Hokianga June 12, 71 My Dear McLean The long letter you wrote to me from Napier I take as a great compliment seeing that the Session is approaching and that you have therefore so many matters for serious consideration to occupy your time. By the papers you were so good as to send me I perceive that some of the natives down your way complain of having been ruined by the Land Court. No doubt much of what they say is, as usual, exaggeration, and the rest may be answered, or rather is answered in the speeches of their own friends who say that "they have no one to blame but themselves" - and this is no doubt true to a great extent, though not perhaps entirely, for it is likely the natives are sometimes tempted beyond their powers of resistance by Europeans who want the land. how occurrences of this nature are to be entirely prevented by further legislation without the risk of making matters worse I cannot at present see. The Native Lands Act makes it imperative on the Court to reserve a sufficiency of land for the natives and I think the Judges, now that they have had some valuable experience, and which I am bound to say I think has not been thrown away, do succeed in reserving a sufficient quantity of land but even this the natives in some parts of the country do their utmost to prevent by making false representations as to their landed possessions, and by every other possible means. There is not so much of this up here as the Ngapuhi value the land even more than is reasonable, but there are nevertheless not a few individuals who will ruin themselves if possible, nor are there wanting Pakehas to help them and I do not think there is any possibility of entirely preventing such occurrences happening sometimes but am clearly of opinion that the Native Lands Act, as it is, well administered, can, and will, prevent this evil from attaining such dimentions as would cause a difficulty, and it therefore that I fear further legislation on the subject; You must remember what it is that has brought the Europeans to this country, it is to get the land, the whole land, and nothing but the land, for the land is You are working wonders with one hand to bring in tens of thousands of Europeans, with the other you are (as in concience and honour you must needs do) trying to ward off those evils which the increasing strength of the European element will most certainly bring on the Maori race, if you succeed in your main object, neither you, nor I, nor any other person, or any legislation whatever can save the Maori; this is as sure as fate and we may as well quietly in our inner minds acknowledge it, the Pakeha wants land, and as soon as he is strong will have it We have at present in the Native Lands Act (I do not say it may not be amended) the most effectual bulwark against that tide which will nevertheless eventually overwhelm the Maori and I am entirely of opinion that if we place any further impediments than those which already exist in the way of the cquisition of land by the Europeans the effect will only be to hasten the time when such restrictions will be repealed and swept away leaving not even that barrier which now exists and which though it gives safety to many individuals, and the means of wealth and civilisation to those natives who are wise enough to avail themselves of it, will not save the Maori as a people from utter degradation as soon as your immigration policy becomes successful, and we are bound to hope it may succeed for it seems best that it should. The natives have an instinctive perception and an unerring one, that their day has passed as soon as the Pakeha has attained to a certain strength in the Country, and it is this alone which has been at the bottom of all our wars and contentions, and no possible policy or course of action by any Government could have had any chance of averting war with them and the fire is not yet extinguished though it may slumber. Some of those poor rogues at Napier who say they sold their land for "rum" would, I dare say be glad to get it back again to sell it again for "rum" which operation I have no doubt they would perform again, and again ad infinitum, but - Query, if selling "rum" to natives is illegal (which I doubt, since the passing of the "Native rights Act") would the selling of the land for rum be valid? a purchase of land for Arms and Gunpowder would not this hint however might be made something of in the future but there must be no of any land already sold under the legal forms, of course lands irregularly purchased do not require consideration as the sale would be invalid in itself. I notice your idea about me sitting down (with the help of a Lawyer) to draw a new Land Act. Now, although I never told you so before, law making is, as Artimus Ward says, my "fort" but I would think it foul scaith to have a lawyer associated with me. It is wonderful when you come to try your hand on an Act how far, good plain English with the smallest possible seasoning of law will go; I have often amused myself, before I was bothered by this land Court, in drafting imaginary Acts which I thought might be usefull, and some not so imaginary either for the N. Z. Statute book has now some of my doings on its venerable pages. I caused some alterations in the Native Land Act, as first proposed but could not get it as I wished and have beensulky on that subject ever since. The makings of a right good Act is contained in the present one, a little alteration in some parts and a good deal expunged altogether, and we would have one usefull Act which would be easier to work. My trade however, at the present moment, is not to make laws, but to make one law act as advantageously as I am able, and I can assure you I have about as much as I can do, I however am not one of those persons who believe no one can do anything as well as themselves and consequently am satisfied you will give us a consolidated Act this session which will meet all requirements. The Ngapuhi letter has not been returned to me yet its progress over the