For years the natives have presented a problem, statistical data concerning many phases of Maori life being admittedly incomplete. The object of this economic and general survey will be more the complete realisation of the Maori’s place in the community. At present there is much opinion as to what Maoris are doing in specific fields of endeavour, but no scientific knowledge. There is not, for instance, any complete data upon the use which Maoris are making of occupied lands and how far those lands are being developed as it may be expected they should be developed. The task is being undertaken at the suggestion and with the enthusiastic co-operation of prominent members of the Maori race who themselves are very interested to know just how much the Maori is giving to the community in the matter of service. Al-

ready investigations have made the surprising revelation that in some districts the hard labour of clearing country for farming purposes, credit for which has popularly been given to the pioneer pakeha, was performed by the natives themselves. The conclusions of the survey are expected to be of great value to the Government in its care and attention to the Maori race.