Northland Parents Visit Auckland

A group of 30 Maori parents representing 20 families from rural areas of Northland visited Auckland from Tuesday 9 August to Sunday 14 August, to see the accommodation and

types of employment available for their children.

The visit was arranged by two Maori Welfare Officers, Miss M. Paitai of Kaitaia and Mr W. A. Panapa of Auckland. Although most of the parents had previously been to Auckland, none had ever visited training centres, hostels or industries, and as many had children in apprenticeships or trade training schemes, they were keen to see what their children were doing and where they were living.

On their arrival at the Maori Community Centre where they stayed during their visit, the parents were welcomed by church elders, departmental officers, Mr M. Rata, M.P. and others. Replies on behalf of the visitors were given by Mr S. Ngaropo and Mr H. Leaf of Panguru, Miss M. Paitai and Mr Tukariri, an elder of Kenana.

In his speech, Mr Tukariri quoted the old proverb ‘The old net is laid aside and the new one goes a-fishing’. The parents were obviously keen to see for themselves what the city offered to their children, the opportunities to further their education and training.

On Wednesday morning the parents visited Greenlane Hospital, National Women's Hospital and Middlemore Hospital, where they saw the Auckland Hospital Board's ‘Hospital

Housekeeping Course’ in action. They were impressed with the training given and the living quarters provided for the girls.

Following afternoon visit to boys' and girls' hostels, the parents were welcomed to the Auckland University's Anthropology Department by Dr P. W. Hohepa, who showed them how the language laboratory operated. Several Maori students were introduced to the group and briefly described their studies.

As seven of the parents had sons studying under the carpentry and motor mechanics sections of the trade training scheme, Thursday morning's visit to see the boys at work was a great thrill. The men of the party were particularly interested to see the manufacture of building materials during the afternoon visit to Fletcher Industries. In the evening the parents saw 15 primary and secondary pupils doing their homework under the supervision of Mr and Mrs Dunn at the Orakei Play Centre, and all praised the scheme enthusiastically.

After visits to the Post Office Telephone Centre and Crown Lynn Potteries on Friday, and a brief stop at the Museum of Transport and Technology, the party was welcomed at the Mangere marae, where the New Zealand Maori Council was in session. Tea there was the last official engagement, and the parents

were then free to make private visits before leaving for home on Sunday 14 August, after a most successful trip.