THE MAORI

Gisborne Times, Volume V, Issue 77, 6 April 1901, Page 4

THE MAORI

To the Editor of the Times,

“ Breathes there a man With soul so dead, Who never to himself hath said, —

This is my own, my Native land !”

Sir, —The man breathes not to-day who coutd measure the "effects of the above triplet on the Scotchman ; the spirit of the poet enshrines the glorious thought that lives in its simple majesty. May not the Maori patriot wince under these immortal spirit-stirring strains as he looks pitifully and sorrowing on the chaos of his people's and his country’s state today ! Conduct is four-fifths of life. It would be loss of time and loss of sense to dwell on the causes which have wrought so sad a havoc among the Maori people ; that is to say, to dwell carpiugly on the matter beyond a point or two which must be attended to ; if any better way is to be found in which the Maori may at last find a sure and a safe way to extricate himself, although so many of his race hitherto have missed it.

Learning with deep gratification that a Doctor Pomare has set himself the praiseworthy task of ameliorating the social condition of his own loved people, assisted by the talent, dignity, and worth of liis ancient lineage. Humbly I beg to welcome the “ shy white crane,” for whose advent we have waited and watched for long. Wedded to a principle, which is to many the principal point in the economy of the Maori, I cannot and will not change the position I have long taken possession of in reference to the Maori—that is, his home life, liis domesticities as a husband and as a father. Generally speaking, these are simply damnable ; yes, in the extreme. The early missionaries, as far as can be ascertained by me from the teaching of the Church of England and that of the Methodist Church ; the domestic habits of the Maori have not been interfered with —communism in the home with all its appalling customs and effects. The ignorance displayed by those well-mean-ing men and women surpasses the limits of ordinary experience : to be witnesses of the home lives of their converts to Christianity, and yet not to teach them to live decently apart in separate cottage homes is reprehensible. Dr. Pomare should sec to this as early as possible. The Maori is not represented in Parliament to the limit which I consider he is entitled. This should also be seen to and at once. Allowing them to play at Parliaments amongst themselves is but pulling their legs—an unconscious device it may be to pacify and amuse them ; but in the meantime the dwindling away process —the growing small by degrees and beautifully less —is galloping swiftly to stone dead, which has no fellow.

That there are souud hopes for the Maori I am confident. Again, there. is the announcement of an effort to provide a school for Maori girls at Auckland. Several years ago, on making enquiry concerning a school at Whanganui, I received from its founder, the late Mr Churton, a letter giving his rather heartbroken experiences in connection with the working of the institution. Among other troubles he said that after the girls had been decently educated many, alas! too many, of them became all the more alluring to the demon blandishments of the immoral pakehas. Well, surely all did not; a percentage arrived at honorable marriage and adorned a homo. Even so, must the ladies who have taken up this long-deferred task go on womanlike in faith, that all is not lost that may be in danger. The children and the youth of the Maori are the material on which all educational efforts should be expended. The old are not worth troubling about; let them learn from the youths. Missionary efforts conducted in the Native tongue are generally labor in vain, demonstrated over and over again. If the Maori had a literature of his own worth becoming acquainted with then let him keep to his own tonguo. But to do as the Melanesian Mission is doing, keeping the people to their own language, instead of teaching the children English in the schools, and by so doing throwing open the great gates leading to the noblest literature under Heaven, is—what may one say ?—is lamentable ;or is it to keep on the job? —Your obedient, etc., Geo. H. Wilson. P.S.—lt is imperative that the Maori bo set to work at once. There are still large areas of forest land in the possession of the Natives. Doctor Pomare would do well to encourage his people to commence the industry of pig - breeding for the market. Messrs Common and Shelton would take, I dare guess, several thousand hogs annually from the Maori farmer. The market is at the very doors of East Coast pig runs. The pig is more akin to the Maori’s slow and gentle nature than is the sheep. Porker is a fine fellow, well able to take care of himself, and be a comfort and a consolation to his owner, as many easy-going folk know full well. Ireland in her hogs owns a mine of wealth. The raising of the hog is the principal branch of Servian industry. The Servian nation is nigh two million souls; these depend oh the pig, and he never fails them. It would have been a thundering blessing had the Maori never owned a horse ; that brute has settled the Maori hash. But the hog is the supreme salvation of the native. —I am, etc. G.H.W. P.S. —In those rabbit-infested sheep runs of the North and South Islands, were the pig-breeding industry substituted, the rabbits would soon disappear. —G.H.W.