TRIBAL COMMITTEE

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 79, Issue 7101, 31 August 1949, Page 7

TRIBAL COMMITTEE

MEETING OF EXECUTIVE REPORT TO BOROUGH COUNCIL Cr H. G. Babbage submitted the following report to Monday night’s meeting of the Borough Council:— “I attended this meeting on Friday, 19th August, deputising for His Worship the Mayor, at the invitation of the Tribal Executive' Committee. The Executive was under the impression that some proposals would be put 'forward for their consideration but as the Council has never discussed the matter this was not possible. After some discussion it was decided to adjourn the meeting for one month, and that at the adjourned meeting one representative from the Borough Council, one from the Rotary Club and one from the Chamber of Commerce would be invited to attend, when these representatives may be able to put forward some proposals.

The position may be summarised as follows: This Maori Tribal Executive was set up under the Maori Social and Economic Advancement Act, 1945, about two months ago. The objects of the Executive are to make provision for the social and economic advancement and the promotion and maintenance of the health and general well-being of the Maori Community within an area in the Southern Waikato and Northern King Country. In particular as regards Te Awamutu the Committee wish to establish a form of Maori Community Centre which will cater for their physical, social, educational, moral and spiritual well-being and which will, revive and maintain cultural activities.

The first requirement in the establishment of such a Centre is a suitable site and this is a matter in which the Council can be of assistance. The area required would probably be not less than one acre. I would suggest that the Council endeavour to have proposals for a site and the conditions on which it would be made available ready to put before the adjourned meeting of the Tribal Executive”.

All present were agreed as to the need 'for such an amenity. Cr Babbage said that financial assistance was not required but the most important question in the initial stages of the proposal was that of a site. After a brief informal discussion it was decided to refer the whole matter to the Legal and Finance Committee and to ask that Committee to ascertain if an acre of the Cemetery Reserve, near the Power Sub Station, would be available. It was also decided to assure the Maori Tribal Committee of the Council’s sympathetic support.