district has been somewhat retarded by the bad weather, torrents of rain and floods and you know the natives do not value much in such matters I am quite as anxious as you may be to get it expedited and as soon as it returns to me with the signatures there will be no more time lost. I shall have an opportunity of seeing the Rarawa Chiefs on the 26th and shall see what can be done. I feel convinced that you will not do anything to evoke the war spirit amongst the Ngapuhi unless under circumstances of absolute necessity, and under such conditions you would find me asready to do it as yourself - but I see every day signs of progression and improvement amongst them which may, or may not, become permanent, but which war-doings would certainly spoil, and Heaven knows they are excitable and enough to require no prompting. I also fear the arming of natives at all, it spoils their morale, such as it is, makes them impudent and dangerous, and I think only should be done when one can do no better. I have turned over to William Webster and Hone Mohi the duty of communicating to you all about the school as I am unable myself to do so, or to get the necessary information or details for want of time. the information I last sent you was obtained from John Moses and W.Webster. I have since seen and spoken to Von Sturmer on the subject, he did not seem to think were quite so well prepared as I was informed but I have also again seen Mr Wehster who tells me that the natives areprepared to act liberally, the land I know they have denated to the school and though it is not large in area it is of first rate quality and valuable in position John Moses says the timber they have procured is their own, paid for with their own money, so I expect they will do all that can be looked for in due time, Webster will keep you informed on the subject. I hope these schools may do good, but I think it will be hard to teach the young natives English to any purpose, or, what is infinitely of greater importance, to teach them to like civilised beings on general subjects, in country schools where there is no possibility of keeping them from continual contact with the elder natives. A central college or school, in, or near a principal Town where the scholars would never see a native except at unfrequent intervals when their parents might visit them might do better, but would be attended possibly with more expence, on this subject I will say, as I think it is worthy of remark, that in my experience I have never met a school educated native-who was not made a nuisance and a danger merely by his education - the misfortune is in our not being able to teach them What we are able to do is just sufficient to make them think themselves wise enough to teach us, to in fact make them dangerous, and I often think that this insufficient amount of Education which we can at best give them is something like putting a sword in the hand of a lunatic, the old unsophisticated Maori Chief was a more noble animal and I believe more manageable than any of these school magpies who can chatter English and do sums in the rule of Three and in every other respect are as bad subjects as you would find hanging on a lamp post - Well after all that roaking I will acknowledge I never heard of any people, ancient, or modern who had been educated to the pitch of obeying the law because of an enlightened understanding of the benefit of the Community at large - people may be, and everywhere have been got to acquiesce in the of laws, but the execution of them depends always on the ability to apply at the shortest notice - irresistable force - in their support, get that, and then educate more, or less, according to the theory or fashion of the passing time, but never believe that we can make Maories or any others good subjects merely by educating them and without the power to hang them at a moments notice, the present policy of the Government is certainly going in the right track to acquire the wanting power but is accompanied by such heavy responsibilities that I am almost afraid to think of them we must hope for success, and I believe you and your colleagues are men to work for it, and I therefore sincerely wish you may come through with flying colours - half a dozen more "Caledonians" (I don't mean Scotchmen we have who is enough) would do more for the Country and for the furtherance of your scheme of immigration than almost any other imaginable thing And I half think that it may be so, that this Gold is to be a special providence, which, just as we were coming to our wits end has been ordained to save us. I have not seen Te Wake lately, when I see him I shall admonish him a little more but I declare I never saw a fellow look half so frightened as he did when I first spoke to him. I am glad to hear you have made a start in getting lands for settlement and shall be more so when I hear they are settled. I hope you won't laugh as much at this epistle of mine as at the last one because the nonsense in this is not put in on purpose, and I am therefore chargable with it. I am regaining my health in a great degree and if I am not stuckin a bog, or taken off in a flood, or spilt out of a canoe in my winter travels about the district I hope to get through a lot of work during the next year, but if I only live to get that half million you are keeping for me won't I have roads, and bridges, and schools, and churches, and a huge Jail big enough to hold the whole population, you must also send us a lot of immigrants of whom not one must have less than £500 a year we shall then have a heaven on earth in these parts and as you should have a share in the felicity I will enter into a bond not to write you more than one letter a year. Pray commend me to Mr. Fox for whom I have a very sincere respect. I shall be much obliged if you would do me the favour to cause a Blue Book to be sent me during the Session it might enable me sometimes to send you some of my wise comments if I can get any time. Yours always faithfully F. E. Maning