Tokerau

Eru Pou, Graham Latimer, Waata Tepania.

Auckland

Not yet selected.

Waikato-Maniapoto

Mick Jones, Eddie Heke, Dennis Royal.

Waiariki

Harry Rogers, Jack Boynton, Bill Maxwell.

Tairawhiti

Sir Turi Carroll, Henry Ngata, Arnold Reedy.

Aotea

Pei Jones, Charles Bailey, Rei Bailey.

Ikaroa

Rangi Tutaki, John Bennett, Steve Watene, M.P.

Te Waipounamu

Vernon Thomas, Whitu Pitama, Bob Whaitiri.

One of the first acts of the new Council when it met in Wellington from June 12th to 14th was to re-elect Sir Turi Carroll as President, a position he has held with distinction since the inception of the Council. It was also decided at this meeting to appoint a Vice-President. Mr Pei Jones was unanimously elected.

Financial Matters

Like most voluntary organisations, the Council has to find its own finances and some time was spent at the meeting in discussing this perennial topic. Last year each District Council was levied an amount equal to £5 for each Maori Committee in its district. This year, each District is to bear the same amount of levy, but a search will be made for other sources of finance. To do its work effectively, the Council needs an income of about £5,000 though what it has received so far has been far short of this.

The two major subjects dealt with at the Council's meeting were land and education.

Council's Attitude to Maori Land

The Council has already asked the Minister of Maori Affairs for a survey of Maori land. At the present time we have only a vague idea of how much land remains in Maori title, how much of this is lying idle, how much could be developed, and so on. Broadly, the Council's attitude is that Maori land should be retained in Maori hands and used for the direct benefit of the owners. The Council opposes anythings that will make it easier for the land to slip through the owners’ fingers, but it favours every move that will encourage Maoris to use their land in the most efficient way possible.

Committee to Examine Land Problems

A special Committee to deal with land problems has been set up by the Council. It is going to take a long look at Maori land and will try to find ways out of the present difficulties with titles, financing development, and so on. It hopes to be able to make suggestions that will preserve Maori land for the future generations but, at the same time, will make it easier to bring it into full production.

Education

It is so important for our young people to go further with their education that the Council has decided to give this the highest priority in its work. Many of our young men and women have the intelligence to do work that pays better and is far more satisfying than some of the jobs they have. All they lack is the education that would open so many doors that now remain closed to them.

There are two sides to the Council's work for education. First, it must keep on pressing the Government to do more to make the schools better places for Maori pupils. Moves towards smaller classes, remedial teaching of English and other progressive measures are likely to be of benefit, but there are still serious gaps in the education system. It is probably safe to say, for instance, that almost all teachers in New Zealand schools will have Maori pupils in their classes at some time, yet how many of the Training Colleges teach anything about the special problems of Maoris and how they may be handled.

The other side to education where the Coun-

cil can help is amongst parents. The Council hopes to be able to work with the Maori Education Foundation and the Maori Women's Welfare League in a joint programme that will focus attention on the part that the community plays in educating its young people.

Many Remits

The Council had over fifty remits to deal with when it met in Wellington. They included subjects such as the overloading of school buses, many different land matters, the conservation of shell fish, built-in furniture for new homes, Maori radio and TV programmes and many others. These remits come from Maori Committees and Executives through the eight District Councils. If the remits are accepted they have the backing of the whole Council when they are passed on to the Government or to other authorities.

Assistance in Northland

As well as providing a way for the people to put their views to the Government, the Council also can help Government Departments when they have matters to put before the people. At the last meeting, for instance, the Department of Industries and Commerce sent a representative to talk about the Regional Survey of Northland which will soon be started. This is a survey that could lead to substantial improvements in farming and to new industries being established in Northland. The Tokerau District Council has invited the Department to its next meeting and officers of the Department hope to get the views of all the people of the district in the course of the next few months. The Council is naturally anxious to help anything that may lead to more jobs being available and better opportunities for Maori farming.

Boy Scouts and Girl Guides

The Council has also been addressed by the Chief Executive Commissioner of the Boy Scouts. Both the Boy Scouts and the Girl Guides would like to have more Maoris in their ranks and they have invited our District Councils to make contact with the local Scouts and Guides organisations.