TWO WAYS OF BECOMING ONE

Te Ao Hou, June 1961, Page 34

TWO WAYS OF BECOMING ONE Two ways of life are becoming one. And wherever two different ways come into contact, there must be two-way give and take. We have a duty to see that there is a true merging of the two peoples, not a submerging of the minority people. This is an obligation to which, I affirm, we are committed by history and destiny. In a world torn by great differences between racial groups, New Zealand affords an example of the progressive blending of two races. In the blending of our cultures, the Maori people have much to contribute—certainly not less than the Scots, the Irish, and the Welsh—to the composition of the British people. Not the least of the Maori contribution may be something of the spirit of kindliness, courtesy and tolerance, so necessary in a world tending to be dominated by the current standard of material gain. It is up to both Maori and Pakeha to ensure that our relationship remains based on the principles of justice, equality and racial harmony, the seeds of which were sown here 121 years ago. I repeat what Captain Hobson said to each chief: He iwi kotahi tatou.