MAORIS TOO POOR.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20296, 4 May 1934, Page 7

MAORIS TOO POOR.

Health Below European Standard. EVIDENCE AT INQUIRY. WHANGAREI, May 4. The Native Affairs Commission commenced its sitting this morning. Dr Cook, Medical Officer of Health for North Auckland, said that the health of the natives in general was considerably below the European standard. Poverty was one of the main causes; the majority were living in impoverished, struggling circumstances. The only remedy was to get them back on the land. The land development scheme would improve their health. Conditions during the past two years had been a slight improvement on those of the past. Matthew Finlay, farm director of the Native Department, stationed at Whangarei, detailed the preliminary steps of the development scheme, saying that the Native Minister took no part in the meetings held. The ordinary duties of various officers had to be neglected when the development work commenced. The areas were not definitely defined, and trouble occurred through some people considering themselves entitled to land occupied by others. There had been no lavish expenditure and the majority of the Maoris were most careful in their expenditure. The success of the scheme depended on personal supervision, but the number of supervisors was quate.