FUTURE OF THE MAORI.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13955, 15 July 1909, Page 5

FUTURE OF THE MAORI.

Speaking as the guest of the newly established Xew Zealand Club at Wellington, the Hon. A. T. Xgata dealt at length with the question of - the future of the Maori, and the aim of the Young Maori Party. He stated the position of the Party under eight heads. Most of them referred to various methods of improving the status and condition of the Maoris as Maoris, but the first and second items of his statement were these t: (1) It is not its aim to preserve the Maori race as a separate and distinct race or consciously to combat the influences that tend more and more to bring about a fusion of the Maori race with the European. (2i It is recognised that the maintenance of the Maori as a distinct and separate race is impossible At the close of his address, it is reported. "Mr Xgnt.i made a strong appeal for a decision on the onestion of fusion of the Maori with the nakeha on the highest possible plane" and the basis of mutual, selfrrSDCet. c Do y° u he asked, 'or do yon not? It j- a plain, straightforward question, and the Youmr Maori Party await your answer ' Tf not fnsion, what was to of the Maori? That question of-fusion settled, other questions could ' expeditiously disposed of. ' " p should sav that the " fusion " of the races practically as impossible as the preservation of the race without fusion. "Fusion." if it means anything, means intermarriage, and the outlook in that direction is lint hopeful. White men jr.nv marry Maori v women in larger numbers in the future; if the women are Enroneanised in their mode of life: but that" Maori men will ever be able to marrv European women in any number* is" in the last degree unlikely. \ this obstacle to fusion on the one side, will be made an obstacle on the other. A practical step could be taken in the direction indicated hv Mr Xgatn. by altering the law which regards halfcAcfos !>s M*oris. Mnnv of them are white enough to pass for whites: and it seems a pity to make such a distinction between t».em and their T-ofcoha neidihm-rs. Whether it is nnssihle or impossible to maintain the Maori as a seonrate race, we must Jeave to the jnfirrment of the better informed: ho~i'irr flint it is nr+ Tiecessrrv to fceenf -\r r Xrr" f - > ' c : dnl'-f"! f«»-eca=t. if t T 'o " fn«- : on " T he referred to cannot be brought nhou f .