MR. DARGAVILLE AMONGST THE NATIVES.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume II, Issue 98, 22 October 1873, Page 3

MR. DARGAVILLE AMONGST THE NATIVES.

( From the Bay of Plenty Times.) On Monday, September 29, there was a large assemblage of natives on the beach for the purpose of hearing Mr. Dargaville’s opinions. Most of the principal chiefs were present, and, at the hour announced, Mr. Dargaville expressed himself willing to commence his address. The natives objected to an open air meeting, because they said that when pakehas were called together they were provided with a room to meet in. Accordingly an adjournment took place to Fraser’s Hall, which was speedily filled. Hone Makarauri was elected to the chair, and Mr. Dargaville addressed the meeting at length, Mr. F. Johnson interpreting. Mr. Dargaville said that, though a stranger in the district, he was not a stranger to the Maori people in other parts of the province, many of whom were his particular friends. He had been eight years in New Zealand, and had carefully studied Maori character and Maori requirements. The Maoris were brave in war and hospitable in piece, and strongly attached to their native soil. It was considered amongst Europeans that a brave men could not be a bad man, and consequently he had a high opinion of a people who had distinguished themselves in warfare as the Maoris had done. The Government was spending large sums of money to bring immigrants to the place, but why should not the natives become as good colonists as any that could be imported. ( Cheers.) Large tracts of fine land were, at the present moment, growing fern and nothing else, and it was never intended by the Atua that such was to continue. ( Loud and continued applause.) If people were brought to the place the lands would become valuable. It was many years ago that the Atua directed the Maori to come to New Zealand, and afterwards He directed the Europeans there, because there was room for both races. It was right that the Maoris should have the best of the land, for they were first here; and if they would deal with their lands as Europeans are doing in other places, they would be independent and their children also for generations to come. (Applause.) The making of roads and bridges should have had more attention from the Provincial Government than had been the case in past times, It had been customary to spend most of the money in and near Auckland for the friends of the persons in authority ; but he (the speaker) would stop such an unjust proceeding, and would use more of the money for roads, bridges, and ferries in the distant parts of the country. It was right that Maoris should be employed in these matters in their own districts, when they were willing to work on as favorable terms as Europeans. Mr. Dargaville spoke at some length on the subject of native schools, recommending the system of instructing Maori ■children in the English language only. These remarks were loudly applauded. If the Maori was not able to read and write English, he could not compete with Europeans, and it was the endeavour of the Government to put him on an equal footing with Europeans. If they leased their lands for long terms, their children would ultimately be rich, for they would benefit by the improvement in value of the lands so occupied. The meeting concluded with loud applause for Mr. Dargaville, and a unanimous vote of confidence.

te Maori i etehi atu wahi o te Porowini. He maha nga tangata Maori he hoa tuturu nona. Ka ki ano ia ka warn tau ia e noho ana i Niu Tireni. Tana mahi he titiro kite ahua o tenei iwi ote Maori me nga mea i tika ai ratou. Ko te Maori he iwi toa kite whawhai he iwi atawhai he iwi aroha ki to ratou whenua na ki ta te pakeha ki kite toa te tangata e hara tera tangata i te tangata kino no konei ka whakaaro nui ia ki tenei iwi kua haere nei te rongo o to ratou toa. Ko te Kawanatanga e whaka kau moni ana hei hari Heke mai engari he aha rate rite noatu ai te Maori amua akc nei hei noho i te koroni me enei tangata e haria mai nei. He nui nga whenua i tenei taima e tupungia ana e te rarauhe anakc. Na kaore i whakaritea e te Atua kia penei tonu. Mehemea kite haria mai he tangata hei noho i te whenua. Ka nui ke te pai ote whenua. He maha nga tau kua mahue ka whakaritea e te Atua kia haere mai te Maori ki Niu Tireni. Muri iho ka whakaritea ano e ia kia haere mai hoki te pakeha te take he nui noatu te whenua hei nohoanga mo nga iwi e rua. E tika ana ma nga Maori nga wahi papai o te whenua ko ratou hoki i tae tuatahi mai ki konei. Engari mehemea e rite ana ta te Maori whakahaere i o ratou whenua ki ta to pakeha he iwi Rangatira rawa ratou me a ratou Tamariki a a enei whakatupuranga e haere ake nei. Ko te mahi Rori Piriti kaore i ata whakaarotia e te Kawanatanga o te Porowini i nga ra kua mahue. Ko nga moni i pau tonu ki nga takiwa e tata ana ki Akarana mo nga hoa o ratou e whai mana ana. Engari ka whakamutua e ia (e Takawira) e nei mahi ka meatia e ia kia nui nga moni e pau mo nga Rori me nga Piriti me nga Perepoti o nga wahi mamao i Akarana. E tika ana hoki kia uru nga Maori kite mahi i enei mea i roto o ratou takiwa mehemea e pai ana ratou e rite ana o ratou whakaaro ki o te pakeha i runga ite mahi. Maha noatu nga kupu a Takawira mo runga i te mahi kura Maori kia akona nga Tamariki kite reo pakeha. No te mea kite kore te Maori e mohio kite korero pukapuka pakeha kite tuhituhi hoki e kore rawa e Maori e kaha hei hoa mo te pakeha. Na ko te mea a te Kawanatanga kia tu tahi te Maori raua ko te pakeha. Mehemea e retia ana o koutou whenua ko a koutou Tamariki amua ake nei hei tangata whairawa. Note mea kua pai nga whenua kua nui ke te utu. No konei ka mutu te huihuinga ka whakapai katoa kia Takawira.