NATIVE CHIEFS AT AUCKLAND.

Colonist, Volume III, Issue 289, 27 July 1860, Page 3

NATIVE CHIEFS AT AUCKLAND.

Politically weatherwise people long ago predicted great improvement in our outlook. But their hopeful prediction has been falsified by facts. The cloud that appeared " no bigger than a man's hand " when Governor Brown said, or seemed to say—"l am: tired of native insolence, and will put down native rebellion at point of bayonet," is now rather alarmingly large. Had his Excellency stuck to his text had he carried on the war as if he meant to win; had he announced that all expenses of the war should be paid by native rebels themselves in land, or purse, or person, our political weather would by this time have been calmly bracing, and delightful. But Governor Browne while ready to wound was yet afraid to strike the gentlemen savages from whom he had received so many insults, and for whom he had made so many sacrifices. Blunder followed blunder, disaster followed disaster, disgrace followed disgrace. Then did real character of his Excellency shine out in all its shameful glory. Having botched entire business he resolved upon retreat " with all convenient 6peed, according to the rules of terror." Foiled in half-hearted attempts to put down rebellion by force, he resolved to make pleasant end of it by stratagem. Poor, mad old Lear having resolved to steal upon and kill his sons-in-law hie upon the delicate stratagem "of shoeing a troop of horses with felt. But stratagem more notable, if less delicately ingenious than that, is our Governor's put down rebellion stratagem. Not by shoeing a troop of horse , with felt, and noiselessly charging the rebels when they least expect him, does he hope to vanquish their antagonism, but by comfortable Jcorero with native chiefs who will condescend to oblige the government by ample discussion of either government pork or government politics. It must, however, be confessed that this stratagem may not succeed. Conference was announced for 3rd. instant, but native chiefs were "backward in coming forward " to partake of government hospitality and help our political lame dog over the style. Yesterday a meeting of Maori Chiefs was held in the Church at Kohemarama, his Excellency arrived in the barge of H.M.S. Iris, accompanied by his Honor Chief Justice Arney, his Honor Superintendent Williamson, Messrs. Whitaker, Stafford, Richmond, and Stewart, Major Stack, Colonel Sillery and. others. Proceedings were opened by his Excellency who read the following Address:— The following is the address of his Excellency the Governor to the Maori Chiefs assembled at Waitemata on the 10th of July, 1860. My Friends,—Chiefs of New Zealand. 1. I have invited you to meet me on the present occasion that we may have an opportunity of discussing various matters connected with the welfare and advancement of the two races dwelling in New Zealand. 2. I take advantage of it also to repeat to you and, through you, to the whole Ma^ri people, the assurance of good will on the part of our gracious Sovereign which have been given by each succeeding Governor from Governor Hobson to myself, 3. On assuming the Sovereignty of New Zealand her Majesty extended to her Maori subjects her royal protection, engaging to defend New Zealand and the Maori people from all aggressions by any foreign power, and imparting to them all the rights and privileges of British subjects; and she confirmed and guaranteed to the Chiefs and Tribes of New Zealand, and to the respective families and individuals thereof, the full, exclusive and undisturbed possession of their lands and estates, forests, fisheries and other properties which they may collectively or individually possess, so longas it is their wish to retain the same in their possession. 4. In return for these advantages the Chiefs who signed the treaty of Waitangi ceded for themselves and their people to her Majesty the Queen of England absolutely and without reservation all the rights and powers of sovereignty which they collectively or individually possessed or might be supposed to exercise or possessl 5. Her Majesty has instructed the Governor who preceded me, and she will instruct those who come after me, to maintain the stipulations of this Treaty inviolate, and to watch over the interests and promote the advancement of her subjects without distinction of race. 6. Having renewed these assurances in the name of our gracious sovereign I now ask you to confer with me frankly and without reserve. If you have grievances, make them known to me, and, if they are real, I will try to redress them. Her Majesty's; wish is that all her subjects should be happy, prosperous and contented. If, therefore, youcan make any suggestions for the better protection of property, the punishment of offenders, the settlement of disputes or the preservation of peace, I shall gladly hear them and will give them the most favorable consideration. 7. The minds of both races have lately been agitated by false rsports or exaggerated statements, and, in order to restore confidence, it is necessary that each should know and thoroughly understand what the other wishes and intends. 8. There is also a subject to which I desire to invite your special attention, and in reference to which I wish to receive the expression of your views. For some time past certain persons belonging to the tribes dwelling to the south of Auckland have been endeavoring to mature a project, which, if carried into effect, could, only bring evil upon the heads of all concerned in it. The framers of it are said to desire that the Maori tribes in New Zealand should combine together and throw off their allegiance to the Sovereign whose protection, they have enjoyed ior more than 20 years* and that they should set up a Maori

