A MAORI M.H.R. ON ENGLISH SCHOOLS FOR NATIVES.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 52, 20 January 1872, Page 15

A MAORI M.H.R. ON ENGLISH SCHOOLS FOR NATIVES.

At a recent festival in connection with the opening of a school for teaching the English language to native children, Karaitiana Takamoana, M.H.R., said: Mr Locke has spoken about the usefulness of these gatherings as uniting the Europeans and the natives. This is not the first time that we have tried to unite them. Meeting after meeting was held in the old times. There was the meeting at Waitara and the meeting at Wahaparata, but not much came of them. The fact was, the Europeans did not understand the importance of keeping up friendship with the Maoris in these times. It was not till the war broke out and you saw how much trouble the natives could give you, and how useful they could be to you as allies, that you appreciated us at our true value. You saw that we stuck by you faithfully throughout, then you began to have some respect for us. Then you admitted us to Parliament, and assisted us towards educating ourselves. It was a wrong way altogether in the past; let it be done with. It is no good to leave the education of the Maoris to the missionaries. Let the missionaiies teach the old people and conduct the ceremonies of religion ; let the management of education be in the hand of the committees chosen by the natives. There is one thing I have to complain of connection with this matter. Why don’t the Government let us know more clearly what is really going on ? I was told that we were to select a committee, and that this committee was to have the management of the school, and now I find that the Government have appointed a Commissioner without letting us know anything about it. They did not tell me when I was in Parliament that they were going to appoint a Commissioner. We elected a committee— Mr Locke, Mr Chambers, Mr Williams, and some Maories—and now we hear that the Government have appointed a Commissioner, Mr Russell. That was not fair; let everyone look into it for himself and say whether it was or not. There was a school in Wairarapa where the Maoris sent their children to be taught English. The school was in the charge of a minister, and the Bishop was the man that had to look after it. The Bishop used to come and tell the Maoris that their children were getting on very well with their learning. Afterwards somejof the parents went there, however, and the first thing they saw was the teacher beating the children. The natives asked why was he beating them, and they found that it was because he wanted them to do work. (Out-door work). The children were sent there to learn, and here was the master beating them because they wouldn’t do work. The natives believed what the Bishop said till they w'ent and saw for themselves. That was the reason why that school was broken up. The Commissioner will most likely do the same as the Bishop. If there was to be a Commissioner at all, I consider that I myself am the right man to be Comissioner. I should have opposed the appointment if I had known about it . when I was in Parliament. I said when I was there : “Do not let the ministers teach any more, that has been tried and has not succeeded, let it be done with. Let the native reserves be given back to the Government and be put in charge of elected committees.” It is a very long time since education has been in the hands of the missionaries, and they have made nothing of it. That boy of yours (to Mr Locke) who is making so much money, it was you that taught him English, not the missionaries. If the Government give over the charge of education to the natives then it will be the natives alone who will be to blame if anything goes wrong. The Government seem to have taken up this idea of starting these schools as if it were there own, but it was not. It came from us. That is all I have to say, let any one look into it and see whether it is right or wrong. As for the “ grub” that’s very little. Don’t mention that.