Spirit of the Press.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume 7, Issue 339, 8 January 1866, Page 1

Spirit of the Press.

THE MAOEIES and theie APOLOGISTS. (Prom the New Zealand Examiner, October 17.) The Aborigines’ Protection Society has during the past few weeks been prominently before the British public. Mr F. W. Chesson, the Secretary of that would-be infallible sociey, and Mr William Fox, formerly Secretary, as our readers know, to the Government of New Zealand, have been waging a kind of pitched battle in the columns of the Times—with what results to the cause of peace in the colony remains to be seen. This society, like most societies which set themselves up as the pacificators and regenerators of the human race, glories in the belief that it alone is in the right, and that all who oppose their views and tactics are wrong, and under the influence of base motives. We do not quarrel with Mr Chesson and his friends for holding such opinions, but we hope they will not be angry with us when we say that we entirely dissent from them. If their object had been to fan the flame of rebellion among thenatives, they couldnothave adopted either better means or a more certain mode than the missives they have sent to New Zealand, and the clandestine manner in which they have circulated them. We have no hesitation in saying that they have done all that in them lay to exclude the possibility of a settlement of the present differences between the Maories and the settlers without the stern arbitrament of the sword and cannon shot. They have denounced the “ bad whites” to the natives themselves, abused them behind their backs, and, what is even worse, have endeavored to persuade them that the representatives of the British Government in the colony were carrying /s n this war in opposition to the wishes of England and the British nation. If this conduct on the part of the Aborigines’ Protection Society does not deserve the severest censure, we are at a loss to know what conduct could. This is the indictment against the so-called Aborigines’ Protection Society. About twelve months ago they published a circular in the English and colonial papers denounced the war in New Zealand as an act of great injustice and oppression to the Maoris, who, of course, had done nothing to provoke hostilities, and stood simply in the position of meek and gentle Christains who were grievously by wronged by rapacious settlers. The “ bad whites ” were represented as altogether bad, who treated the natives in a cruel and heartless manner; the Maories were de- . picted as possessing and manifesting all the virtues and graces which adorn the human race. Exaggerated and one-sided as this document was, its authors had the courage to place it openly before the British people for their consideration. This word of warning was meant for them, and to them ft was really addressed, and from them it received the reply it deserved. So far so good. The Society was not to be put down. What could not he accomplished in an open, straightforward way, was attempted to be done in a secret and clandestine manner. The unmanly course suggested itself of denouncing the “ bad whites” in the colony, and in the mother country by lauding the Maories for virtues they were assumed to possess, and by encouraging them to resist in every possible way the demands made upon them. In no other way can we account for this strange “ pastoral,” which was issued from London in November, 1864, but which did not appear in a London journal till the 23rd of September of the present year. Its publication in this country now is due mainly to the challenge put forth by Mr Fox, who, by the way, is treated by great Mr Chesson with a contempt which we hope is assumed. “ It is,” says that high and mighty functionary,, “ from no feeling of respect for the wishes of Mr William Fox * * that I comply with his suggestion.” “A politician like Mr Fox,” continues the indignant Secretary, who, after vehemently denouncing the Taranaki war in 1 opposition, became the fierce supporter of an , equally iniquitous war when he crept into office [how delicate the phrases Mr Chesson * uses!], and who, after filling a Blue-book ’ with his miserable wranglings with the GoI veruor, and seeking to initiate a general policy of confiscation which would have added

tenfold to the horrors of the struggle, was compelled to make way for a better man, is not exactly the kind of person who can afford to make charges, or to cast imputations upon even the Aborigines’ Protection Society.” After this, Mr Fox must feel himself to be small indeed. But now for the “ pastoral.’’ We feel constrained to call special attention to a few of its choicest passages. The whole will appear absurd, unless the reader bears in mind that though addressed to the Maories it is meant to wound the <s had whites.” The “ pastoral” begins, in the true orthodox style, with “ Friend,” and ends, appropriately with the magic words, “ From us, your loving friends.” It is impossible we should give here all the passages we had marked. A few will suffice to give our impression of the whole. The second and third paragraph, which forms the introduction to this fulsome production, modestly confesses ignorance : “ Their English friends are grieved at the cruel war in which so many Maories and Englishmen have been kiled; in which so many good and valuable things have been destroyed ; and, more than all, at the black and gloomy future which it may bring to all the Maori people. “ Living so far off, their English friends do not know, and will not pretend to say, who a'e quite right, and who are most to blame; but they beiipve that many of their English countrymen have treated the Maories very badly, and no’t as Christians ought to do. This does not make it right for Maories to do like them. It would not be good, even if they were able, to drive away all their enemies— the bad whites .” After various Scriptural allusions this document .proceed;?cannot' read>'ih'at Jesus Christ told His disciples to fight, or that they ever did so. The Maoris must not, on this account give up hope, and say that all is lost, for God still gives the lest help to those who truly obey and really trust in Him.” The commentary to this and many other passages in the “ pastoral” wdl be found in a recent number of this journal, in which we gave an account of the manner the Rev. Mr Volkner was butchered and devoured by these truly Christian Maories. But. their “ loviugfriends” proceedtotelitheir'Triends” what the former think the latter should do for their “ safety and good.” They are admonished to be peaceable and united, otherwise “you will break to pieces like a glass bottle dashed on the stones, which cannot be mended. Do nothing with your enemies can truly say is wrong, and bitaking the laws. If yon do, they will say that you must be bo punished, and they may never think that they have punished your enough If wrong be done unto you never revenge it. Try, with the best temper and greatest perseverance to get your right, according to law, and with the help of the best whites who are your friends, and they, if j t ou choose them properly, will not mislead you. Truly, Queen Victoria and many Englishmen are your friends, and you have friends in New Zealand, for some colonists are good; but you must not think it quite enough to have friends and to do no wrong. Remember the bad and idle servant who put his lord’s money in the ground. You have life and strength, and land, and minds, which, like the land, require to he cultivated, and many other things which are the talents your Loud has given you, and if you do not use them, you will surely be the losers. In this strain the document procesds to admonish and encourage the Maories. “ When you are thus relieved from the sufferings and dangers of war, you must lose no time to have the Maori tribes of New Zealand placed under the same laws as the Pakeha’s provinces. They need not be joined to Auckland or Canterbury, or any other province, but form one or more like them, where Maories and Englishmen may be governed alike, aud live alike. la bringing this about you are happy in having such a roan as Sir William Martin near you. He is your true friend, and is a wise lawyer. With his help you may have such laws that Maories and colonists may live and work well together, neither being above the other,” In the paragraphs which follow, the Maories

are encouraged to marry, and to do and avoid many things too numerous to mention here in detail. In one portion of the document, it would appear as if Mr Chesson, or whoever the writer was, had been impregnated with one of Mr J. Stuart Mill’s heresies, for those who marry are to be “ sure they love each other, and that they can provide for themselves and their children if they have any.” We have said enough to justify our assertion that this quaint anarchic “ pastoral,” though addressed to the Maories, is meant to wound the colonists and bad whites. Perhaps it will produce an effect which the writers did not include in their calculations—bring them into contempt.