Maori employment in Chinese market gardens

[NZBC]

File on Maori employment in Chinese market gardens no date - no date

agency series accession box / item record part alternative no.
MA 31 35
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[NZBC]

CHINESE AND MAORI WOMEN.

Auckland (N Z ) Friday That canvasing is proceeding for young Maori
women to accept employment in Chinese market gardens was alleged at a meeting of
the Akarana Maori Association It was stated that in Asiatic cultivations near Auckland at least 54 young Maori women were living in Chinese quarters. Eleven definite cases of the unfortunate results of young native women consorting with Chinese have been brought before the Asso
ciation which considers that the complete prohibition of Asiatic immigration to New
Zealand is the only satisfactory remedy

Argus (Melbourne, Vic.) Monday 15 July 1929

[NZBC]

www.nzetc.org/tm/scholarly/tei-CowYest-t1-body-d1-d23.html

Some disquieting aspects of native life present sociological and economic probles. One feature directly due to the landless condition of many Maori people has aroused so much concern among enlightened natives and pakeha friends of the race that it was made the subject of an official investigation by a Government Committee during 1929. This was the association of Maori girls with Chinese market-gardeners in the Auckland suburbs and other districts. An excellent body of the younger natives, the Akarana Maori Association, was the first to draw attention to the position. There were 54 Maori girls employed by Chinese in and around Auckland, and during the past two years probably 150 had been employed. The debasing miscegenation resulting from this, greatly concerned the Association. The cohabitation of the girls with Chinese was a scandalous condition which many thought should be ended either by absolute prohibition of female labour in Chinese gardens or by forbidding the further immigration of Chinese into New Zealand. A solution, however, seemed rather difficult to find, but upon one thing all were agreed—this degrading association of young Maori womahood with the undersirable Oriental must be stopped. Economic reasons are largely responsible, the want of land on which native families can decently be maintained, and the lack of country employment; there is also the taste for the pleasures and excitements of town life that is not peculiar to the Maori. Sir Apirana Ngata, Native Minister, discussing the position, said the best course would be so to improve the social and economic conditions of these girls that it would be made impossible to desire to be employed in Chinese page 252gardens. The Government investigating committee's report recommended strict control of living conditions in market gardens, and the prohibition of the employment of Maori females under 21 years of age in gardens controlled by Asiatics, except under suitable supervision. The committee suggested various steps having for their object the independent settlement of Maoris on the land—the education of the natives for agricultural pursuits, setting aside areas for farmlets, the revival of native arts and crafts, and arrangements for marketing the output, and for the domestic training of Maori girls.