MAHOE LEAVES.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume II, Issue 76, 11 December 1862, Page 6 (Supplement)

MAHOE LEAVES.

Being a selection of Sketches of New Zealand and its Inhabitants, and other matters concerning them. BY THOMAS MOSEIt, ESQ. W II A K A A K O N A . Witakaako.na, “tlio art of teaching,” sail: Education. This word comes into my mind, in consequence of old Jeremiah having handed mo lately a long document, purporting to be a letter from him and his tribe to the Governor respecting the appointment of a schoolmaster in his district. It covers three sides of foolscap and is endorsed with a number of strango looking marks, as if a hen had dipped its claws in the ink bottle, and scraped over it, which hieroglyphics stand for the signature of himself and his people. (I hope the Governor can read them.) Jeremiah asked me to sign it. If I thought such a slip would be of any benefit, or that the school would be over supported if they got a schoolmaster, I would not hesitate, but as my belief is that Jeremiah and his people do not care a rap about education, I decline, and the reasons I have for forming this opinion, I now proceed to Some years ago, Smith, Tomkins, and myself, made a pilgrimage up the country and finding ourselves late one afternoon in the vicinity of a clerical acquaintance, who was rural dean of that part of the diocese, we thought we would look in there for the evening having heard a great deal respecting his school, and having a faint idea of having seen a representation of it in a panorama in London. Wo accordingly made our way there. The road to the parsonage lay through the pah, which it is needless to say much about, as it did not materially differ from any other pah, save in being smothered in docks, which we were led to understand had many years ago been sedulously cultivated by the* natives, under the delusion that they were growing tobacco. A disgusting smell pervaded the atmosphere cmitlcu the corpescs of defunct sharks that were gibbeted on scaffolds for the purpose of being sun-dried and cured; and so tainted the air that we ran a perfect gauntlet of stenches ere we arrived at tho door ot tho parsonage. Our friend the rural dean was not in, but as he is something of a pastoral turn of mind in both senses of the word, he at that time was witnessing the branding of his calves, and we shortly after found him perched on the top of a stock-yard post, note book in hand, jotting down their description. Two or three native athletes in excessively airy habiliments, were hauling up the calves to a post, and branding them according to the directions of their pastor. It appeared that this was a farm nominally conducted for their benefit; how far it answered I don’t know ; nobody can ever get hold of the books ; but doubtless tho liisliop knew, and who else I should like to know had any business with it ? Some inquisitive Commissioners once paid the rural dean a visit, with a view of investigating the matter, and reporting thereon ; but i’faith the rural dean sent them off with a flea in their ear ! and served them right I say ! Well, we were not Commissioners, so we at once paid our respects to the reverend gentleman stating that we had come to see his celebrated school °that we had heard so much of. At this announcement a transient spasm shot across tho face of his reverence, but whether it was owing to our mentioning the school or because one of the calves had been all but choked with a rope I can’t exactly say, the probability being that it was the latter, ile was a humane man was the Rural Lean. A bell shortly afterwards commenced “jowing” forth from an adjacent building and the Rural Lean thereupon informed us that ho was about to perform evening prayers, and suggested tho propriety of our attending the service forthwith. I do not exactly know what the duties of a Rural dean are, but it strikes mo that part of their duty extends to looking after the repairs of chapels, and if so I must admit there seemed room for the devotion of part of the energies of his reverence being extended towards his own. The windows either never had been totally glazed, or they had been sadly broken. The general appearance indeed of the exterior of the building was mildewy in tho extreme. The interior however was something better ; the totara posts that formed the studs were deeply carved and inlaid with pawa shells, the panels between being composed of the reeds of the toe toe ingeniously stained all sorts of colors. There were no pews the congregation I presume squatting on the floor which was neatly covered with matting a few forms wore placed at one end, I imagine for the minister’s family and friends as we occupied them, and singular to say there was no pulpit, but the Rural Dean read the service from a table at one end ot the building. The aspect in