Go to National Library of New Zealand Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa Go to Te Ao Hou homepage
No. 65 (December 1968)
Previous Section | Table of Contents | Next Section
– 27 –

Maori Council
Visits
Trentham

As part of ‘Rangitahi Week’, members of the New Zealand Maori Council made two visits to Trentham on Saturday, 24 August. The first was to Wi Tako, a penal institution for first offenders, where the council was met and challenged by members of the Maori Club.

After the welcoming speeches, Mr Hobson the Superintendent asked Council members for their help, saying that they could approach their local probation officers, police and Prisoners' Aid Society branch. He said that in many cases when men went to prison their wives and families also commenced a sentence and needed help far beyond the financial assistance handed out by society. Mr Hobson also commended the

Picture icon

During the Maori Council's visit to the Trentham Hostel, Mrs Miria Karauria, President of the Maori Women's Welfare League chats to Sam Lemmon, Tokoroa, and Harry Mahanga, Whangarei
National Publicity Studios

interest shown by Mr Jock McEwen who had instructed the boys in carving and had persuaded him to allow them to attend the local Maori Club. This had proved to be very valuable He said, “Over the years I have found that only a Maori can ‘get through 100%’ to another Maori.”

Following morning tea the visiting party went on to the Maori Apprentices' Hostel, where after a challenge, welcoming speeches, song and haka, lunch and a look at the boys' quarters, some of the problems faced by the boys were discussed.

One speaker considered that although the trade trainees were given very good technical training, socially they were three

continued on page 24

Picture icon

Outside the Trentham hostel buildings after the welcome to members of the New Zealand Maori Council. From left: Taylor Hall, Rotorua, Pinto Aranga, Murupara, the late Mr Walter Tepania, Kaitaia, Ashley Anderson, Waikaremoana and Egypt Munro, Wairoa

Continued from page 27

years behind other boys of the same age when they left the hostels. In their free time the boys tended to move round in their hostel groups and sometimes were ‘marked out for trouble’ by other groups of teenagers.

Speakers agreed that there was no single answer to the boys' problems, and the boys admitted that they were mostly unwilling to accept invitations to attend Maori Clubs or to visit the homes of local Maoris, except when they were relatives.

The general opinion was that older people should interest themselves in organisations aimed at helping young people before and after they got into trouble, and let the community know they were prepared to help.