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New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4171, 3 August 1874, Page 2

The Hon. the Native Minister has lost no time since his return to the Colony in presenting to both Houses of Parliament, at the command of His. Excellency, a further series of reports from officers employed in Native districts to administer affairs relating to the Maori race. An opinion has sometimes been expressed that the benefits derived from the large annual expenditure on Native matters has not been commensurate with the value of the money paid, but a perusal of these reports will go far towards modifying such a belief. The results obtained are, on the whole, satisfactory. Peace is maintained, the Natives are everywhere becoming more and more reconciled to an adjustment, in properly constituted law courts, of any difficulties that may arise, and they are becoming more civilised. Many of their children are being educated, and will possess greater influence in the tribes when they grow up than their fathers had. Mr. McLean, it must be admitted, deserves to be recognised as the right man in the right place. His influence is very considerable with a large number of the chiefs of the highest rank. Many of these repose the utmost confidence in his justice and good feeling towards themselves ; and, at any rate his policy towards them has the one very great merit of success. Yery probably ho may seem to us to be somewhat inclined, in a few instances, to make concessions that are unreasonably liberal towards the Natives. They, on the other hand, consider that he is occasionally harsh to them in not recognising claims that to the Maori intellect seem to be as valid and irreproachable as a certificate under the Eeal Property Act. But we must recollect the character and extent of civilisation of the people with whom he has to negotiate. Sometimes he has to be firm, and resist their pretensions as being monstrous in the extreme. At other times he must conciliate, and perhaps throw out “a sprat to catch a mackerel.” And again he must negotiate and make as satisfactory a bargain as is possible.under the circumstances. There is scarcely a doubt that, so far, he has been more fortunate in his dealings with the people than could have been anticipated at one time. All that is now required is, that the Colony should be tided over the immediate present. Twenty years hence, when the white population will probably be numbered by its millions, and the Native race but by its few thousands, when there shall be roads and railways throughout the North island, and when Europeans and Maoris shall recognise one law and educate their children by one standard, there will be no Native policy required. It is scarcely possible to read the reports of some of the most intelligent officers in the Native districts without sympathising with some of the more civilised of the Maoris in their attempts to conform to European civilisation. There is as much contrast between them, let it be remembered, when they become semicivilised, as there was before they became at all so. Some become more savage than they were, more crafty, and more malicious. Others again seem to regain a portion of that simplicity for . which the Polynesians of the Samoan Group have long been noted. Wo find that in the Maketu district there are five schools for Natives, in some of which “the improvement made by the children in the several branches of education, as well as the increased number of scholars,” is noticeable. One of these was inspected by His Excellency the Governor during his northern tour, after which he expressed his gratification at the advancement made in so short a time. At Waiapu, the Kesident Magistrate reported that “the continuance of the Ngatiporou in loyalty and peacefulness, together with a decided advancement in civilisation, and conformity to European habits, is deserving of commendation. The almost entire absence of crime shows ■a great improvement in their moral condition. The chief offences against the law continue to be horse and sheep stealing, as well as other petty thefts, the perpetrators being generally idle, good-for-nothing young men, who are too lazy to work for their living. Several of these offenders have been sent to gaol at various times, but it does not appear to do them much good ; in fact, some of them have rather relished their gaol life. I have suggested to the Assessors that a more satisfactory way of making an example of these characters would be to sentence them to stated periods of labor upon the roads, which I consider would, by exhibiting them as culprits _ before their own people, be a greater disgrace, and prove a more effective means of withholding them from a repetition of their offence.” In the few schools established, “ the pupils, who are numerous, are progressing very favorably, and in some branches show much aptitude. The teachers are zealous in the discharge of their, in some respects, rather onerous duties.” The Magistrate thought that very great good was being effected by the circulation of the Waka Maori newspaper, which was always eagerly looked for, and was a means of instruction and information., The Magistrate at Gisborne was able to report that the Natives, “although formerly averse to having their lands dealt with by the Native Land Court, appear now anxious to avail themselves of it, with the expectation that it will put an end to the unsatisfactory state of affairs that has so long existed. This anxiety for a sitting of the Court is increased and upheld by the number of applications from Europeans to lease lands in this district, thus holding out to the Natives a prospect of a good income from rents.” “I cannot,” says the Magistrate, “speak too highly of the manner in which the Natives submit to the operation of the European laws,

some of which must appear to them strange, if not .incomprehensible. In their disputes amongst themselves they invariably prefer submitting, their differences to the Court rather than to their runangas.” The rather qualifying admission to all these signs of improvement follows :—“As there has not been any large and sudden expenditure of Government mdney latterly, drunkenness has not been so prevalent ; but I fear their sobriety consists in their inability to get drunk for want of the means.” At the close of last year Major Mair wrote of the Natives of the Upper Waikato : —“lt is evident that Tawhiao’s wish at present is to keep his people quiet; and unless provocation is offered, I do not see that we need anticipate any immediate Native trouble. Indeed I have felt repeatedly, during the past four or five months, that a great deal more was being said or written about the probability of a collision between the two races than the circumstances warranted. An isolated outrage cannot very well be either foreseen or guarded against, but I do not look upon such an event as an index of the feelings of the King party generally.” All this is, we submit, very satisfactory evidence of the peace and progress prevailing in Native districts, and it is conclusive testimony to the correctness of the policy of the Native Minister. No aboriginal race could be managed better in respect to its present comfort and future prosperity than the Maoris of this day. Isolated outrages may take place, as indeed these do amongst drunken white savages ; but they must be treated as outbreaks of individual folly or rascality rather than results of tribal policy. We require to throw memory back but a very few years to understand that the present state of things is infinitely preferable to the past. The people are evidently in a transition stage. Their feasts and great talking meetings are not of political importance, but are simply social gatherings for the consumption of food in very large quantities, and liquor, if it be obtainable. There is a little talk about divided claims to land, to the money received for this, to the general rights of Maoris, and to the propriety of selling or' leasing territory, but no fixed policy results. Chiefs talk, and every man when he leaves does with his own what is right in his own eyes. A murderer of a pakeha is about as happy amongst his own people as a man in London would be who knows that he is wanted by the detectives. Of Purukutu, it is said that “ he is in constant dread that some one, tempted by the hope of reward, will take his life; and that he is always armed.” An approximate census that has been compiled shows that the Natives of the Middle Island are rapidly diminishing. They are estimated to number, including those on Stewart’s Island, and 797 half-castes, 2600. Of their progress, Mr. A. Mackay, reported : “They do not appear to have improved in either industry or their mode of living, and their cultivations are still on the same limited scale. In the early days of the Colony, when they found a ready market for. their produce, they were stimulated to greater attention to agricultural pursuits ; but now, owing to their incapacity to compete with the European settlers in the production of grain and potatoes, they have drifted \ into indolent habits, and in many instances prefer letting their land, though the rental received forms but a trifle of what they might obtain by cultivating it themselves.” Their decrease is accounted for by the sterility of the females when married to Maoris, and by the mortality amongst children from improper food or clothing, and the insufficient care taken of them. In the North Island, where they grow wheat and other grain to a large extent, and are yearly becoming more civilized, they are estimated to number 43,408, inclusive of half-castes.