▁elect or ates . ▁However , ▁the ▁government ▁had ▁other ▁matters ▁to ▁attend ▁to , ▁and ▁the ▁issue ▁of ▁the ▁M ā ori ▁elect or ates ▁gradually ▁f aded ▁from ▁view ▁without ▁any ▁changes . ▁Reg ard less , ▁the ▁possible ▁abol ition ▁of ▁the ▁M ā ori ▁elect or ates ▁appeared ▁indicated ▁when ▁they ▁did ▁not ▁appear ▁among ▁the ▁elect oral ▁prov isions ▁ent rench ed ▁against ▁future ▁modification . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 0 s ▁the ▁practice ▁of ▁res erving ▁elect or ates ▁for ▁M ā ori ▁was ▁described ▁by ▁some ▁polit icians ▁" as ▁a ▁form ▁of ▁' ap art heid ', ▁like ▁in ▁South ▁Africa ". ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 7 , ▁the ▁elect oral ▁system ▁where by ▁four ▁elect or ate ▁seats ▁were ▁reserved ▁for ▁represent atives ▁who ▁were ▁specifically ▁M ā ori ▁ended . ▁Following ▁the ▁Elect oral ▁Am end ment ▁Act ▁of ▁ 1 9 6 7 , ▁the ▁ 1 0 0 - year - old ▁dis qual ification ▁prevent ing ▁Europe ans ▁from ▁standing ▁as ▁candidates ▁in ▁M ā ori ▁seats ▁was ▁removed . ▁( The ▁same ▁Act ▁allowed ▁M ā ori ▁to ▁stand ▁in ▁European ▁elect or ates .) ▁ ▁Since ▁ 1 9 6 7 , ▁therefore , ▁there ▁has ▁not ▁been ▁any ▁elect oral ▁guarantee ▁of ▁representation ▁by ▁candidates ▁who ▁have ▁M ā ori ▁descent . ▁While ▁this ▁still ▁means ▁that ▁those ▁elected ▁to ▁represent ▁M ā ori ▁elect ors ▁in ▁the ▁M ā ori ▁elect