MAHUTA'S APPOINTMENT. A Storm in a Teacup.

Free Lance, Volume IV, Issue 164, 22 August 1903, Page 8

MAHUTA'S APPOINTMENT. A Storm in a Teacup.

IF the Hon. Mr. Mahuta, M.L.C , were indeed the king of the Maoris, he could hardly cause a bigger flutter in political circles than he is doing just at present. His elevation to the 'Loids," and incidentally to the Executive, is a consummation long-planned and much-desired. Yet, if we are to believe the Oppositionists, who aie heaping obloquy on his appointment, it is just withm the bounds of possibility that this count rv will hardly recover from the dieadful wrong done to it in endeavouring to remove the feelings of discontent and suspicion which hitherto have kept a large section of the native people in isolation, and retaided the progress of land settlement in the Northern midlands. It doesn't matter that the elevation of the coloured gentleman kills the "King" movement. It does not matter that it establishes the friendliest ielations with a large section of the native race, and secures their hearty cooperation in opening up extensive tracts of native lands for sale and settlement, and brings them under the progressive influences enjoyed by their white brethren and brother Maoris. All that is of no consequence. In the name, however, of plain common sense, why all this ffusss s ♦ * * Is the insidious influence of this new Minister to be dreaded ? Is this new "lord" to rule the Council ° It is hardly feasible that he will be able to dominate so brainy a body. Will he control the Cabinet, and bend it to his own sweet will 0 Where does that other potentate, King Dick, come in 9 Let us smile. Then, Mahuta is to be paid. Most extraordinary, surely, forM Maori to be placed on a level with the pakeha for the purposes of drawing a salary, and surely a pretty poor stick for paid members to beat the Government with. If the Gazette had forgotten to tell the truth, by not stating that Mahuta had been

designated "king," tliel bothei might ha\e been avoided. If Malruta had been called to the Council, and the Executive, had boldly stated that he wanted no salary and no secretary, had meekly taken Ins place at the opening of the session, and had sat motionless, his appointment might have been popular on the Opposition benches. *■ * * The Mahuta objectors aie wholly desirous of seeing the Maori race progress. They want to see light and learning diffused in the dark places of the King Country, and the way to have dome this would have been to overlook the opportunity of gathering in their most representative man, and allowing him to run a little "kingdom" of his own, the people of which were not altogether amenable to the civilising influences immediately outside their borders. Mr. Taylor darkly "understood Mahuta could not speak English," and the awful sin of allowing a member of the Executive to have a secretary who could, and who was to be paid by the country, was referred to as almost a crime. f. * *- Mahuta can probably think well on Maori questions m his own language, and the experience he will gain in Parliament should be of great use to his people, who are at present alienated, and who have previously had nodesue to share the language and the advantages of the pakeha. Altogether, this big pow -wow about the appointment is a pretty frothy admixture.fi It shows that a great many men do not want w hat they have consistently clamoured foi , and the personal element infused into it is not quite the sort of thing that would reconcile the new "lord" to his position. If the political economists are consistent who see a crime .11 the exchange of a small salaiy for gieat advantages, both to the Maoris and pakehas of the country, all their salaries will probably remain 111 the Treasury this year.