Māori Programme/ Te puna wai kōrero 1975

This programme looks at the issue of Māori electoral representation.

During the 1960's Minister of Māori Affairs Ralph Hannan made Māori representation an issue, advocating the abolition of the four Māori parliamentary seats. He regarded separate Māori representation as a special privilege that Māori should not have.

During Duncan MacIntyre's time as Minister, Māori representation continued to be an important issue in Māori politics with on the one hand, many pakeha and some Māori leaders advocating abolition and on the other the majority of Māori organisations arguing for an increase of Māori seats on a pro rata basis.

The Māori representation was first introduced by the Māori Representation
Act of 1867. This act was an experiment initiated for a limit of 5 years and perpetuated indefinitely in 1876. The number of seats was fixed at four and has remained so ever since.

In 1937 the first Labour Goverment passed the Election Amendment Act
which granted Māori the secret ballot. Since 1887 European electorate boundaries have been subject to regular revision by an independent commission which is obliged to maintain approximate parity between the electorates, thus implementing the principal of 'one vote one value.' Māori electorates however, have always and still are excluded from this machinery and so not only has the number of seats been pegged at four, but their boundaries have remained virtually unaltered.

- kaikōrero : Matiu Rata (Minister of Māori Affairs) explains how the total population of Māori is determined. He is questioned by Haare Williams on other aspects of Maori seats, general and voting procedures.

- kaikōrero : Mr Wayne Hawkins talks about 1966 census returns and analysis.

- Poem : 'Speak to me brother' by Hone Tuwhare, read by Selwyn Muru.
[NB. poetry copyright permission cleared for online catalogue recording].

- waiata : 'The long and winding road'.

"Ma te reo e tohu te tangata, ma te kōrero e kitea".