THE EARLY MAORI MISSION IN OTAGO.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 12482, 13 October 1902, Page 5

THE EARLY MAORI MISSION IN OTAGO.

TO THE KDITOB. Sir,—The recent discussion on the above subject led me to examine a great number of early works on New Zealand. In about 30 works I found lights and side-lights on the mission question, and it has been, thought desirable to preserve my results by printing them in a pamphlet for future easy reference. Should any of the publio desire copies they can be procured at the Bible Depot.

I show that the Anglican and the Wesleyan Missions worked together in the North Island in great harmony until the advent, of High_ Churchism. Then begun bigotry and strife and ruthless intrusion upon the Wesleyan sphere—Mr Hadfiekl going to Otaki, to which place Mr Watkin had been appointed. I quote contemporary writers on the awful division which followed among the Wesleyan Natives. , It was a pitiable time, and the facts need only to be stated for the blame to be apportioned. Meantime, early in 18+0, the Wesleyans occupied Cloudy Bay and Waikouaiti. There missions stretched out their bands to meet each other. By personal visits, by being visited by large parties of Natives, and by sending out Native teachers the whole island was being steadily leavened. I take the Government lists of the principal men in all the considerable kaiks in Otago and Southland, and vshow that these were nearly, all Wesleyans, and many of them teachers.' I show from various Anglican authorities that their Native agents were deapa/fcched in 184-3. This agrees with Watkin's. journal and letters, which say that Martin reached Waikouaiti in January, 1843, and Tamilian a in July of that year. Watkin says they didl him all the harm they could, and preached "The Church" up and the Wesleyans down. The Protector of the Native® (Shorfcland) happened to be in Otago ait the time, and he reported that the newcomers " gave themselves to proselytising with more of the Native than the Christian spirit," and that he thinks that missionaries, of different crceds should not be sent to the same tribe. I was certain all along that the Wairau massacre (June 17, 184-3) would compel TamihanA and Martin to go home as soon as they heard of it, and I have been fortunate enough to find a writer who was at Otaki at the time and whq reports Tamiiiana as returning from a " trip " after the massacre. He could not have been from home more than seven or eight months. I show that "the growth of the Tamihana legend was due to the exigencies' of the missionary platform. In the earliest account he is away a year, in. a later account 14 months, in a third two years I In the earlier accounts there is not a hint of his being in any danger, but in later versions he is in momentary peril for two years, while he converts the whole population of the island! The plentiful lack of knowledge with which Anglicans presume to write history is as amusing as it is amazing. They appear to bo unconscious of any work but their own. This may be on the laudable principle of Bishop Selwyn]s biographer. " He (the Bishop) could not regard the fact of a Dissenting teacher (Watkin) residing in a district as proof that the district was under Christian teaching." Bishop Williams. in his " Christianity Among the Maoris." places Tamihana's visit in 184-8, but still thinks he was in time to be a pioneer. Bishop Nevill told ug how Mr Wohlers met Tuhawaiki at Lyttelton, and was welcomed to Ruapuke. He did not happen to mention that he was welcomed b.-icause he had an introduction from " a Wesleyan minister, well known in tho south." ''The same investigator informed us that when Mr Wohlers spoke of the spiritual earthquake that had reached the south he referred to the effects of the " Church missions in the. north." Mr Wohlers did not happen to mention the Church, and was by no means in love with it; but faith is the evidence of things not seen. Attain we were told by the same collector of matter for future history tha-t Bishop SeUvyn met Tuhawaiki .at Lyttelton, and sailed with him to Otakou Heads. Now, his stalwart lordship walked from Akaroa to Waikouaiti, where he found Tuhawaiki, who, with his people, had a weakness for visiting Watkin. This chief was a great trader, and I believe he was at Waikouaiti every few weeks. So much for our historians. I am able to show that tho reports to Government give great credit to the Wesleyan and the German missions in the south, but know nothing of an Anglican mission there. In plain English, there never was one worthy,, of the name.—l am, etc., P. W. Fairclough. THE GBNERAt~ELECTION. TO THE EDITOB. Sip.,—Seeing that Messrs Arnold, Chisholm, and Millar have been selected as Liberal Federation candidates, I am anxious to know if they liaive given their consemfc to the platform of that body on the licensing question. I understand their platform is: Nine years' tenure of license (instead of three years, as at present), 11 o'clock closing compulsory, (instead of optional whether 10 or 11 o'clock), and other astounding proposals. I am not surprised at Mr J. A. Millar agreeing to this, but if Messrs R. Chisholm and J. F. Arnold have don« so, then I say beware, beware. What Ehmedin wants at the present time is good, righteous men who will be fijee from party or association liindrances, and it is a great pity we did not have some mow candidates coming forward like Mr H. D. Bedford, who would, as a representative, be a decided improvement on present members.—l am, etc., Inquires. ..............