ARAWAS INDIGNANT

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 759, 4 September 1929, Page 18

ARAWAS INDIGNANT

REMARKS OF HOSPITAL CHAIRMAN PERSONALITIES RESENTED (From Our Own Correspondent) HAMILTON, Tuesday. The Arawa tribe is most indignant at the remarks made by Mr. Campbell Johnstone, chairman of the Waikato Hospital Board, at the conference of hospital boards at Hamilton last week. A meeting was held to protest at the growing problem of unpaid native rates. Mr. Johnstone was reported to have said that the native members of Parliament should be elected by the European vote. Other speakers stated that in their opinions the principle of appointing a Native Minister was a wrong one. These remarks have greatly disturbed the Rotorua natives, and the following telegram has been sent to Mr. Johnstone by Mr. Hemana Pokiha, of Mourea, the chairman of the Afawa Development League:“The Arawas unitedly protest against the view’s expressed by you regarding Sir Apirana Ngata, our approved Minister of the Crown, and consider them a deep outrage on him and those he represents in Parliament. If the prestige of British ideals rests only on such intolerance and racial prejudice and not on freedom and proved capacity, then the concord of friendship now existing between Maori and Pakeha will be destroyed. “The Arawas have a higher conception of Britain’s love of true Christian principles and inherent respect for justice which today is the inspiration of the Empire and a source of its spiritual, moral and material strength throughout the world. “Much as we sympathise with your hospital problems regarding Maoris, it surely shows poverty of statesman ship to introduce personalities into the discussion, which is our reason for voicing this protest.”