he Poata, he Kaari, he kai taraiwa hoki i nga Iniana. He mahi ngahau enei ki te tamariki Maori, he pai hoki ratou mo enei mahi. He mahi mama enei ki te riro mai, ko nga mea anake e mahi ana i nga Tari, kia toru ki te wha tau ki nga Kura Teitei ka ahei, ahakoa kahore i paahi ki te School Certificate. Ko etahi mai o nga mahi ka uru noa atu i te St. VI i nga Primary Schools. Na tera ahua pea i nui ai ratou ki reira. Kaati nga mahi hei whakaatu ake i tenei wa. Otira mehemea e hiahia ana etahi kia mohio ki te ahuatanga o nga mahi huahua ma a taton tamariki, kua whakaaturia atu i mua ake nei, me haere mai me tuhi mai ranei. Engari kia mahara ano, ehara i te mea ma te matauranga anake e riro mai ai nga mahi pumau, engari ma te ahua tonu o te tu, o te haere, o te korero, ma te tau hoki ki te mau kakahu. Tetahi o nga patai tuatahi a nga rangatira mahi ina korerotia atu i te waea he Maori e hiahia ana ki te mahi:—‘Pehea tona ahua ki te titiro atu?’ ‘What does he look like?’ Sometimes it is a pleasure to reply to such a question, sometimes it can be very awkward. Invariably the employer would say: ‘Send him up, and let us have a look at him or her.’ Ko te wahi tenei ma nga matua, ara ma nga whaea. He nui rawa atu nga Maori kei Akarana nei e mahi ana ki nga Tari pakeha, engari ko te nuinga kei nga Tari Kawanatanga, haunga ia era e mahi mai ra i Poneke me etahi atu o nga taone nuuni o te motu. I korero ake ai ahau mo Akarana, he rereke no naianei i te wa i timata ai ahau. I te tau 1943 he ruarua rawa atu nga Maori e mahi Tari ana i tua atu i nga mea e mahi ana i te Tari Maori. I naianei he Maori kei roto i te nuinga o nga Tari Kawanatanga, me nga Toa nunui o Akarana. Ko etahi na o ratou mahita kura tonu i whiwhi ai, engari ko te nuinga i haere atu i tenei Tari. Ko nga tamariki whai whakaaro kanui te u ki a ratou mahi, ko etahi e kore e roa kua timata te hianga, ka whakarere kino i nga mahi. He korero tuturu tenei naku ki a ratou i mua atu i te haerenga ki nga mahi, ‘E hoha koe ki to mahi, korerotia mai, maku koe e ata whakamutu pai, e rapu hoki he mahi hou mau. Kanui te kaha o etahi pakeha ki te titiro i te ahua o to mahi. Mehemea he pai koe ki te mahi, kua pai katoa te iwi Maori, mehemea he kino, kua kino katoa te iwi Maori, ko to taua rereke tenei i te pakeha. Ahakoa whakarere kino te pakeha i tana mahi, kahore ia e arai ana i etahi atu pakeha ki taua mahi. Na reira, e tamariki ma kia mahara, e whiwhi koe ki te mahi, kei runga te iwi Maori katoa i a koe e waha ana. (Continued on page 58) When I first started at Vocational Guidance in 1943, very few Maoris were working in offices apart from those of the Maori Affairs Department. Nowadays there are Maoris in most government departments, in private offices, and in the big stores. In some cases school teachers were responsible for their employment, but mostly the recruitment was done through Vocational Guidance and the Maori Affairs Department. Some young people, those who look ahead, are stayers in their jobs, while others soon tire of their work and leave without giving proper notice. One of my regular warnings to people seeking employment is, ‘If you should tire of the work, let me know, and I will arrange for the proper termination of your job and find you other employment.’ The younger generation should remember that the fate of the Maori people rests on their shoulders. SCHOOL VISITS School visits are an important part of the work of a Vocational Guidance officer. The Auckland District reaches from Te Kao High School in the North to Te Kaha in the East, to Taumarunui in the South, and Kawhia in the West. The rest of the North Island is under the Wellington district. Our work is to interview pupils who are nearing the end of their schooling, pointing out the various callings for which they are suitable, and answering questions. A number of Maori youths and girls have been guided into employment in this way. We also wish to meet parents in each area. Welfare Officers of the Maori Affairs Department have a timetable showing the dates of their visits to each area. One thing I am sorry we cannot do is visit primary schools. They are not on the timetable, because so many high schools have to be visited in the time available each year. Only one or two of the very large primary schools can be included. I am very pleased about the increase in the number of Maori children at public high schools. In some places the Maori pupils exceed the pakehas, and quite a few are head prefects, not only because they are good foot-ballers, but because they are good scholars. MAORI WELFARE OFFICERS I would like to thank Maori Welfare Officers for their zeal in assisting parents to interview us about their children. Some of the officers accompany us when we interview school children, and this is a great help, as they usually know the parents. Welfare officers also help in job problems at times when it is not possible to consult the Vocational Guidance Service.