NATIVE RUNANGAS.

Maori Messenger : Te Karere Maori, Volume I, Issue 10, 1 August 1861, Page 9

NATIVE RUNANGAS.

It is now that the Runanga is fully heard of, and this word is proclaimed by all the ribes of Waikato. Ranangas are being set up at all the kaingas. This work is being wrought out by that people, and everything is given up to be settled by the Runanga. Here we are looking on, and listening, and searching after the propriety or otherwise of this work. Some part of it is probably correct. This work arose from a good intention, and from the desire of thoughtful men to put a stop to Maori offences, and land quarrels, and adulteries, and thefts, and Maori raids, and spirit [drinking, and many other things. This is straight: to suppress what is wrong, to put down contentions, to put an end to evil, and to arrange everything properly for the good of the people. But let the manner of doing it be correct. When the people work at this work, let it be properly wrought. If it be done wrong, men will not attend to it : and if it be ignorantly carried out, the system will fail, and no good will come of it. Here you will rise and ask, what is meant by being correct, and how can it be so conducted that the people will attend to it? Here it is—let light be thrown upon it—for is the system a hidden one to the Pakeha ? Now, it is for the elderly men, and the thoughtful, and the wise, to carry out this work of local government, with the settlement of disputes, and the administration of law. This is the Pakeha's way. There is one man who has the chief conduct of the Court of Justice. lie is a selected man, and a man of knowledge ; and he has twelve

others lo assist him. These men listen to the statements of the parlies concerned, and of those who witnessed the offence of the person tried. It is for these twelve to consider whether the accusation is right or wrong; and if they think the case proved, then they refer it lo the Judge, who alone will decide what penally is due to the offence.! As for the audience, they simply listen ; they neither speok, nor do anything. But with the Maori Runanga, all must assemble together, the small and the great, the husband, the wife, the old man, the old •woman and the children, the knowing and the foolish, the thoughtful and the presumptuous : these all obtain admittance to the Runanga Maori, with all their thoughts and speeches: this woman gets up and has her talk, and that youth gets up and has liis, and the headstrong carry off the debate, whilst the elder men sit still in silence, and so an erroneous decision is come to in the end. Who ever arranged it that the (whole) village should turn-out for the settlement of disputes ? Who ever said that the young man was fit to lay down rules, and to act as a magistrate? And whoever supposed that all the women and children should go and listen lo the adulterous cases of bad men ? Is that good discourse, think you, that it should be publicly talked oyer in the presence of all? That is wrong. That is the way to teach the children, and to make them understand all about it. The Pakeha's plan in such a case is different. When a case of adultery is to be heard, neither women nor young people are allowed to hear the evidence ; it is called out that they must all go outside, and when that is done, there are none left sitting in the Courthouse on such occasions, but the male adults only. Let the Maorics do likewise. Let them, by no means, allow the women and children to hear what is said about such an evil, lest they should understand all, and desire it themselves. And do not permit the ordinary young men to settle the disputes of the tribe, but let certain thinking and intelligent men be chosen to lay down regulations and to inquire into disputes, that the rebellious may be brought to obey, and an influence given lo the doings of the ltunanga. Now, a day for holding the Ranunga must be fixed. According to Maori fashion, anybody can call it. When a wrong is heard of any man gets up and convenes a meeting, writing his letters lo all the neighbouring

kaingas that they must assemble to adjudicate the matter. And this work is always being carried on, and every day in the month is so employed. And when the multitude hear that a Kunanga is fixed for a certain place, they all hasten thiihcr to hear the talk, and to «at up the food which is provided for the occasion. All work is left off, his house remains unfinished, his potatoes are not stowed away, and his wheat harvest is neglected : but what of that? so long as the Runanga is seen, and the adulterous intercourse of a woman proclaimed as a pleasant thing for the heart to dwell on, and the food provided duly eaten up, all other work may well be left for another day. One day is wasted in going to the place, another on the day of meeting, another in returning, and another in talking il all over to those who were absent \ indeed, how many days are spent over these doings? Alas, that so much lime should be wasted over such work ! Will it not be good to fix upon a certain day for the Runanga to meet, say, once in three months : then proclaim il aloud that all men may hear that on some day of the month, the Runanga will sit at a certain phice, when all parlies having business must appear, with their witnesses. Let something of the sort be done, lest every day should be wasted in this manner, and all the kaingas in constant confusion, owing to the number of meetings held during a single month. But the very best thing of all is, to solicit the Governor to send an intelligent Pakeha as a Magistrate, and companion to the Chiefs, sitting and working together with them. The Native does not perfectly understand how to try offences, and to make social rules for the various kaingas. Alaories enter on such work with great doubtfulness, and sometimes it is done properly, and sometimes il is done ill. The Maori Runanga also possesses no authority: on some occasions the parlies will assent to what the Runanga has decided, and on others they will not. A nice thing, indeed, for an incorrigible to obey the judgment of a Runanga Maori! He will break through the law, tread down the Runanga, determine to have his own way, and there is no power by which he can be chastised for his contumacy. Hence it is that we advise you to ask the Governor to appoint a wise Pakeha as a working-friend for the Chiefs, and then all the verdicts will be given with understanding, and the Runanga conducted with authority. The knowledge of the Pakeha will throw

light on the doubts of the Maori; and the consent of the Native Chiefs being given to the law, will strengthen that law, and assist to carry out its decisions. The knowledge of the one will travel in equal steps with the authority of the other. Strength will be derived, the law will advance, the Runanga's voice will be obeyed, the evil-doers will mourn, and the obedient will rejoice what is wrong will gradually decrease, what is right .will gradually be promoted, and light will fill every place.