MAKING A PIUPIU

Te Ao Hou, April 1956, Page 38

Many of the teachers at the Ardmore refresher course brought their wives, infant mistresses at the schools where their husbands teach. They were shown how to make dolls, paperbag puppets, concertino men, masks and other objects little children like to make because the making of these things is an ideal beginning to their education. Kua pa mai te hoha i te huhua o a tatau huihuinga nunui. E ki ana tetehi wahanga hihiko tonu o ngai-taua, he tawhitiwhiti rawa enei huihuinga, a, ko te wahanga nui tonu ano, te wahanga e titiro marika ana, e kite iho ana kaore i rereke ake ta taua noho, mai i tetehi hui ki tetehi hui. e ki ana, he maha rawa a tatau pahupahunga, he iti rawa e pahure ana. Na reira kia manawanui mai koutou, ina rere au, a Te Ao Hou, ki nga korero mo tetehi Hui Tino Nui ke noa ake, otira, ki ana whiriwhiringa i Poneke, i te rua tekau ma toru, ma wha hoki, o Noema ka taha ake nei, mo te ahuatanga o te matauranga totika mo te tamaiti Maori. E rua nga ra i runanga ai nga tangata nei, tekau ma rua ratau, etehi he Maori etehi he Pakeha, ki te whakakaupapa i te ahua o te matauranga hei whakaakoranga ki te reanga e tupu ake nei; ka whakatauria, kia kokiria a ratau whakaputatanga ke tanga hou, ki te Minita mo nga Kura. Ka mutu te hui, ka whakaaturia e te Minita tana tautoko i te putake o o ratau whakaaro. and decided to ask the Minister of Education to make some very fundamental changes. After the conference, the Minister made it known that in principle he agreed with the committee's resolutions and recommendations. To the Maori people the most important resolution to come from the conference, was the Committee's view that ‘the time is not yet opportune for any full-scale abolition of Maori schools’. Scarcely less important was the recommendation to make school committees responsible for the management of all Maori schools, in the same way as the committees acting under the Education Boards. The recommended appointment of an Officer for Maori Education was another great forward step as the same special attention given to the Maori background in Maori schools will now also be available to Maoris in Board schools. The committee's chairman was Mr D. G. Ball, whom many remember as the energetic senior inspector who did so much to modernize the Maori schools service in the 1930's. The conference was his last big achievement as Assistant Director of Education before he retired last Christmas: it gave him an opportunity, by way of a farewell, to realise many dreams he had had

Ki a tatau ki te Maori, ko te tino whakataunga nui i puta mai i te hui, ko te whakaaro o te komiti, ara, “Kaore ano i rite te wa mo te whakakorenga atu i nga kura Maori.” Ko tetehi whakatau ano i rite ki tera te nui, ko tenei, Kia tukuna te mana whakahaere i nga kura Maori ki o ratau komiti, kia pera me era kei raro i nga Poari mo nga Kura. Tetehi whakahau totika hoki, Ko te whakatu i tetehi Opiha mo nga Kura Maori, hei whakatere kia u, ki nga tamariki Maori kei nga kura Pakeha, te kaupapa whakaakoranga i te Maoritanga, e akonatia nei, i roto i o tatau kura Maori. Te heamana o taua komiti, ko te teputi tumuaki o te Tari o nga Kura, ko D. G. Ball, i tuku nei i tana kaha ki te hiki i nga Kura Maori, kia pera te rite ki o te Ao Pakeha. Koi nei te taumata whakamutunga i nohoia e ia, i mua o tana hekenga iho i te Kirihimete nei, i te turanga, Kaiwhakahaere Awhina mo nga kura, ki te whakata. Na taua hui, puta poroporoaki ana i a ia, te whakatutukinga o ana moemoea o nga tau ka maha, ara rawa ia, tana tauira, hei whaka-manamananga ma taua, notemea, i pupu ke i te whatu manawa, i hohonu rawa ki te matauranga, ki te hinengaro hoki o te Maori. for years. His contribution to this new blueprint for Maori education is not to be under-estimated. It was the contribution of a man who had come to understand both education and the Maori people better than almost anyone else in the country. Seven of the committee members were Maoris. They were: Messrs. J. Henare, R. Vercoe, Dr. M. Winiata, Messrs. A. T. Carroll, E. Edwards, T. T. Ropiha, C. M. Bennett. The remaining five were Mr K. I. Robertson, senior inspector of Maori schools, Col. T. Durrant, Chairman, South Auckland Education Board, Mr T. B. McDonald, Chairman, Hawkes Bay Education Board, Mr F. M. Pinfold, Papamoa Maori School, representing the Maori teaching service and Mr W. L. S. Britten, Miramar Central School, representing the N.Z. Educational Institute. When the Minister of Education, the Hon. R. M. Algie, approved the committee's ideas about the future education of the Maori child he requested that the resolutions and recommendations should be published in full in a magazine circulating among the Maori people. Because of the unsual importance of these new ideas, Te Ao Mr N. Stainton wants to introduce Maori carving classes in his own school. He is copying the patterns of carvings made by Mr Mead's pupils at Minginui Forest.

