BRIEF NOTES

Te Ao Hou, December 1961, Page 52

BRIEF NOTES Pensioners' flats built by the Whangarei Borough Council are for all New Zealanders whether Maori or Pakeha. A motion was passed by the Council last July with the purpose of making this quite clear. Although no discrimination had ever been intended, no application had been received from a Maori in sixteen years. ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ The number of live births in New Zealand last year was 62,850 of whom 7,145 were Maori. This means a new increase in the Maori birth rate. Maori births are now 11.4% of the New Zealand total which means that of every nine babies born one is a Maori. ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ The number of secondary scholarships available to Maori school children has been increased from 80 to 92 per year. As previously, the scholarships will normally be current for four years and of a value of £75 for boys and £70 for girls. ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ The Tauranga County Council has found that since a Maori rates clerk (Mr S. Kanepu) was appointed, collection of rates over Maori land increased from 46% to 69%—an extra £5,000.