THE STANDARD. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 14, 1872.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume 1, Issue 11, 14 December 1872, Page 2

THE STANDARD.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 14, 1872.

“ We shall sell to no man justice or right: We shall deny to no man justice or right : We shall defer to no man justice or right.”

Mr. Fox, recently, in the House of Representatives. tn supporting the second reading of the Maori Representation Bill, brought the attention of the House to a clause in the Act as passed originally, and which is retained in the present Bill, providing for the election of Maori members to the Provincial Councils of the Colony. AVe were aware of the existence of this clause, but as it had become practically a dead letter, none of the Provincial Governments having brought it into operation, it has passed from public view, and so failed to be a boon to those for whose special benefit it was framed. Mr. Fox expressed his surprise thereat; and Mr. Fitzherbert, who is not generally to be blamed for forgetfulness, confessed that “he was not aware of the existence of such a clause,” and “ he was very glad attention had been drawn to it.” So are we; and now that the subject has been revived under such encouraging circumstances, and by such high authority, we deem it our duty to give it all the local prominence in our power. The Clause runs thus : —-

"It shall be lawful for the Superintendent and Provincial Council of any Province, by any Act or Ordinance to be passed in that behalf, to provide that one or more members of such Provincial Council shall be elected by the inhabitants of such Province who by virtue of this Act shall have become entitled to vote for a member of the House of Representatives, and for such purpose to constitute such Maori electoral districts within such Province as the Superintendent and Provincial Council thereof shall think fit.”

Now if we glance for one moment at the successful results of Maori representation in the Colonial Parliament, we cannot but join in expressions of wonder that with all our desire to benefit the Native race, and? to give them privileges equal to our own, we should have overlooked some of the most potent means at our command to achieve that object. If we review the conduct of the Native Representatives who at present have seats in the House, and carefully note the increasing interest they take in political matters, and the general aptitude they display in dealing with forms, which must, in the nature of Things, be very complicated, we cannot

but feel astonished that the principle of Native representation had not been established first of all by the lower branches of Legislature. The Act which was passed four years ago was a tentative measure only. It had, it is true, many warm supporters ; but there were many who gave their assent to what they considered to be, at least, doubtful, knowing that no harm could ensue, while (as now), there was an open hostility shown by others. The best possible evidence of its satisfactory working lies in the fact that the crucial test of experience demands its continuance on the Statute book of the Colony. Whether it would have been wise to close the book against Native representation is quite beside the present question ; we have the positive assurance, traceable, a priori, that the most beneficial results have accrued from the limited operation of the law as it now stands, and they form the proper basis of argument in favor of its continuance.

In a district like Poverty Bay the questions which affect the Maoris are numerous. Day by day, laws, General and Provincial, are being brought into operation which they know nothing of—they cannot understand, and they have no one to teach them in. They contribute to our revenue, but know nothing of the necessities which create it —they are liable for road assessments, dog taxes, poundage, wharf dues, and ferryage, but are ignorant of the incidences of taxation; they are amenable to all social laws which regulate communities, but do not understand anything t)f the moral elevation of them ; they pay their quota, precisely the same as Europeans do, in the shape of indirect taxes, towards the debt burdens of the Colony, with but a small voice in their regulation —in short the whole sum of their knowledge, from the inchoation of laws affecting them to the present time, is less complete than is desirable to conduce to their progress in the science of self-government.

Mr. Sheehan,the member for J’odney, warmly advocated an extension of Native representation in the House of Representatives, and we shall be glad to hear that he has initiated a measure in the Provincial Council, now in session, which will give Maoris a right of election to that body, as it would seem that the present is a convenient season in which to discuss this question, and to press it upon the attention of the Government. By their desire to attain to a better knowledge of our affairs, the Natives have displayed a capacity which gives promise of greater things. We have taught them to resist us successfully up to a certain point, but still withhold one of the privileges which would induce them to yield to moral force, and calmly consider measures of equal interest to both races. Freedom is their birthright; but there can be no real freedom without liberty. A liberty bestowed piecemeal and grudgingly, is not liberty at all; and it is certain that if we wish to secure the pacification of this country, it must be founded on an enlightened freedom, —a full and free emancipation of the Natives from the ignorance which still fetters them.