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Maori Messenger : Te Karere Maori, Volume IV, Issue 2, 15 June 1857, Page 1

Many are the reports brought to the ear, of sehemes and projects talked of in the Maori world at the present time. Whatever else may be scarce, these are sufficiently abundant. Of the many things talked of, some are right, ! some arc wrong, there is talk good and bad, j clear and confused, wise and foolish talk. | We are reminded of the old Maori proverb i —"Shake of! and cast away the sap-wood, ) that the sound heart alone may stand.*' We ' may be asked how we apply this in the pre- ! sent instance. We reply, thus; within is j the solid heart, the sound part of the tree; without is the sap,and the unsound part. The first is strong and will endure, the other is unsound and will soon perish. So, amidst the schemes put forth and the | large amount of talk which has been listened j ta at the recent gatherings at Taupo, ; Waikato, and at other places, we see both ; that which, is sound and that which is un- \ sound; we perceive both that which- will I endure, and that which will soon perish. j The part which we say is sound and will j endure, is thec'cterminaiion expressed by several of the tribes to have some law or authority established among them, which all shall respect and which may serve to correct their many social disorders. Many of the

intelligent ridels aie fully awake to the necessity of providing some efficient check fo the strife, violence, drunkenness, theft, adultery,; and other evi's which now keen (he Maori! people in a constant state of anarehv. and prevent their ailvar.ee in civilization/ This' ".ve to be the sound part, which we hone •' and heiievo will stand ihp lest, and wii! not. i'i«« the sap-wcod, quick!v decay. j Hie purl whiH* we say js nnsonnd, is !.h/ foolish tail; of soriie, who woahi prrsnade the Maori poop!- that areata of themSfUYeS CO :ra!!!<' UMo CMt'Vy C?lt a SYStCiH. ill- ' orpfsir?o!iiiy of the Government" and the i authorities consUtiucd K the Qu<yo in this! country, which sh'd' roniedv ;J>e eri!s < complain of; vho >?v. f as n yi io'do : t?Ms ; the \i.-ori.-8 should :>vpa?aie from thJ hnvopo:.-!;?, h:wr reparian l.iwv ami separale ruiers-. ihuv olhc,* !sn:'h faiicie- ar--afloat, , J, ::rai ; »!s;riS a'/hn&ini ibV"iaMi"i and these are what vveculUhe sap-wooi, the! psound pari, vrsli >-i ~„,} Ci:n .- o .' sas». i..-.\ I>!•.'>>■'■ v?'-'- advaci'e s :: '". :! . '.:';£ M'iiid lo h>;s ; i !!.-.{> b':,;u. ja one rasn.-,;: v,-* are glad to see Li>-se stiUjects a:;ua'ed. iiic-lr being so is a si^i: uut tue people are awake. It may i have been though- >hey were asleep ; but ho", j are astir their arc ones. U is' well ih- ey<:? should be open, thalihcl snoiv.u grope, liui the thoughis' siiouid ie busied in seeking what is good' and a>e(ui. We say~coni:uue to search! carei-iliy, to ;ook well into these matters. io\ consider and ?u;e L'lem over-and" over lu! the iuisid. Having done so, then choose tue< gootL W(. believe ihe Maori people wiii; v.e Jiii, f-.ni'. rej-ct the rubbish; as, whesi : sorting the ?V-m? rooL 'he *rood is carefully i picked cut ana ia.|j asiae for use, and the | ia:erior »s cast away. j Thai this will be the result of the present ngtmiion, wo s-jo everv reason to Pone.! to-era' of -he : m»lPgent eniefs from the l Haikatohave Auckland withh- the : past month, to apply to the Governor, on be-' half of their - assistance in their endeavours to i=ur: ; b.ee ];>w them, that tfc, : y ;: . r ; t .:.e Pak,;ha hj:,v i-o5 i »ip logeiiier ns ouo people uuJci- oilelaw. ! iixceUeney has pr-n-ised to compSv! with their request, and has aceord?fig:v'dr- ; yecied thai a concise suiuinary of the most important principles of English law be pre- i pared, transited into Maori, nrimed and ' circulated among theni, that al'i mav read ' ur«d make themselves acquainted with these 1

so thai they may give a proper assent to the Qtieen's law;—that they may say yes to the law, not as a person who does no:. knovv v/hat he says yes to, but as the man who says yes to vyhat he understaiu's. We cannot now stale in detail the mode ifj which his Excellency proposes to meet Lie.; views ol' ihese tribes who are beginnsng" ij think {'or themselves, but we shall return to this subject again.