STATEMENT ABOUT MAORIS AND LIQUOR WAS AN OLD REPORT

Wanganui Chronicle, 4 October 1946, Page 6

STATEMENT ABOUT MAORIS AND LIQUOR WAS AN OLD REPORT

CONDITIONS CHANGED

(P.A.) Parliament Bldgs., Oct. 2. “Statements ascribed to me yesterday with regard to the Maoris and liquor were not made by me as stated but were an extract from an informal unofficial draft of a memorandum explaining the provisions of the Maori Social and Economic Advancement Act, 1945,” said Mr- Rangi Royal tonight.

“It was an observation upon a condition which obtained some ten years ago, and was referred to to show the way the Maori people had travelled, and as a guide Io future habits. The statement is taken from what was saiu. by the late Mr. H. Tai Mitchell in 1936 w'hen advocating the appointment of Maori wardens to suppress excessive drinking among his people,” said Mr. Royal.

Removed from its context, and expressed as an independent and complete statement, it made him appear to say something contrary to th© actual position as he found it to exist to-day, and entirely opposite to what the words were intended to convey as part of the memorandum.

Mr. Royal said that refutation Of the alleged statement, if such were needed, was to be found in figures showing collections by the Native Department respecting repayments by Maoris of loans under the Maori Housing Act, 1935, and its amendments. Since operations commenced under that Act £420,847 had been lent to Maori borrowers, and at March 31 collections of interest and principal amounting to £231,029 or 55 per cent, had been made.

These figures certainly disclosed that the Maori was applying his income to a useful purpose, and one calculated to promote his social advancement. .

DISCUSSION IN THE UPPER HOUSE

(P.A.) Parliament Bldgs., Oct. 2. Taking the opportunity presented by the passage through the Legislative Council of the Waikato-Maniapoto Maori Claims Settlement Bill, members of the Upper House were outspoken in their opinions on statements reportedly made by Mr. Rangi Royal, recently appointed Controller under the Maori Social and Economic Advancement Act, concerning the effects on the social and moral life of the Maori people of excessive consumption of liquor. Hon. W. Grounds said those who were familiar with Maori districts were aware of the weaknesses which were developing, and which were the greatest blot on very beneficent Social Security legislation—misuse of those funds by the Maoris. It served no good purpose to deny what was obviously taking place. The Maori people, said Mr. Grounds, would be on their honour to use wisely the funds provided by the Bill before the Council.

Hon. J. K. Archer (Christchurch) said that Mr. Grounds had overemphasised the point of view' he had expressed. He believed that among the Maoris, as well as among Europeans, the great, majority of persons treated the Social Security Fund with a sense of responsibility. A certain Maori who had been given an official position by the Government had made a very bad start, and must have made a very bad impression. It was unfortunate he had begun his activities by emphasising a lot of criticism from a point of view w'hich was not always free from political bias.