SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT:

Te Ao Hou, May 1957, Page 51

SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT: With improved housing and economic conditions, there is an increase in the group of Maoris who find adjustment easy. More and more of our unskilled labourers, are securing permanent homes in and around the city and as they grow domestic roots a change also occurs in their attitude towards their work. The “Will-o-the-Wisp” type of existence is replaced by a more stable one, leading to change in behaviour patterns and social habits. One of the beneficial results is the wider and more spontaneous acceptance by the pakeha of his Maori neighbour as an integral part of his community. A fundamental of good social progress is the sense of belonging to a community, and to reach this there must be a free play of inter-action. The participation of Maori mothers in community projects and the exchange of baby-sitting favours, has already been mentioned, there is also now a much stronger tendency than before to visit each other's homes. Pakeha participation in things Maori at the community level can be gauged by two events, at least, which have involved direct Maori interests. First is the ever increasing numbers of pakeha participants in the activities of the Ngati Poneke Club: on an ordinary club night the numbers of regular pakeha visitors as spectator participants increase, and from these visitors have been enrolled several active members. The second thing of a purely Maori nature, not as romantic as the club but even more vital to a Maori community, was a very large canvass arranged, organised and operated by pakehas in Lower Hutt for the meeting house at Waiwhetu. Over £6,000 was raised in a week by these pakehas, and what is just as significant is the fact that that money was raised not only by them, but from other pakehas. Such inter-action is taking place at the personal level, the group level and the community level. Although it is not yet extensive enough, such interaction as has taken place indicates that there is a latent widespread acceptance of the Maori, not so much as a Maori, but more as an ordinary member of the community. Another important field in the social development of the urban Maori is participation in recreational activities: dances and other festive gatherings. At nearly every Maori wedding and all pakeha weddings of mutual interest, there is a joint sharing of joy. Of weddings it is interesting to note that of the marriages performed by me over the last twelve months 50% exactly have been mixed marriages. I have attended other mixed marriages performed this year by pakeha clergy who happen to be the vicar of the pakeha bride or bridegroom. At all funerals conducted by myself there has been a deep and joint sharing of sorrow. So it would seem that for Wellington-Lower Hutt at least, the tendency is towards more mixed marriages, and much wider and freer social inter-action.