THE MYSTERIOUS NATIVE DEPARTMENT.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1186, 4 February 1880, Page 2

THE MYSTERIOUS NATIVE DEPARTMENT.

How long will the dark and mysterious Native Department constitute a branch of the Government of New Zealand? is a question that has often been asked, but never satisfactorily answered. Gf all the numerous departments of which the Government is composed, and which a too-confiding people are called upon 'to • support, this is decidedly the most costly. Moreover, its utility is apparently intended to fbe proportioned diametrically opposite to the amount annually voted to keep it in existence. At a remote period of New Zealand's history—that is, in the days of the first settlement—when the wily natives wfere suspicious of the newcomers' motives, it was, we frankly admit, essential to the well-being of the Colony toiorganise a peculiar way- of , dealing .with the owners of-the soil,-who, on the least shadow of provocation, assumed an attitude' hostile to : us ; but in' these modern times,, when the "Maoris are thoroughly conversant with our laws', it is useless, and has become ous; ; ■ - : i So far, indeed, from conferring any benefit on the Colony,; the Native Department has proyed .a'n almost unmitigated evil- and a stumbling-block to ,shrew:d poli-' ticians : .in; dealing with the aboriginal tribes, for no Booner is carried ini?Parliament than peculiar , provisions have to be made to suit the minds.of some ilo'tbrious : -scoundrels, who are constantly studying the wea,k points of the Governmehtj and; doing their utmost; to oppose peaceful settlement. ; v'f ! The unfakness "by this vile occupied thethoughts of and it it is allowed ta_ exist, despite the almost l universal .antipathydin ? which; it : is held;■ Its existence generates dissatisfaction be--tween.ithe:Earopeans: andtthe. natives, for the 'j?eUidißposedTa,re! beinjkyear by year drawn f jtheir allegiance to ihe' Crowiia" |ur^utent~"secfeon, who kra : never satisfied. ' They regard the department, and rightly so, as an asylum for a

host of educated pakeha paupers, who, unfit for any really useful position, sneak in there through influence —not ability—and keep their engle eyes open for profitable private speculation in Maori lands. The wondrous operations of the department have done more to hinder settlement than all the rebellious Maoris put together, and have proved a most effectual barrior to the friendly union of the two races. In the old mission days, before tho advent of the Native Office, civilisation made rapid strides. To immorality, drunkenness, theft, and other vices, as they are known to Europeans, they were total strangers. All who absented themselves from the sanctuary on Sunday wore regarded as depraved in tho extreme. In those days, too, they would have dono any kindness for Europeans, without recompense. This is a picture of native character over 20 years ago. Missionary restraint gradually gave way to other influences, and instead of applying to their reverend counsellors for advice, as of old, the Honorablo tho Native Minister became the man, and the Native Office the place, to which all matters of importance were to be referred. As Paul and the missionaries planted, not as Apollos, the Native Office waters; and the devil is granting the increase. Under the paternal care of the department immorality is common, drunkenness, too, is rife, and is on the increase, and in short, every vice conceivable) by the comprehensive.mind of man is fast taking possession of the native character. What, then, has this " indispensable" office achieved 1 It found the Maori papulation peaceful and well-disposed, freer from vice than any other race under heaven, and in a few short years it has brought them to a state of rebellion, and has so far plunged them into vice, that the older natives, who are more conservative, and who havo not caught the contagion, are utterly ashamed of their own offsprings. Under the vile influence of the Nativo Office civilisation is going backwards. Every year of its existence brings proof of the increase of crime. But the vicious department—the dregs of society—cares nought for that. It is fostered for the selfish purpose of land-jobbing on behalf of Ministers, through the instrumentality of their impecunious relations, who in their turn feather their nests, and become Ministers too. These are ever ready to magnify the native position, and to persuade both Europeans and Maoris that there exists a difficulty insurmountablo except through the Native Minister —-tho great Maori doctor. It is high time that the laws of tho land were dispensed with an impartial hand to both races and all classes alike, but wo cannot hope to arrive at this exceedingly desirable state, while such a useless and ruinous adjunct to our Government remains. It is the depot to which run all evil-doers with their untruthful stories and imaginary grievances ; the den, too, wherein all manner of infamy is recorded and hidden from the public ; and, also, a Licensing Court whence the natives obtain common permission to buy, sell, hawk, and swallow intoxicating drink to their hearts' content. Through the mysterious channels of tho Native Office Winiata, the murderer, escaped to the Waikato, and along tho same dark lanes Tawhaio is permitted to communicate his fiendish viewß to tho Government. By a practical decree of the Government, that old savage -is allowed to call himself King of part of tho British Empire, and to shield all who choose to walk through the laws of tho country. From the Native Office also emanated strict injunctions not to interfere with the band of fanatics who took possession of the Omarama run, and from . the same source was issued a puerile promise that for their " good behaviour" they would be handsomely rewarded out of the public treasury, the effect of which will probably be a repetition of tlio offence. These are some of the effectß of the trammels of the Native Department. And bad as all these things undoubtedly are, wemayheregiveanotherinstanceof the miscarriage of justice through this channel of corruption. It will be remembered that, a few weeks ago, one of our dusky neighbors obtained for himself an effectual separation from the partner of his joys and sorrows by reducing her devoted head to pulp by means of a club. The samo crime perpetrated by a European would have entailed trial by jury and inevitable hanging by the neck. But in this caso what was done? ETow was outraged society satisfied ? Government issued a mandate that an inquest should be held, and full particulars elicited, but afterwards they deemed it better to withdraw the order, having become convinced that a deviation from the usual course would be necessary, because the brutal husband was a protege of the Native Department. Thus a higher premium than ever is put upon the diabolical crime of murder. These are but a few instances of tho evil effects of the department. There are others as glaring, and more so, and until the Native Office, with all its inscrutablo mysteries, is swept out of existence, and its army of unprincipled officers sent away into the oblivion whence they sprung, life, limb, and property will ever be unsafe in thoso parts of the North where the two races are brought more or less into contact with each other. An endeavor is, of course, made at head-quarters to hush up all acts of violence, and to show that the victims of outrage are exclusively Maories. But be they Europeans or Maoris, the crimeß of murder and assault are the same, and every man's life and property must be protected. It is easy, however, to rebut these monstrous assertions, for the experience of years has taught us that they were utterly false. Was M'Lean a Maori 1 Was Packer a Maori ? No : they were Europeans ; and many more of our race have been cruelly massacred by rebel natives, and the murderers sheltered by the department. It is true that for Winiata and Hiroki rowards were offered, and that detachments of navvysoldiers were posted here and there ; but all this was most certainly done as a sham and a delusion, rather to facilitate escapo from the exasperated relatives of tho victims than to effect capture ; whoroas had the murderers belonged to tho Caucasian race, they had long ere now expiated their crimes on the gallows. ANTI-Villany.