THE NATIVE AND HIS LANDS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 550, 3 July 1909, Page 14

THE NATIVE AND HIS LANDS.

ft MAORI M-P. IS BEPLT,

(To nn EdetooJ Kγ,—No biased pereon who roads "EuropeanV 1 ' letter on Maori lands in yonr columns bat must come to the conclusion, that tho Maori has cumbered tho earth too long. What does it matter, that those lands have been heM by his ancestors for centuries? What matters it 'that the early chiefs wore magnanimous in tho days of thoir power, fought their own blood "to' protect white Bcttlojs, and gave away' tracta of land tor a red blanket or a tin pannikin? ,0f what importance, is it that tho European precipitated war with its subsequent retrogression by lack of that consideration and justice which are supposed to bo the peculiar characteristics of civilisation? Solemn treaties, equal rights, and representation in Parliament are a mistake in the case- of the Maori. He. was tho noblest dark-skinned race in -the world when ho freely gave tho European what ho wanted. .His kindness and hospitality exalted him above other sav- > ages. But now, after long contact with, the selfishness, greed, and rapacity of a certain class of Europeans, ho dares to follow their example, thinking in his poor benighted ignorance that ho is rising, in the scale of civilisation. So be is, but it does not suit a certain type of civilisation. The goose that laid the .golden eggs refuses to lay any longer. This is vory wrong of tho goose. "European" assesses the value' of things m terms ot "European," and he finds that now the Maori is no asset to him judged by this Dohomo of valuation. Ho naturally concludes that tho Maori is an obstacle, and ihampers tho chariot wheels of .State progress .The gooso should have continued faying eggs for him. That was "the proper uso for the eggs. Tho gooce has no right to consider -that tho eggs contain nutriment to : launch her goslings forth'into the world. The Maori may havo primitive feelings and ' aspirations of his own, but why should they be considered unless they are of uoo to "European,", and "his.crowd,"-to quote nis, own words?. .' .. ' The Maoris have four members of .Farijam'ent. The European members vote on "anything you lih>" that concerns the Maori, but why, oh why, should these four Maori members be allowed to vote on pean matters? It rominds one of the story | ',toW in "Heke's War" by Manning, where an 'okl Maori chief consented to sign tiic i Treaty of Waitangi to.make a European Qneon.over the Maoris if the pakehas would in turn make him King of England. Of course, such' ideas, as "European implies, are absurd. Then, to crown all, these four Maori members vote for tbo present Government.' They may possbly consider that tho present Government will do more for their raoo than any other Government, and that, by acting as they havo dono, they are, 'discharging aright tbe function for which thoy were returned. But no 1- "European" / by some prophetic or occult means, sees the cloven hoof. Perhaps if they .voted for Mr. Maseey, "European' would reconsider nis judgment, and forgive them their evil ways. And then, alas!,ono of the voting four is "appointed to a portfolio"! It is a boast in this country' amongst people Who can riso above Tie slough of prejudice (and " amongst others when it swts them) that there is.no race feeling amongst us, but "European" and I know differently, and "European" knows on which side the evil lies Why not give:honour, honour is dne, and so make for tho fusion of tho two races on terms of self-respect and equality? This is more manly than sniping mth innuendoes from behind tho shelter of a nom do .plume.', .Where is the boasted British fair play which wo poor savages should emulate? . . . . , ' The Maori bas from time.immemonal been a hunter, a'fighter, an explorer, aDd \, a navigator. The temporary numbness that may occur to tho few, or even to many, during the clash of. two racraP systems whilst adjustment'» taking place, is no true criterion of the innate abilities of tho race.

"Wo ere accused cf lagging; behiad in tie enwaxd march of progroßaTwauee oareocm. onrio system is not equal to ttoat of wa Europeans. Think of tbo eontnrioa of nnetakes tho Europeane havo mado ok> # they arrived''** thoir present, even now, 'imperfeet state. They left' ti» Stone Age three thousand years ago. Wo left it yesterday. Wβ are doing our beet to bridge tho gap, trat "European" complaina because we ba.ro not accomplished the impossible. Who can undoretand and beep up with the working of snch si mind? Lose than a century ago. ono of his raoo landed on theso shores, and preached glad tidings of joy that would bo to U3 ant atl raon. Now "European" preaches tho opposite. No wonder that such inconsistencies should givo us caueo for reflection and make us wonder if a rapid evolution along European lines is "a consummation devoutly to be wished." The harrowing picture of Europeans posing in the unaccustomed position of martyrs is certainlv novel and interesting .ae a flight of imagination. "European" deserves our eratfttido for pointing out tho extraordinary monopoly of privileges, he wye, wo enjoy. This is wrong. No Maori should tyrannax) over his weaker' brethren. In this he has fallen away from the ways of his ancesIn conclusion, becanso "European'/ voices the cry of bo many that the Maori should not vote, that nothing is of me unless of mine to the Europeans, and that the Maori should satisfy European land hunger at the cost of starving himself, I am forced to the reluctant conclusion that tho Maori has, no ri"ht to oxiefc on these islands. If there are still unexplored islands in the Pacific we mi°-ht move on, and have a few years respite until "European" nosed us out again. Wo have had such a hot timo at tho hands of "European" and those who. share his opinions, that the South Pole is too cold for our now tropical constitution. Only one thing remains: Let "European" pass the hat round amongst "his crowd, charter a tug put the Temnants of tho Maori race on raits with their monopoly of JF»«T«H». tow them to the edge of that awful whirlpool, the "Waia-o-te-parata," from which the Arawa canoe escaped in ancient tones, thero cast them loose, and with them unload tho torriblo "white man's burden, ity. such means, which would well accord with the tenor of hie letter, "En«P«»" solve onoo and for all tirao the question of ' Maori lands in a manner which I can well 'understand would be extremely gratifying to himself. But ere carrying this suggestion into effect, I would implore him to ho careful lest tho tug be drann into the whirlpool also with him and Lib friends, -for at feaet in the "Iteinga," or under-world, let us have peace. —I am, etc., TE lUNGIHIROA, M.P., i Ono of the four Maori members. Wellington, July 1, 1909.