MAKING A PIUPIU Unexpected enthusiasm was shown at the Ardmore refresher course for a demonstration of making a piupiu, given by Mrs Mary Pinfold (Te Whaiti, right top) and Mrs Maud Isaacs (Kennedy's Bay, left top). Instead of the twelve pupils they expected, the demonstrators found they had nearly forty teachers in their class. The simplest form of piupiu was shown. Raupo leaves are cut into two strips which are then slit at regular intervals with a sharp knife. The fleshy part is lifted from each alternate section of the raupo, so that at those patches only the fibres remain. The raupo strips are then tied to a three ply flax cord, as is shown by Mrs Evelyn Waaka (Waipiro Bay). When the raupo dries the piupiu takes on its familiar shape. At the end of the demonstration, William McFarland, son of an Ardmore college teacher, posed as a model for the new garment. ‘Are you tough?’ asked the photographer. What do you think?

Toko whitu nga Maori o taua komiti, ara, ko J. Henare, R. Vercoe, Dr M. Winiata, A. T. Carroll, E. Edwards, T. T. Ropiha, me C. M. Bennett, a, ko nga Pakeha toko rima, ko K. I. Robertson, te Kai-Tirotiro o nga Kura Maori; Col. T. Durrant, te Heamana o te Poari mo nga Kura o Akarana Whaka-te-Tonga; T. B. McDonald, te Heamana o te Poari mo nga Kura o Haki Pei; F. M. Pinfold, o te Kura o Papamoa, te kanohi mo te taha ki nga kai-Ako o nga kura Maori, me W. L. S. Britten, o te kura o Miramar, te kanohi mo te taha ki te Ropu Kotahitanga o nga Kai-Ako o Niu Tireni. Ka tautokona e Honore R. M. Algie, te Minita mo nga Kura, nga whakaaro o te komiti i kokiria ki a ia, ka inoi ia kia tuhia katoatia a ratau whakaurunga ahuatanga hou, ki tetehi pukapuka e korero nuitia ana e te Iwi Maori. Na te hohonu o aua whakauruurunga hou, ka whakawatea ake e au, e Te Ao Hou tenei wahi, hei taanga i enei korero, i roto i o taua reo e rua. He aha nga hiahiatanga matauranga o te Maori? Me timata atu tatau i tetehi o nga whakatau i tautokona e te komiti, ara, “Ko te putake o te matauranga e aro nuitia e te Maori raua ko te Pakeha, me rite tahi “Ko te korero nui i mua, kaore i tika te Maori, mo nga mahi e pa ana ki nga whika, mo te ako ranei i nga reo ke o tauiwi, engari anake ano, mo nga mahi paamu, keri awaawa, arahi mihini neke oneone, me era atu tu mahi. I roto i te kaupapa e tumanakoria nei, kaore rawa he whai wahitanga mo enei tu momo whakaaro, e mau ake nei. Ko te whawhai kia whakapakaritia ia, i roto i te matauranga e riro mai i a ia, nga turanga o te Ao Pakeha, kia tu tahi ai me te tamaiti Pakeha. Ehara i te mea kei te warewaretia ake, nga rereketanga mai o te Maoritanga ki o te Pakehatanga, kao, engari kei te mau mahara tonu te komiti, he ahuatanga ano to te Maori hei rauhi mo te taha whakamatauranga, koi nei ra, a ratau whakataunga e whai ake nei: — Me ata morimori te tamaiti Maori kia matau ai he tangata ano ia, kei te u tona oranga, he toto rangatira ona, ina hanumi ia ki te tokomaha o te pakeha. — Ma te ako i tona Maoritanga, ana hitoria, ana korero, ana waiata, ana mahi-a-ringa, ka tutuki te tino tu a te Maori. Waihoki ma te ako a te Pakeha i aua taonga ano a te Maori, ka rongo hoki ia i te Hou is very pleased indeed to make its space available for a presentation, both in English and Maori. What Education do Maoris Need? Let us start, then, with the most fundamental resolution passed by the committee: ‘that the basic educational needs of Maori and Pakeha are identical’. In the past there has been a good deal of talk about the Maori being particularly suited to farming, or to digging drains or to driving bulldozers: or again, less suited to accountancy or to studying foreign languages. None of these ideas find a place in the future education of the Maori child. He is to be educated to fulfil the same roles in society as the pakeha child. This does not mean of course that no notice will be taken of the cultural differences between Maori and pakeha. On the contrary the committee recognized that the Maoris have some special educational needs and passed the following resolutions on the subject: = There is a special need, more critical where Maori children are associated as a minority group with pakeha children, that the Maori child should feel personal worth, security and a sense of identity. = The teaching of Maori culture, including Maori history, legends, songs and arts and crafts is necessary for the full personal development of the Maori. In addition, knowledge of Maori culture is also necessary for the pakeha child in order that he may more fully appreciate the history, achievements and instrinsic worth of the Maori. = Association of Maori and pakeha should be encouraged to the utmost. = The Maori child is in need of special assistance in learning the English language, particularly its written form. It is of the greatest importance for success in adult life that every Maori child should be confident and competent in the use of English. = The Maori child, wherever he is, requires special guidance both as to vocation and to the type of education that leads to that vocation. = In all cases where there are under-privileged children, either pakeha or Maori, whose home environments are unsatisfactory, special assistance should be given to compensate for those deficiencies through measures to improve health

tino rekanga o nga mahi a nga tupuna, ka matau ki te tino mauri o te Maori. — Me ata whakahau ki tona tutukitanga, te puripuringa ringaringa o te Pakeha me te Maori. — Me ata ako marika te tamaiti Maori ki te reo Pakeha, ara, ki tona tuhituhinga tika, he mea tino nui hoki tenei, e taea ai nga taumata o te Ao Pakeha, ina koeke ia, e pakari ai, e u ai ki te reo. — Ahakoa kei hea ia, me ata arahi te tamaiti Maori ki te mahi e tika ana mana, me ata tohutohu hoki ki te matauranga tika e riro mai ai taua mahi. — Ahakoa ko wai tamaiti i hapa, Maori, Pakeha ranei, i te he o te kainga, me ona nohonohoanga, me ata apuru aua tapepatanga ki aua mea totika hei tokonga i tona ora, ki etehi atu ahua ranei e rite ana. — He tino tautoko ta te komiti i te whakahau kia whaia ki tona mutunga mai, te ako i te reo Maori. He whakataunga nunui enei hei aratakinga i era whakaputaputanga e hiahiatia ana mo nga kura Maori. Engari he ata hanga ano te whakatau hiahia, a, he hanga ke te whakamananga. Ko te hikoinga tuatahi he hikoi nui, ara, ko ta te Minita i amine mai ra, ko te whakatu i tetehi Apiha mo nga Kura Maori, hei whakatutuki i nga hiahia ki nga ahuatanga e pa ana ki te matauranga o te Maori, i ro kura Maori, kura Pakeha hoki. Te Apiha mo tenei turanga, ko te Kai-Tirotiro Matamua Hou o nga Kura Maori, mana nei e tohutohu, e arahi, te Kai-whakahaere mo nga Kura, i nga take katoa, kia tika ai te whakatere i te matauranga ki a tatau tamariki Maori i nga kura e rua nei. Kaore he manukanukatanga mo te matau o nga kura Maori, ki te titiro i te hinengaro o te tamaiti Maori, e u ai te tamaiti hai painga mo te iwi, kotahi pea e rua ranei o nga kura e hapa ana, engari no mua mai ra ano tenei ahua. He ahakoa ra, tekau-ma-rua mano anake nga tamariki Maori kei o tatau kura, e rua tekau mano rawa kei o te Pakeha, engari kaore i tau riterite ta ratau whakatutuki i nga hiahia o enei tamariki. Tera pea tetehi kura Pakeha, e rua ranei, i rite mai ki a te kura Maori whakaako, heoi, kaore i nui rawa, i te kuare o nga Kai-whakaako, o nga Kura matuta ki nga ahuatanga e pa ana ki te nohonoho a te Maori. Kei te koingo te ngakau, hei aha, koira anake ano, i te ata kuare tetehi, i te toko maha tonu o nga tamariki Pakeha hei akoranga tetehi. Koi nei tetehi mahi ma te Apiha mo nga Kura Maori, he whata i te tawha, kei te aroaro o nga kura Pakeha, kia ata tirohia e ratau, nga hiahia maha o te tamaiti Maori, e taea ai e ia, te tutuktanga o tona matauraga. Ko tetehi komuhumuhu he a etehi pakeha, ara, ko te Maori anake e whakawhiwhia ana ki etehi atu ahuatanga. Ko te mahi ma nga tohunga waihanga i te matauranga mo te tamaiti Maori, ara, he ata whakapakari ki te matauranga e tika ana mo tona ahua katoa. Kei nga tamariki ano i tawhitiwhiti nga rereketanga mai o muri, me rereke ano hoki te whakamatau. and hygiene, or in any other