Maori Council Awaits Election Results

Te Ao Hou, June 1964, Page 28

photogrpahy by Ans Westra The second annual conference of The New Zealand Maori Council, held last March at Wahiao, Whakarewarewa. The speaker in this photograph, the Secretary for Maori Affairs Mr J. M. McEwen, was a guest at the meeting. Maori Council Awaits Election Results by John Booth Secretary, N.Z. Maori Council The term of office of the first New Zealand Maori Council is finished. It first met in June 1962, and has served for the initial period until the three-year term of office for all Maori Associations formed under the Maori Welfare Act comes into operation. At the time of writing, full reports on the Maori Committee elections already held throughout the country had not reached the Council's office in Wellington. It was known, however, that several members of the present Council would be retiring and that a number of new faces can be expected when the next meeting is held. This will probably be in late May or early June. Reports of the elections have varied. In some instances there have been only the few faithful members ready to carry on with the task. In other districts the election meetings have been quite lively and more people than ever are taking an interest in the work of the Maori Committees. Selection of delegates to Executives, to District Councils and to the New Zealand Council will follow and the whole process should be complete by the end of May.