HARMONIOUS NEIGHBOURHOOD

Te Ao Hou, June 1959, Page 51

HARMONIOUS NEIGHBOURHOOD Mahurangi Mutu decided to move his family to Auckland because of his daughter's illness. Ruawai his home, was too damp for her, so he entered a Rehabilitation ballot and drew a section in Hendon Street, Owairaka. Wiser than many Maori migrants, he did not come to Auckland at once, but took a job with the Railway Department near Dargaville until he had paid off the section and saved enough to have a house built under the Maori Affairs scheme. When the house was ready, he came to Auckland and moved in; he is now working at the wharves. The Mutu's (below) are only one of four Maori families in Hendon Street. Only one of these families keeps up regular contacts with Maori organizations in the city. They participate in indoor bowls, league football, basketball and horseriding, which are favourite European activities in Owairaka. Mr Mutu regards mixed housing settlement as the right solution for the Maori; so does the rest of this harmonious neighbourhood. Mrs L. Luke, another of the Hendon Street householders, is pruning a successful patch of pumpkins.

It is apparent that behaviour rather than colour determines the attitude toward the Maori in the matter of housing. The way the Maori has adjusted himself to urban life has helped to reduce many of the barriers which prevent him from competing on equal terms with the pakeha in this matter. But the Maori still has special problems to overcome which entitle him to special consideration. At present the number of new houses available for Maoris in Auckland is not nearly enough to provide for the growing population.