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Maori Messenger : Te Karere Maori, Volume 1, Issue 8, 12 April 1849, Page 3

The condition of the aborigines in this neighbourhood, (Nelson) has always been a subject of interest to us from the day the settlement was formed, and we have from time to time derived considerable pleasure in v/itm-.ssing the progress they were making in tlii; arts of civi l'ized life, nnd tlio necumidaiion of jiropeity. The natives wetc far too aenlo n pcoplo not to discover, nt a very early day, the advantage of having n settlement of Kttropcans in their neigl|lioiithood, and tlio benefit of disposing of their produce to actual consumers, getting money in payment, and furnishing tfn-ni-sclvcs with goods at the market prices, instead of dealing with coasting mid Sydney traders, who measured th''m out yards of calico against the same measure of potatoes or maize placed along Ihe beach in Una or baskets. Hut although their inlevc.'-t to cultivate a good understanding with tin: strangers who had come to dwell among them was thus palpable, and felt and acknowledged by the majority of, those who came in contact with us, tlieie were still some who, from a restless spirit, n jealousy of self, importance, and a fear that the power and authority they bad been used to exercise over their followers would be destroyed, who little relished our presence, nnd strove to keep the minds of the peaceable disturbed. .This feeling, however, seems now to have passed away, or to be held by so few in number, as to render tlicm perfectly harmless among the large body of their more reflecting and sagacious countrymen, ami the majority now seem anxious in every way to prolit/'by their intercourse with us, nnd to consider themselves wholly under the ruin of liritish authority, and amenable to JJritish laws. It is only necessary to refer to the statistics, taken nt the end of last year, to show how the native condition has been improved. The land thou in crop belonging to the natives in this district was no less than 1,758 acres, out of which there was 1,137 acres of wheat, to which property may be added several head of homed cattle, horses, anil goat 3, pig< almost innumerable, and a few coasting vessels of i about twenty-live tons each. .Seven yens ago, and the wealth of this people consisted in a i "few acres of wretched potatoes, bandy Miliicieiil 1 to blip;.; their principal men a lull': clo'liin;:, : and a scanty supply of I lie bixu»y of tobacco, i .A r. ! to show also 111»• improved disposition "1 1 l!u. ir.itivci, we will mention what o'-cuircd <

idc oilier day at theMotiieka, where b question respecting the reserves aet aside for the Mao,ies, which'by delay andneglecth.nl grown into what was apprehended would be a troublesome business, was disposed of with the grtatcit ease in a few hours. When the land was originally purchased of the natives, a tenth part of the whole was reserved for their use, to be held in trust lor their future benefit. The unfortunate state in which the colony wais placed for a few years, so deranged the tiust which had been appointed to take charge of this property, that nothing was done with it, and the natives at the Motueka undertook, in several instances, to lease and sell parcels of the reserves in that district on their own acconnt. The gentlemen recently appointed as the trust boaid, expected considerable difficulty in getting this property back into their hands, but were induced a few weeks since to make the attempt. After a few hours' talking with all the parties coiuerncd, who wore got together on the spot, the whole thing was ar. ranged in the most amicable manner, to the entire satisfaction of all parties, But the mission of these gentlemen did not terminate here. The Government had lately laid out the site of a new village in the Motueka, anj furnished the natives with a model on which to build their houses. This baa been adopted by almost all -and the whole district with the exception of one or two families, have engaged to build themselves wooden houses and almndon thpir old filthy pas. A smnll premium is to bo given to those who get the first two or three homes completed, which will causo the whole to hasten their operations. Tlic good ellect of this arrangement has been already felt, ' for the natives at Wakapuaka have also shown an anxiety to have tho same course pursued towards thein; but as they, on more than one occasion, had treated the authority of Government with disrespect, their wish was not regarded, vtntil they came forward with the assuranco that Paramatta the chief who had led them astray, had gone to reside at Taranaki, and promised belter conduct for the future.