way deemed necessary. = The committee supports the teaching of the Maori language and recommends that everything possible be done to implement it. These resolutions are very valuable as a guide to some changes that are needed in Maori Education. But it is one thing to pass resolutions as to what is desirable and quite another to find practical ways of introducing fairly fundamental changes. The first practical step, and a very important one, approved by the Minister, is the appointment of an ‘Officer for Maori Education’. The duty of the officer will be to see that the special educational needs of the Maori people are met, not only when children go to Maori schools but also if they go to Board schools. This officer will be the present Senior Inspector of Maori Schools and his new duties will be to ‘advise the Director of Education on all matters relating to the content and effectiveness of Maori education in both Maori and public schools’. There is no doubt of the ability of Maori schools to understand the Maori child and be a vital force in a Maori community. There may be one or two Maori schools which fail to maintain this close contact with Maori life, but it is part of the long tradition of the Maori service and is evident in the great majority of schools. However only some 12,000 Maori children go to these Maori schools, with 20,000 attending schools run by Education Boards. At these Board schools Maori needs are met in varying degrees. In some cases, the same understanding exists between school and Maori people as is typical of the Maori service. However, these cases are necessarily a minority. Many teachers and head teachers have no particular knowledge and experience of Maori conditions. Mostly they feel keen sympathy, but also a need of some guidance about the specially Maori problems and besides, they have many Europeans also needing to be taught and requiring much of their energy. The ‘Officer for Maori Education’ will have the task to help these Board schools teachers to come to grips with the specifically Maori needs in education. Some Europeans have been heard complaining that the Maoris are given an unfair advantage; we do not think this is a just suggestion. The problem for educationalists is the development of the personality and latent ability of every child and where there are children of a widely different cultural background one may expect that the approach has to be different in a few details. One recommendation asks that the Officer for Maori Education make every effort using such means as school publications, in-service training, etc., to strengthen the teaching of Maori history, legends, songs, and art and crafts in all schools. Again, the Committee favoured appointments of Maoris to lecturing staffs of the Teachers' Training Colleges, when suitable qualified applicants are available. In addition to their normal duties

I tono tetehi o nga whakahau, kia kaha te tohe a te Apiha mo nga Kura Maori, kia tuhia ki roto ki nga pukapuka kura, me era atu huarahi a ratau, nga mahi, me nga korero a nga tupuna hei whakaakoranga ma ratau. I tautokona ano e te komiti te whakaturanga o etehi Maori, ina, tika te tono, hei Kai-Tatai korero i nga kareti mo nga Akonga whakaakoako. Apiti atu ki a ratau mahi, kia tautokona e ratau nga ahuatanga o to ratau kareti, e hangai mai ana ki te taha Maori. Ko tetehi tono ano, kia whakaaetia mai etehi awhina a moni ki nga Poari mo nga Kura, mo nga hiahiatanga whakaako i te tokonga o te ora, me era atu ahuatanga. Mana whakahaere I nga kura. Ki a taua ki te Maori, ko te take nui i whiriwhiria, ko te noho tonu mai o o tatau kuru Maori, i haere hoki te korero, ara, he mea powhiri tenei hui ki te “turaki atu i nga kura Maori.” I te puaki tonutanga mai o te mangai o D. G. Ball, te heamana, natia tonutia iho e ia taua korero, ki ana ia, “Kei te wa tena whakakahore i enei kura, kaua e akina kia hohoro, engari tukua ma te tutuki rano o te wa.” Te whakatau a te komiti mo taua take, i mea, me whai te kaupapa a te Kawanatanga o Niu Tireni, mo nga tau e tu