th ▁New ▁Zealand ▁Parliament . ▁The ▁elect or ates ▁were ▁intended ▁as ▁a ▁temporary ▁measure ▁last ing ▁five ▁years ▁but ▁were ▁extended ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 2 ▁and ▁made ▁permanent ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 6 . ▁Despite ▁numerous ▁attempts ▁to ▁dis m ant le ▁M ā ori ▁elect or ates , ▁they ▁continue ▁to ▁form ▁a ▁distinct ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁New ▁Zealand ▁political ▁landscape . ▁ ▁Organisation ▁ ▁M ā ori ▁elect or ates ▁operate ▁much ▁as ▁do ▁general ▁elect or ates , ▁but ▁have ▁as ▁elect ors ▁people ▁who ▁are ▁M ā ori ▁or ▁of ▁M ā ori ▁descent , ▁and ▁who ▁choose ▁to ▁place ▁their ▁names ▁on ▁a ▁separate ▁elect oral ▁roll ▁rather ▁than ▁on ▁the ▁" general ▁roll ". ▁ ▁There ▁are ▁two ▁features ▁of ▁the ▁M ā ori ▁elect or ates ▁that ▁make ▁them ▁distinct ▁from ▁the ▁general ▁elect or ates . ▁First , ▁there ▁are ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁skills ▁that ▁are ▁essential ▁for ▁candidates ▁to ▁have ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁eng age ▁with ▁their ▁constitu encies ▁and ▁ensure ▁a ▁clear ▁line ▁of ▁account ability ▁to ▁representing ▁the ▁' M ā ori ▁voice '. ▁This ▁includes ▁prof ic iency ▁in ▁the ▁M ā ori ▁language , ▁knowledge ▁of ▁t ik anga ▁M ā ori , ▁wh aka wh ana ung at anga ▁skills ▁and ▁confidence ▁on ▁the ▁mar ae . ▁Second , ▁the ▁ge ographical ▁size ▁of ▁the ▁M ā ori ▁elect oral ▁boundaries ▁vary ▁significantly ▁from ▁the ▁general ▁elect or ates . ▁Five ▁to ▁ 1 8