fact was rather dreary. The congregation seemed to be very limited, as, with (he exception of ourselves and the young gladiators of the stockyard, there were not halt a dozen people in it—l cannot say much respecting the service, as the fleas tormented me so (the place seemed infested with them) that 1 was in agony ; and the strong smell of burnt hair emitted from the gladiators who had branded the calves did not render matters more pleasant. Fleas and tho smell of burnt hair in fact always remind me to this day of the rural Lean and his chapel. Tho service finished, we accompanied Ins reverence over the farm and upon our return he apologised for not being able to accommodate us for the night as some members of his family were indisposed (Tomkins says he has since found out they always are so when visitors come that way). We were therefore handed over to the hospitality of the gladiators with whom the fleas and mosquitoes wo passed the night. From their direction on the lolhnving morning, we made out a cramped little weather-boarded shed, slightly inferior to the Rural Lean’s calf house and were informed that that was tho school. We paused as wc entered and crowded round a mild easy going sort of a lookingman in spectacles and ten small children to whom lie was endeavouring to instill the alphabet.—This was tho school. The mild man stepped forward to meet us and we boldly opened on him a battery of questions, and to condense matters, received the following intelligence in his replies. The dist rict for the benefit of which (his school was established contained

n population of about six hundred, one fourth of which might bo put down as children capable of receiving instruction. The attendance that day was about the average —He accounted for this lax attendance most sensibly, and I have heard the same tale in scores of places since. The natives were indifferent about education, they bad no control over their children, and if tho slightest discipline was exercised in the school the scholars left.—ln general the highest degree of education that any arrived at was a smattering of reading and writing and a trifle of arithmetic. Upon receiving which instruction theyconsidered they had learnt enough and left school—Native parents residing at a distance in general refused to send their children unless they accompanied them to the village, and in fact seemed to consider that the fact of their permitting their children to be taught put all the obligation on their side.” The pedagogue rather shirked the idea of our questioning the children, evidently mistrusting us as some “ spies in his land but Tomkins who labours under the common delusion that it is only necsessary to set all cases, moods, tenses, and syntax at defiance, and talk broken English if you can, and aborigines of every country are sure to understand you, put thereupon some strange question to one of tho children, winch failed to draw forth any reply, save a stare of intense astonishment. Smith, who had been some time in china and was a “dab ” at Canton English, which peculiar language consists in being able to run all the changes on the words Savoy, Camprador numder one and the everlasting pigeon, then tried his hand, and the little wrctcli set up a hideous squalling, being half frightened out of his wits by such a lingo. The Dominie here came to the rescue, and drowned the crying by favouring us with a chorus the burden whereof was “Twi won ua too —Twi—too all tikit (I write as it ...was pronounced) of which ditty Tomkins was donkey enough to ask the meaning—they were singing the multiplication table in BngUsJi'. —We felt relieved by the explanation. We further discovered that the Maories can pronounce but littlemore than half the letters in our alphabet. W e asked if English was taught at that school ? No! that was the industrial method. Wc have since made some enquiries respecting those institutions, but they have not had any scholars for some years. If we were to be allowed to form an opinion of this school from what wo saw we should put it down as a mistake. The schoolmaster seemed to us to have been selected upon the colonial creed, that a man unfit for any thing else will do for a teacher. The attendance at this school the last time I hoard of it had dwindled down to four. Some others that were in existence at that time are now shut up. Now the question is, what is to be done with the rising generation of Maories? If their parents will not educate them, what sort of senators are the young “ Nobility ” to be, that my honorable friend the member Noodleton, (of whom more anon) hopes to see in tho Colonial Parliament ? Are wo to look for any great things from a native adopting our language, who cannot pronounce half the letters in it ? or look for any amount of political sagacity from a race utterly destitute of any