mai nei, kia riterite te kaupapa whakahaere i nga kura timatanga, puta noa. He ahakoa ra, he tautoko ta te komiti i te whakaaro whanui o te Iwi Maori, kaore ano te wa i rite mo te horoi atu i nga kura Maori. Ki te titiro a te komiti, kua tae etehi o nga kura Maori nei ki te wa, hei kuhunga atu ki raro i nga Poari o nga Kura, ara rawa ia, nga kura kua tokomaha ke ake te Pakeha. Kei etehi takiwa, tetehi tu ahua kaore i tino pai, ara, ko te tu tatata o nga kura e rua, to te Maori to te Pakeha. Ko te whakataunga ano a te komiti: * Ki te whakaaro te Kai-whakahaere o nga Kura me riro tetehi kura ki raro i tetehi poari, me matua whiriwhiria e nga Maori o taua takiwa i te tuatahi. * Mo te kaupapa whanui, kaore i pai te tu tahi o nga kura Maori, me nga kura Poari, i te takiwa e noho tokoiti ana te tangata. * Nga kura mo te katoa, nga kura Maori ranei, o ia takiwa o ia takiwa e tika ana kia watea mo nga tamariki katoa o taua takiwa ahakoa Maori ahakoa Pakeha. He aha te wa tika mo te whakawhitiwhiti kura? E rua nga whakamatau i whakaaria; ina kore e tu wehe ke te takiwa; ina kitea te ahua o te noho o nga Maori o taua takiwa kua kore e meinga kia tino awhinatra. I roto i nga korerorero, ka patai a Col. T. Durrant kia whakatikaia etehi panui he i puta i nga Nu Pepa, ara, e tatari kau ana nga poari ki te whakatoro whanui i o ratau mana, ko nga kura Maori te papa. Ka whakatahi ake i a ratau te Kotahitanga o nga Poari mo nga Kura, i era mema, no ratau era whakaaro, mo te ahua whakawhitiwhiti mana whakahaere i nga kura Maori. Ka mea a D. G. Ball tenei whakawhitiwhiti e pa ana ki te mana whakahaere anake, atu i te these teachers could give further emphasis to those aspects of the College courses concerned with Maori education and Maori culture. Another recommendation asks for special grants to be made to Education Boards to provide additional facilities for the practical teaching of health and hygiene. Control of Schools: To the Maori people, the most crucial question of all was the survival of the Maori schools. There had been many rumours that the conference had been called ‘to abolish the Maori schools.’ These were dispelled at once in Mr Ball's introductory address. He expressed the opinion that the time would come when there would be no Maori schools ‘but’ he added, ‘that there was no need to hurry this change, the process in fact must be a gradual one.’ The committee's resolution on the subject was “that the long-term policy of the Government of New Zealand should be the development of a uniform system of administration control of primary schools. The committee (however) agrees with the general feeling of the Maori people that the time is not yet opportune for any full-scale abolition of Maori schools.” There are, in the Committee's view, a few schools which are now ready for transfer to the Boards. For instance, those with a majority of European pupils. In other places Board schools and Maori schools exist side by side and this is often not a good feature. Resolved the committee: * When the Director of Education decides that a school is ready for transfer to an Education Board, full consultation must first be held with the local Maori people. * As a matter of general policy, it is not beneficial to have both a Board and a Maori school in a small community. * Every public or Maori school should cater for all the pupils of its community. When is a school ready to be transferred? Two tests were recommended: The district should no longer be isolated and living conditions of the people whose children attend the Maori school must be such that no further special assistance is necessary. During the discussions, Col. Durrant, of the South Auckland Education Board, asked to be allowed to correct a mistaken public impression created by the Press that the Boards were awaiting the chance to do some empire building at the expense of the Maori schools. The Education Boards' Association dissociated itself from the remarks of certain individual Board members in regard to the transfer of control of the Maori schools.

