The Daily News SATURDAY, AUGUST 15, 1931. A DIGNIFIED REBUKE.

Taranaki Daily News, 15 August 1931, Page 8

The Daily News SATURDAY, AUGUST 15, 1931. A DIGNIFIED REBUKE.

It is no novelty for members of the New Zealand Parliament to hear both eloquence and sound reasoning from its representatives of the Maori race, some of whom have been among the few public men in this country who could be called orators. Such men as the late Sir James Carroll, for instance, have on occasion charmed the House with speeches full of poetry and spirit, and more recently members have had, too rarely perhaps, the privilege of listening to the thoughtful deliverances of Sir Apirana Ngata, the very able and highly cultured Minister of Native Affairs. On Thursday they had a very unusual experience, both Mr. T. Makitanara (Southern Maori) and Mr. Taite te Tomo (Western Maori) contributing to the financial debate speeches that must have been well worth hearing. Mr. te Tomo, who was only elected last October, displayed a naivete not at all unbecoming in a political novice, but that did not prevent his making two or three very sound points. His protest against a tendency which he had discovered to raise a race barrier between Maori and pakeha was impressive, and his expression of regret at having found land which should grow wheat devoted to the purposes of racing bespoke a commendably serious outlook, while he revealed a most creditable breadth of view when he related that he had urged the Maoris in his electorate not to seek relief work because he recognised there were many Europeans who had no land, whereas every Maori had at least some land which he could cultivate. Sure'ly if Mr. te Tomo is at all lacking in political knowledge he has his share of practical commonsense. That also is the characteristic which bulked largest in Mr. Makitanara’s speech. In the same straightforward, practical fashion he discussed points in the Budget, urging that the pakeha folk might take a lead from the Maoris, who, although the new duty on sugar would press heavily on them, would “.grin and bear it.” The sturdy self-reliance -of the native race was exemplified also in his references to the use of the land and the success of the North Island Maoris as growers of wheat. “Instead of howling about the duties,” was his advice to the pakehas, “they should follow the example of 'the Maoris and put their shoulder to the wheel instead of sitting down.” It is admirable advice, given by a member whose speech justified his attitude. Seldom has the House of Representatives received a more dignified or a more telling rebuke than Mr. Makitanara’s reference to the Prime Minister’s offer to form a national Government, and never perhaps has it accepted a reproof less gracefully. In all seriousness the representative of th. Southern Maoris pleaded with his white colleagues to cease making a joke of this subject, yet some of the most prominent members of the Opposition punctuated his periods with ribald laughter and extremely vulgar interjections. In the light of the Maori member’s dispassionate words and logical reason the interrupters must have appeared to onlookers to make a very sorry spectacle. It is certainly curious to reflect that it should have been left to one of the Maori representatives not only to show Parliament how the question of political combination in the country’s interests should be viewed but also to interpret for the benefit of his colleagues the real feeling of the country in regard to Mr. Forbes’ proposal. Mr. Makitanara quite properly pointed out that the Press was “almost unanimous” in its approval, and he implied, of course, that the opinion of the Press must be to a very large extent the reflection of the general attitude throughout the country. That Mr. Coates’ rejection of the fusion scheme was not in accord with the wishes of many supporters of Reform has been made abundantly evident, and all the people who belong to no party seem to be entirely in favour of a combination of the moderate forces in Parliament. Among business men professing various political beliefs there is ample evidence of anxiety lest unnecessary divisions should prejudice the country’s interest and prevent the stability of administration which they regard as essential under present-day conditions. Yet members of the Reform and the Labour Party have been laughing when fusion has been mentioned in the House, apparently lacking the powers of observation which Mr. Makitanara has employed to so much better purpose. It is to be hoped that his reproof, delivered with simple dignity and obvious honesty of purpose, and the nature of its reception by those to whom it was addressed will not be overlooked, but that the great numbers of their constituents who

share the Maori representative’s view will make an effort to persuade the members who have acted so unwisely to reconsider their attitude.