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Salient. Victoria University Student Newspaper. Volume 37, Number 8. April 24 1972

Part II

Part II

The Department of Maori Affairs reconstituted.

I definitely support the [unclear: reconstitution] of the Department of Maori Affairs to its former self, that is, previous to 1968. To me the Department of Maori and Island Affairs should be separated so that the Minister of Maori Affairs may totally work only for the Maori people of NZ. These two departments have always been separate. It was the National Government which amalgamated them in 1968. When this took place, it appeared as if both peoples originally belonged to NZ which was not so. However when both peoples were placed under the Minister of Maori Affairs it was found that the Minister was given extra work to do, and so gave him little time to spend with his own people who needed his full-time help to further strengthen the ties and understanding between the Maori and the Pakeha,

He has a lot of work to do to maintain successfully the good relationships between us Maoris and Pakehas socially, economically, educationally and politically. Although the department of Island Affairs will be separated, this would still leave the Minister with a lot of work to do. It can be said that the Island people are all one with Indonesia, China, Malaysia. Phillipines, Papua New Guinea and Australia. It will be seen from this tabulation what a tremendous task the Minister of Maori affairs has to undertake. It's an impossible task. If however some people still persist with the idea of the Pacific Island groups to amalgamate with us, one can see that it is out of the question — it is not practical or realistic. As I am attending the University in Wellington, I am of the opinion that it is not right to separate these people but that they should continue to adhere to their sovereignty, to their independence, that is, their national unity set aside in their mainland, to prove their legal identity, come what might in those island in the Pacific.

As they are now, they would be called Western Samoa, Tonga, Fiji and Papua-New Guinea. And that is why they should come under another Minister of the government who has been named as the Honourable Amos, Minister of Education. All the big countries within the Pacific area should come within the portfolio of the Honourable Kirk, our Prime Minister, who is the Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Conclusion: I am in favour of a separate department for us from that of the Pacific Island groups. Thus I will know that the work among the two original peoples will forge ahead.

My subject next week will be the "Board of Maori Affairs".