FUTURE OF THE MAORI

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2554, 16 July 1909, Page 3

FUTURE OF THE MAORI

SHOULD BE MADE TO WORK

(Per Press Association.) ATJCKLAND, July 15. ‘‘Fusion or no fusion,” said Mr. C. J Parr, chairman of the Auckland Education Board, referring yesterday to the aims of the Young Maori party, “tho salvation of the Maori lies in work. As to a fusion of blood by inker m arid age, I think that such a possibility is remote. The product of in-ter-racial marriages has not always proved satisfactory, either from tho point of view of physique or character and morality. The children of such marriages sometimes possess the vices of both races, and very little of the virtues of either of them. My humble opinion of the Maori, as one who has grown up alongside him in his country, is that his only salvation is plenty of hard work. The only justification for the ■ future existence of the Maori is that he should be made to work. How much better it would be for the Maori if, instead of sitting- down and drawing rents, ho, had, like the pakeha, to earn his bread by the sweat of his brow? The State should encourage the Maoris to.become not only farmers, but artisans. ' They have unmistakeablo mechanical tendencies, and when, they arc compelled to work to get their broad tlievo* aro no better workers. If the Maori lias no desire like .-other races to work for his bread, then let him die out; the sooner the better. If work is the policy of tho Young Maori party, then I quite sympathise with them. I. think that sufficient land ought to bo kept . for . the Maori to farm for himself, and that the balance should be. sold, the nrocecds to be placed m the hands of the Public Trustee, with power to .expend it for the benefit of the Maoris’ family in educating them, m training them for their life’s work, and in keeping them in sickness, and so preventing them from becoming a burden, on the State.” -v