Tari mo nga Kura ki nga Poari, a, ka noho tonu te kura ki te iwi, ahakoa Maori, Pakeha ranei. Te taha whakaakoranga me ona ahua katoa tau tuturu tera ki nga tohunga o te Tari o nga Kura. Nga mana hou mo nga komiti o nga kura Maori. Mai rano he nui te wahi a nga komiti o nga kura Maori, i u pu ai ki te kimi moni mo nga hiahia o o ratau kura—hei whakapainga i te kura me ona tahataha, hei hoko mihini pikitia, hei hanga wahi kaukau me etehi atu whakaaro Tapiria mai hoki e te Kawanatanga tana moni, pera me nga moni a nga kura kei raro i nga poari. Ko te rereketanga nui o nga kura Maori ki o nga kura a nga Poari, ara, kaore he mana tuturu o nga komiti Maori, i te aroaro o te ture, ko te mana motuhake ko to te Mahita Tumuaki o te Kura. Kaore rawa he whai mananga o te komiti. He mea whakatau e te komiti o Noema i mahue ake nei, ki Poneke; “Me tu riterite nga kura Maori me nga kura Pakeha i nga mea katoa, tae atu ki te utunga o nga moni awhina mo ia tamaiti.” Kei te whiriwhiria tonutia tenei take, engari na te Minita i tautoko te putake. He mahi nui ina whakawhitiwhiti ki tera whakahaere. I raro i te whakaritenga hou, ka utua ki nga Kura Komiti Maori tekau hereni mo ia tamaiti kei te kura timatanga, i ia tau; e rua tekau ma rima hereni mo ia tamaiti kei te kura o runga ake. Ma nga tangata anake e noho ana i te takiwa o taua kura, e pooti puku i ia tau tuarua, te komiti mo te kura. Ko ratau tonu ano, nga komiti Maori tuatahi, e pooti pukutia i raro i te ture, a, i nga whakapaunga moni katoa, e utua atu ana ki a ratau, kei a ratau, te mana tuturu, i waho atu o nga whakaritenga a te ture. He wero pu tenei whakarite ritenga ki nga komiti, a, kei a ratau whakahaere pai i enei mana hou, te apiti nui ki pakaritanga o aua nohonohonga Maori. Nui atu te tumanako o te hui i Poneke, kia whiua e nga matua to ratau kaha katoa, ki te whakatupu i te matauranga. Hangai atu hoki tenei ki nga matua o a tatau tamariki Maori kei nga kura a nga poari, Katahi ka whakatau ano te komiti: “Kia kaha te whakahau i nga matua o a tatau tamariki Maori, kia hihiko ki te whakatere, i nga whakahaere mo te matauranga, kia tu hei mema mo nga komiti, o o ratau kura a-iwi, hei mema hoki i runga i nga poari.” Ahakoa me mama noa iho ki te Maori, tetehi wahanga nui tonu o nga whawha ki te toko i te matauranga, ina noa pea te wa, e kitea nuitia aite tu a te Maori, i runga i nga Poari nei. Na reira i whakatau ai te komiti i Poneke: “Kia ata whakaaroarotia e nga poari mo nga kura, te whakatu komiti whaiti mo ratau, kia ahei ai te whakatu atu i tetehi, i etehi mema Maori ranei. Ma enei komiti whaiti e arahi nga poari, i nga take katoa e pa ana ki te matauranga o nga tamariki o aua takiwa.” (Ko te mutunga kei tera putanga o Te Ao Hou) Mr Ball said it must be borne in mind that the change from Department to Board control was only an administrative change. The school, whether Board or Maori, still belonged to the people. What was taught in the school still came from the professional officers of the department. New Powers for Maori School Committees: School committees have played an important part in the Maori schools. They have faithfully raised money for countless school purposes—beautifying the school, buying projectors, building swimming baths and so forth. The money they raised has been subsidized by the government as is done for the European school committees. The great difference between the Maori school committees and those set up under the Education Boards has been that the Maori committees were never given statutory powers. By law, the headmaster of a Maori school is responsible to his department alone for the general management of the school. The school committee has no official standing. The committee that met in Wellington last November recommended ‘that school committees of Maori schools be placed on the same basis as school committees of Board schools in all respects, including the payments of capitation grants.’ This proposal is still under consideration, but it was accepted in principle by the Minister of Education. Committees will be elected every two years by a secret ballot of householders in the school committee district. They will, incidentally, be the first Maori statutory committees chosen by secret ballot and in the expenditure of moneys paid over to them they will have full authority, restricted only by the provisions of the law. The arrangement is a real challenge to the committees and good administration of these new powers would greatly add to the stature of the Maori communities concerned. The Wellington conference was very anxious to encourage Maori parents to take an active interest in education. This applies equally to those whose children go to Board schools. The committee recommended: ‘That every endeavour be made to ensure that more Maori parents take an interest in educational administration as members of school committees of public schools and as members of education boards.’ Although it should be easy for the Maori people to take a greater part in school committee work, it may take some time before full direct representation on Boards can come about. For that reason the Wellington committee also recommended ‘that education boards consider favourably the setting up of sub-committees of the boards to which one or more Maoris can be co-opted. These sub-committees would advise the boards on matters connected with the education of Maori children in their districts.’ (To be concluded in next issue)