USING OUR INDEPENDENCE by MARY FINDLAY Assistant Secretary, Maori Women's Welfare League For years the league looked longingly at independence—it had all the enchantment of the distant view, now the dream has become reality and reality is a down to earth matter. Now that we have Independence how are we going to use it? We have justified our claims, but how are we going to justify the continuance of Government support to the tune of £2,000 per year? Some say we deserve now, and will certainly deserve in the future, an increase in that allowance. The cost of administration of the League can be measured fairly accurately in terms of salaries of its servants and rent for office space—Maori Affairs Department is saved this expenditure by League Self Government. But the overall saving cannot even be surmised, and it is in this field that the League must by increasing its membership and thus its influence, justify its right to self-government financed by public monies. The value of the League's work has been recognised by the appropriate authorities but it remains for the members themselves to explore the full potential of the movement. Our Independence then, is a physical reality. We have our own office and paid servants—we are running our own show. The Government grant roughly covers the cost of salaries, rent, lighting, heating and some stationery, the remaining incidentals being met by subscriptions. The money for furnishing and equipping the office came from Day of Giving funds, the first use made of this money so wisely set aside against the realisation of the dream of Independence. So much for the independent body. What is needed now is an independent mind—a critical approach to our organisation, and a practical solution of our problems within its framework. We must not allow ourselves to be blown by the four winds but rather must we decide on our course and steer by compass. Let us take our Constitution as our compass and our pledged landfall the achievement of better health, housing and education among our Maori people. Let each member read and understand her Constitution and try to carry out the letter and the spirit of it.

WHOLE MEMBERSHIP MUST KNOW AND FOLLOW LEAGUE IDEALS The League was designed to be and has become an educational movement for the uplifting of the Maori people. Each League should be a living example of the vision of those who laid its foundations and initiated its formation. Every League should have among its members a cross-section of the community, the leaders, the followers and those who are gathered by the wayside. Within the movement there is scope for all kinds of people and rewards tangible and intangible. On those who are leaders must fall the dual responsibility of running their branch with inspiration and efficiency, and of representing their people by working alongside the Pakeha in community projects. Both jobs are important but leaders must always bear in mind that they are nothing without their iwi and their first loyalty must always be to their own people. There is no doubt that the League has its quota of leaders, the truth of this is clearly recognisable at the Annual Conference, but it is open to question whether those able people give sufficient thought to the needs of their followers, the main body of the branch. It is important for Maori women to take their rightful place in modern democratic society, but it is also necessary for those who have received the light to pass it on to those still in the shadow. Can we be so sure that within the League itself there is not the cancer of self advancement rather than the healing hand of kindly teaching?

LEAGUE IS UNIQUE ORGANISATION The League has no parallel in Pakeha society, rather is its place taken by many groups each covering specific aspects of League Constitution. There are many social workers outside the framework of Child Welfare Department, most schools have close liaison between parents and teachers and there are few mothers who do not avail them