ABSTRACT
Speaking at Otaki in 1950, Sir Apirana Ngata said: ‘The marae , buildings, such as meeting-houses and halls, with appurtenant amenities, have always been the chief preoccupation of a Maori community. Until these are provided the community will not seriously take up other problems, and will not freely contribute funds for these other affairs’ (Te Ao Hou, Spring 1952: 23). As Maoris migrate in search of work, many older marae fall into disuse and dilapidation, but others are continually being built or renewed. In its Report of September 1974, the Committee on Marae Subsidies set up by the Government to review the situation indicated that under the current dollar for dollar subsidy scheme nearly three million dollars would be required to subsidize projects in hand or planned and brought down recommendations for revising the subsidy scheme and greatly extending the scope of Government help.