foresight, or notions of economy ! If we have any respect for them or ourselves, can we introduce them into our assemblies, for which by manners and education they are so utterly unfitted ? How have our schemes of education answered so far ? Those we have partially educated do not appear (as wo expected) to have any notion, and 1 fear little desire, to impart it to the rest. They are too conceited and vain of their own accomplishments for that, and those who arc the exception, are too indolent. The tribe that has received probably the greatest educational advantages, (I need hardly say I allude to the Ngatiruanuis) are the greatest rascals in the Island. Ths old saying, “Ingeiuias didicisse, Ac.,” seems a dead letter here at any rate. Surely there is “ something rotten in the state of Denmark.” Would it not be as well to ask ourselves, whether wc have not already done too much ? Made religious and educational advantages too cheap, and now have the regret to see them spurned as worthless, or nearly so. The native question loses none of its intricacy, when wo consider the state of education, present and prospective. But is there no CEdipus to solve tho riddle? No Alexander to cut this Gordian knot ? Certainly there is. Hear him ! CEdipus is the member for Noodleton ; he has been a resident in this colony for twenty years; has amassed a vast amount of property, and spends his existence in a colonial city ; but upon the strength of a visit to Taupo, in company with a bishop, on which occasion he signalized himself by narrowly escaping being boiled in a hot spring, and returned home desperately bitten with llcas, he has set up as an authority on native affairs ever since. He solves the riddle of tho native question with greater case than his prototype did that of the Sphynx. This is the solution—“ Amalgamate the races.” CEdipus, my friend! You have hit it. A great idea my worthy sir. Amalgamate the races, and educate the offspring. The halfcaste race at present, you say, are not as a body to be taken us examples, because, in many cases their parents were not a very eligible sort. You arc a moral man CEdipus, and I know would be horrified, if I were to ask you if to accomplish this end, you desired ns to turn semi-mohnmedan at once, and en masse. “ Morality shudders at the idea,” you say. Be it so. How are you to do it then ? By inter-marriago of the races, I presume. Just so, and thank you. Now CEdipus, my philanthropic sir I believe that most folk have in one shape or other, some prospective ideas before they marry, of what is known as connubial bliss. Perhaps you had when you married Mrs. uii. i on based your hopes of obtaining it on reciprocal affection, mutual confidence, and sympathy of feeling and idea. I will go a step further. You will admit that unless a man has these ideas, he had better remain in single blessedness. Now, if you from your Taupo, or any other experience will point out a few native females, from an alliance with whom, any amount of matrimonial felicity can with any show of reason be expected, pledging yourself that those individuals who may, on your recommendation, marry them forthwith, shall not forfeit their position in society hero or at homo ; that you will admit them to your drawing

rooms, introduce their wives to your daughters, and guarantee that the husband’s feelings shall never be hurt by any slight towards his wife ; why then some of the respectable bachelors of this island, may be philanthropic enough to give your scheme a trial. If you had not a constitutional tendency of blood to the head, which I imagine from your Parliamentary speeches, I might be tempted to ask you to commence the system by giving the happiness of your daughters to the care of a Maori ; but as 1 know such a suggestion from me might throw you into an apoplectic fit and your shade might haunt mo in consequence, I shan’t do so, but content myself with thanking you for your kind feeling toward me. It is a well known fact amongst those who employ native youths, that so long as they are within range of the influence of their friends and relations, they are no use whatever The slightest coercion ; or discipline, they will not submit to. Education a few years back was a mania, at a premiun, now it is at a lamentable discount. A man who hopes to educate his. half-caste children with any idea of respect for their intellectual welfare or moral training, must either doom his wife to perpetual banishment from her own people, or separate the mother. If the happiness of any of the parties can be obtained by such a domestic arrangement, I have done at once ; but I may tell CEdipus that by recommending his fellow settlers- and constituency to adopt such a domestic union, for the sake of making a philanthropic experiment for his satisfaction, he pays them a compliment that few will thank him for.