Race Relations and Justice

I do not think the writers of the Nelson Race Relations Action Committee have said anything constructive in the whole two-page article included in Salient of July 18.

Have they any record of what Maori justice was like in the age before settlers arrived? My guess is that it would have been more severe and more dictatorial than the present-day magistrates ruling. If, on the other hand, all members of the Justice Department, Police and other administrative authorities were now Maori, what would be the difference in todays world?

I happen to be a pakeha who adopted two Maori boys aged 7 and 8. Now at ages 17 and 18 the elder is in detention centre and the other tending to be closely following his brother's example. The 18-year-old became so engrossed in the pleasantries of the Wellington non-working society that he could not be coaxed by me or others to report as required by the Probation Service. Now I do think he had to be disciplined and this unfortunately meant a re-survey of the original offences which everyone would rather have put out-of mind. So he becomes another unit in your Maori Offenders statistics which you protest about. What other alternatives have you got?

Bad up-bringing in an unloving home may be your criticism — but I would call you hypocrites because we took them from a Children's home, sought all possible advice in their up-bringing whereas you no doubt would have left them alone. I also think of the number who could have possibly helped with advice or offers of practical assistance during my last four years of solo parenthood and maybe changed their lives.

Could it not be that you learned ones are the ones who show my youngsters that "life" is — guzzling alcohol., living loosely and trying to get away with what you can in this world. And of course it is so common to hear of someone's offspring getting into trouble that these things become laughable jokes.

But, if you feel you have better methods of correction and up-bringing, advice and constructive criticism could still be useful to me in training the I 7-year-old. However I alternatively suggest that your help is needed in your own neighbourhood to watch Maori children growing up and advise them when they are straying and doing wrong.