Looking into the Future

Te Ao Hou, December 1956, Page 8

Looking into the Future The Maori birthrate is more than double that of the European, and while its death rate is also much higher, the natural increase of the Maori population is nevertheless above that of the European: and the Maori has become the youngest race in the world; 61 per cent of Maoris being under the age of 21 years. It is the present rate of increase which gives rise to the possibility that by the end of the present century the Maori population will reach a total somewhere between 400,000 and 500,000. The rising ratio of Maori to European in the population of New Zealand is likely to cause the Maori people some difficulties in over-coming the economic problems that will probably confront them in the future. These problems will be more difficult owing to the limited area of land owned by them. There is only sufficient Maori land left today to provide economic farms for one-quarter of the present population. It is evident that the economic future of the majority of the race can only be satisfactorily met by migrating to the larger centres where the acquisition of professional, commercial and technical skills will have to be encouraged in every possible way. This economic development must go hand in hand with social development as they are closely interlocked. This is illustrated in the Maori housing schemes in the main centres. The provision of a new standard house instead of primitive accommodation in slum areas leads to immediate beneficial changes in family life. Health, hygiene and diet improve; employment stability increases. The family's social position in the new community is stabilised, the children are more easily able to do well at school, and develop a new attitude of themselves that will help greatly in later years. At this stage the question might well be asked: “Should not the Maori by now be able to overcome all the adjustment problems at present facing him?” Realising as we do, that another interesting feature of life in New Zealand is that of seeing Maori and European meeting each other, playing games with each other and working together with mutual respect and understanding, this talk of difficulties seems in the circumstances to be paradoxical.