THE ADVANTAGES OF THE SAVINGS BANK THAT HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED.

Maori Messenger : Te Karere Maori, Volume 1, Issue 15, 19 July 1849, Page 4

THE ADVANTAGES OF THE SAVINGS BANK THAT HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED.

(Continued from our last.) First thing is Christianity. Though this book particularly relates to temporal things, yet a reference to religion is not out of place this uiust not be lost sight of. Religion is the great thing, greater than all others. Nothing is in importance equal to this. Therefore, attend to this. Let ibis be straight. 13c sincere on tliiß subject. Let this take the precedence of every other—Christ lias commanded it. "Seek ye first the kingdom of (Sod and kis righteousness." This is a subject that will civilize and improve inan more than nny other subject. This only will save him. This alone will make his work straight towards God and man. Therefore, I repeat it, let this be attended to. Then there arc many other things that will tend to your improvement, things tlmt relate to the body, and to this woild. Add those

to your Christianity. The good mid useful customs of the Pakelia adopt. Such as relate to his food, his house, hi: bed, his clothes, the education of his children, mid all those things that make men respectable and comfortable. We often feel surprised that you should remain so ignorant 011 such matters, and wonder why it is so. We visit your nntivo villages, and expect to find you progressing in civilization, to see you building better houses, and wearing European clothing—men wearing shirts, and trowscrs, nnd coats ; the women nnd children gowns, &c. We expect also to find the plough at work, ploughing your land, and to see cows nnd sheep grazing J

plenty of wheat and other European food growing. But wo are often disappointed, we find very little improvement on yoiir former condition. Your houses are more fit for pigs than meoi and your beds too. Your garments are the native koka and pureke. Your children are running naked, starved with cold, covered with mud, lost in ignorance, neither taught to read nor write, nor anything useful. Instead of sheep bleating, you have dogs barking night and day. Youi food is partly unwholesome maize, offensive to tho senses of Europeans who repeat, as they turn away disposed to vomit, your own proverb, " Like ducks that eat din." We wonder how it is you should remain so and enquire, where is the Christianity of this people, who still retain so many of their old customs f What hava they done with all their money, the product of tho lands they have sold ? Why have they not purchased timbsr to build houses, and beds, and clothes,

and furniture, and Buch things as would make them comfortable ? and cows and sheep ? The reply is, the money is gone. What for ? " Gone to buy guns and powder for ourselves, and tobacco to sweeten our mouths: such is the work of " the teed of Ruaranikuare," wasting their money on such things, instead of saving it for tliosa that would tend to raise and civilize them. ♦Therefore I Bay that this Bank may be of great service to you in preserving your spare cash and securing some interest for it. And when you have saved a sufficient sum you can purchase tlioea things that are necessary to raise you to an equality with the Pokeha. Such as cows, sheep, ploughs, mills to grind your wheat, good clothes, soap, timber for houses, beds, tables, chairs, plates, knives, forks, spoons, Ac. That you may throw off the old customs, and have something to aid in educating your . children that they may be able to read and ( write, and understand Arithmetic and tho | English language—by such things you will rise. This will be an advantage of the Savings' Bank, your money will be secured for suoh purposes if you will avail yourselves of it. Adopt this plan, my friends. Cease to waste the money for which you have parted with youi lauds and produce, and given your strength. Rather preserve it, that you may be able to sccuru the useful things possessed by the European, and become as comfortable, and as respectable, and as great ns he. This is the end of my book on this subject-