OCCUPATIONAL SPREAD

Te Ao Hou, May 1957, Page 26

OCCUPATIONAL SPREAD Occupations of the people cover the whole range, from unskilled labourers to highly qualified professional men as well as those in the field of private enterprise and business. The bulk of those living in and around these two cities fall into the classification of unskilled labourers. The next largest group amongst the Maoris in this area would be in the Public Service. Many of these people so occupied are girls, some of whom are to be found in the offices of the Department of Maori Affairs, but I think a greater proportion are to be found in the offices of other Departments, notably, the Post and Telegraph Department. I think it would be safe to say that in nearly every Department in the city one may find some Maoris at work. If we also consider people of part-Maori blood who have a closer identification with the pakeha, we then find some girls with highly Below: One of the many housewives in the Wellington district who are settled with a comfortable home of her own is Mrs Charlotte Solomon of Porirua.(PHOTO: JOHN FUN)

specialised jobs among them, such as private secretaries to high executives, both within the Government and also in business. Some of our men too have earned for themselves places of very great responsibility in the life of the city, in the Police Force, in Departments other than Maori and in private business. However, these are men who have reached these positions as a result of years of service. In the younger age groups we have young men of outstanding promise in the trades and professions. In one of the big chemist shops in Wellington the head druggist, a qualified chemist, is a Maori boy aged about 21 or 22—Mr Riri Harris. We have in the city yet another qualified young man who practises his profession as a part-time chemist while studying to complete his B.Sc. degree at Victoria University. We have also a young boy from Otaki, Mr Whata Winiata, a qualified accountant and completing his B.Com. degree as well as working at his profession. We have many others tucked away in odd places who from time to time appear with their Maori folk. While these are encouraging signs, greater things need yet to be done in these fields by a greater number of our young people.