LABOUR PARTY BRANCHES

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 53, Issue 3808, 14 September 1936, Page 5

LABOUR PARTY BRANCHES

KING COUNTRY MAORIS. LINKING UF WITH WAITOMO BRANCH. The formation of several branches of the Labour Party among the Maoris ot the Ngati-Maniapoto tribe was reported at a conference called by the Te Kuiti branch ot :he Maori I about Partj at the Te Kumi pa. Representatives were present from Te Awamutu Pirongia Otcrohanga, MoKau, Aria, Piopic and Hangatiki. Mr Kia Tarawhiti, a member ot the Maori organising committee ot , the Labour Party, said branches had beer formed at Otorohanga, Te Kuiti, Hangatiki, Piopio and Moltau w.th a membership of 400. It was decided that each branch should nominate members to the Waitomo Labour representation committee. Mr Tarawhiti, who har bad 25 years of organising experience among the Maoris, in his opening speecn thanked those present for the invitation extended to him, and also for the very cordial welcome. "I am very glad to hear,” said Mr Tarawhiti. “that you have already formed Labour branches among yourselves, and I promise you that anything my committee can do to further the movement 01 your branches, we will do so.” EQUALITY OF THE MAORI AND FAKEHA. “First of all,” continued Mr Tara whiti." I would like to bring up the question ot economic equality of the pakehe and the Maori workers, and 1 am glad to say that the Maori workers are now on a par with his pakelia brothers. Let us view the legislation ot the past Government as far as unemployment is concerned, and we find there was a big margin between the payment ot wages to pakena and Maori, a differentiation of pay of almost 30 per cent. The Labour Government has taken up this matter, and you people realise that you have at last found a Government sympatnetic to you. The Labour Government, of course, is faced with the mistakes and miscarriages of justice under past Governments, but with the capabilities of the Native Minister and the help of the Maori Organising Committee, one would be hopeful of assuming a bright future for the Maori people. I would like to thank those organisers who started the Labour movement among you people, and to them I would like to say, ‘Carry cn the good work, and we, the Maori Organising Committee of the New Zealand Labour Party, are behind you.' ” MANIAPOTO MAORI ASSOCIATION In dealing with the question of the Maniapotc Maori Association, Mr Tarawhiti said, “I want you all not to be misled by this party. We, the Labour Party, do not recognise them. First of all, they have not affiliated with the Labour Party, and secondly, their platform is different from ours. And, as they are not affiliated with us they must be affiliated with some other political party, and I would like to ask those present here to-day, if there are any members of the Maniapoto Maori Association among you?” Mr Whare Hotu, a supporter of the Maniapotc Maori Association, said that the Association had just been formed and was not affiliated with anybody. “It is just an association formed by us,” he said. Mr G. Turner, speaking in regard to the Maniapoto Association, said he was the president of that party and also a Labour supporter. “As Mr Whare Hotu has said, our party is an independent one, and our platform is for the betterment of the Maori people generally.” Mr J. Ormsby, secretary of the Maniapoto Maori Association, who was also present, said that he did not agree witlr Messrs Hotu and Turner. “We arc not independent, and we have it in writing from the Native Minister, giving us his support to the platform of our association, and I challenge you, Mr Tarawhiti, to a debate in English on the policy of your labour Party and the platform of my association for the betterment of the Maori people.” Mr Tarawhiti: “I’ll accept your challenge, anywhere you like and at any time, but not here. We are among our own people, and we must speak in Maori and not in English.” Continuing, Mr Tarawhiti asked the supporters and members of the Man iapotc Association to join up witli the Labour branches already formed and work together as one, because if they worked together they could accomplish what they were after, but if they worked against each other they would not get anywhere. MAORI L.R.C. Mr Matengaro Hetet brought up the question of forming a Maori L.R.C. from the five branches already formed. He said that if this body were formed it would be a good thing, and he would like to ask the opinion cl Mr Tarawhiti. Mr Tarawhiti thanked Mr Hetet for his suggestion, but said that, owing to these branches being newly formed, he would suggest that this matter be left over till later. Mr Joseph reported that he attended the meeting of the Waltomo L.R.C. held at Te Kuiti last month, with Mr Davies. He said: “It was an eye-open-er to anyone who attended these meetings, to see the working of that body, and also the welcome extended to us was most cordial, and the answers to our questions were very satisfactory, end I would suggest that each of our branches nominate delegates to the Waltomo L.R.C, because Mr J. Jones, secretary of the Waitomo L.R.C., is also a member of the Maori Organisation Commitee of the Labour Party.”