The Patea Mail. Published Wednesdays and Saturdays SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 1876.

Patea Mail, Volume I, Issue 85, 5 February 1876, Page 2

The Patea Mail. Published Wednesdays and Saturdays SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 1876.

How long New Zealand is to palter and put up witii Maori prejudice and humbug has yet to be seen, and to what lengths tlie flour and sugar policy 7 of tlie Native department will carry them cannot bo guessed by ordinary human understanding. A case lias arisen lately at Whenuaknra, that will illustrate how Government representatives are ready to bow down to the Native fetish, and conciliate at any sacrifice of self-respect, tho Maori mind. Some five or six years ago a Ferry reserve of 36 acres was taken up, and duly proclaimed at Whenuaknra. At that time access to a ford or ferry was absolutely needed, the present bridge not being erected. After the reserve had been proclaimed, Mr Bayntou applied for, and obtained a lease of the land, and having done so, at mu- 1 erected a substantial hotel and stables. li-ii;; 1 -, Ye., at considerable cost. d; ;i -n ling, as might naturally Be supposed. i n (In- 1 -use not Being dislnißed. I'nfortunnlely, however, it seems that a small p<irtinii of the gmnml, a few foot in tact, lias Been the Burial ground of some departed .Maoris, ami, reasonably enough, (heir local survivors object to anything that, could be construed into tlie desecration of tlie dead. In this feeling we are sure that every 7 rightminded white man will join, but, at the same tine*, there is a great difference between respecting the. feelings of a p-’ople, ami being ridiculous in recognition. Tin* spot in which the-Maoris are Buried comprises, as we have already said, a very 7 small space, But their descendants now demand restoration of ;lie whole of tlie lease, the entire 36 acres, in order to give their ancestors mom fur eternal repose, and to nii’ord space fur thos** who follow them to Be similarly 7 iB-po-ired. When .Major Brow:!. (Be n-.-w N.-oiv* Commissioner, was here last a requ.-st to this effect, was preferred to aim, and. strang; iy 7 enough, Be promised to recommend the revocation of the lease in order to form a huge Maori cemetery. When it is Bone.* in mind tha* there are not above a f-w score Maor’s in - he locality it w li B- >■*, n how absurd A would. Be to gw tli m s--i:• aero apece as Burial ground un-i r any circumstances. But -.via n it is ii tB .-r r; numbered that this v.-ry ground was surveyed By the Gov rn.o-nt v ;rs ago, was duiv leased. at tin- i s c .am ■•xpend u a wry i ■ or ■; .a' m e y in i.np-ov •meats .;„)•»■(. mig.hd to, n lying mi the good

faith of tri■ * • Be;. ;ann -n ; , Major iV.-o-.vuM j feeuintneiKia'inn is pen'-s-llv muii'deons, 1 aml we s'.ami ! think will n-v -r B - regarilei.L i'ur a moment. if it be, tin n mifid.-Bye to a!i st 1 atfity on tie* part «»i those. wlm hold BaUV- of reserved Bmd ,iic; t lie Government. During the whole i.ec;n u: B miry. Mie At. oris }mv> B*o n i:nis| offensive ami tinvat •tint/, and on account of Ha ir mound of dead, have ! H'e \ *li tei I tile ppSelll, occupier from Uc~ inistnring s;oek on ot ll• 1 r parts ot llnreserve. TB-'t their feelinys slum id lie re-peel d is But rtyhl and prop--r. Bid w' ■/ not- apportion (ei - a eerlain area. ineßniiny the piaee where the dead lie, as a Maori eeineterv, and thus do no tujnslieil lo the oceitpier nor slioek the sensioilities of existing Aiaoris. An acre or two would sun ly Be snl'iiclent, and if this was properly feueed in a proper cemetery would In? seen red, and tin 1 riyhts of tin 1 lessee would Be But triilim.ly inlerfered witii. Tlie idea of allottinir dd aeres for sueh a. ]mrpose is out of all reason, and could only have Been entertained By a newly fledyvd (lonimissioner, who wishes on aeeeptiny otlire to myratiahi himself witii the Mr.oia, at the expense, and to the lo ; s of the paki ha. Aot only on the lessee's account. But on other e-rounds, it would he injudicious in the hiyhest decree on the part, of the (Government to listi'ii to Major Brown’s reeoiniii'-ndatioii. \\ J ithin tlie reserve, and quite out of the way of the defum-t, there is a most valuable waterfall that riu Be utilised for a score of parpos -s. It is sulVieieui to drive a mill, and it could Be advantaevously used for fellmouevriue-, or a do'/.en other ends. Air Wilson and other adjoining settlers, on lieai-iny thrt Major iirown had aeijniesci'd in the Maori prayer at once protested ayaiust the (loveruiu nt endorsing it, and the Xalive D■ p-artmen!, in all probability, if the protest !>e forwarded, will at once see its reasonableness. Outlie whole, (hen, there can he no possible excuse for Bandiny the land Back to tin' Maoris, whether in the yni.se of a burial yround or otherwise. Let a, fair area Be yiveii for that purpose, as much as would bt? allowed to the pakeha dead of an equal community, and by that means justice will bo dona to both races. Decency towards Maori remains will be shown, and, at the same time, wrong to tlie white lessee will be avoided. The subject has occasioned a great deal of feeling in the district, and is one that should neither bo trifled with, nor decided off hand, on the recommendation of an as yet inexperienced Commissioner. The action of tlie Government in this matter will be accepted as a precedent for the future. For the sake of Both races, and for the maintenance of confidence in the good faith of the Government of the country, it is to bo hoped that some such equitable settlement, as we have suggested, will bo come to. If the lease be revoked, as desired, a grievous wrong will be inflicted without rhyme or reason, whilst a middle course, that would meet the views of all parties, is open.