king and declare themselves to be an independent nation. Such ideas could only be entertained by ■men completely ignorant ol the evils they would bring upon the whole Native Race if carried into effect. ~ 9. While the promoters of this scheme confined themselves to mere talking, I did not think it necessary to notice their proceedings, believing that, if allowed time tc consider, they would abandon so futile and dangerous an undertaking. This expectation has not been fulfilled. At a recenl meeting at Waikato some of the learned men proposed that Wiremu Kingi, who is in arms against the Queen's authortty, should be supported by reinforcements from the tribes who acknowledge the Maori king, and armed parties from Waikato and Kawhia actually went to Taranaki for this purpose. These men also desire to assume an authority over other New Zealand tribes in their relations with the Government, and contemplate the forcible subjection of those tribes who refuse to recognise their rity--10. Under these circumstances I wish tc know your views and opinions distinctly, in order that, I may give correct information to our sovereign. 11. It is unnecessary for me to remind you that her Majesty's engagements to hei Native subjects in New Zealand have been faithfully observed. No foreign enemy has visited your shores. Your lands have remained in your possession, or have been bought by the Government at your own desire. Your poople have availed themselves of their privileges as British subjects, seeking and obtaining in the Courts of Law that protection and redress which they afforded to all her Majesty's subjects. Bui it is right you should know and understand that in return for these advantages you must prove yourselves to be loyal and faithful subjects, and that the establishment of a Maori King would be an act ol disobedience and defiance to her Majesty which cannot be tolerated. It is necessary for the preservation of peace in every country that the inhabitants should acknowledge one Head. 12. I may frankly tell you that New Zealand is the only Colony where the aborigines have been treated with unvarying kindness. It is the only Colony where they have been invited to unite with the Colonists and to become one people under one law. In other colonies the people ol the land have remained separate and distinct, from which many evil consequences have ensued. Quarrels have arisen, blood has been shed, and finally the aboriginal people of the country have been driven away or destroyed. Wise and good men in England considered that such treatment of aborigines was unjust and contrary to the principles of Christianity. They brought this subject before the British Parliament, and the Queen's Ministers advised a change of policy towards the aborigines of all English Colonies. New Zealand is the first country colonized on this new and humane system. It will be the wisdom of the Maori people to avail themselves.-df this generous policy, and thus save their race from evils which have befallen others less favored. It is your adoption by her Majesty as her subjects which makes it impossible that the Maori people should be unjustly dispossessed of their lands or property. Every Maori is a member of the British nation; he is protected by the same law as his English fellow subject; and it is because you are regarded by the Queen as a part of her own special people that you have heard from the lips of each successive Governor the same words of peace and goodwill. It is therefore the height of folly for the New Zealand tribes to ailow themselves to be seduced into the commission of any act which, by violating their allegiance to the Queen, Mould render them liable to forfeit the rights and privileges which their position as British subjects confers upon them, and which must necessarily entail upon them evils ending only in their ruin as a race. 13. It is a matter of solicitude to her Majesty, as well as to many of your friends in England and in this country, that you should be preserved as a people. No unfriendly feeling should be allowed to grow grow up between the two races. Youi children will live in the country when you are gone, and when the Europeans are numerous. For your sakes I calJ upon you as fathers and as chiefs of their tribes tc take care that nothing be done which inaj -engender animosities the consequence o; which may injure your posterity. I fee that the difference of language forms £ great barrier between the Europeans anc the Maories. Through not understanding each other there are frequent misapprehensions of what is said or intended. This v also one of the chief obstacles in the way of your participation in our English Councils, and in the'consideration of laws for youi guidance. To remedy this the various missionary bodies, assisted by the Government, have used every exertion to teact ybur children English, in order that they ! may speak the same language as the European inhabitants of the colony. 14. J believe it is only needful that these ' matters should be well understood to ensure a continuance of peace and friendly feeling between the two races of her Majesty's subjects; and it is for this reason, and in c firm hope that mutual explanatons will remove all doubt and distrust on both sides, that I have invited you to meet me now. 15. I shall not seek to prove, what yoi will all be ready to admit, that the treatment you have received from the Government, since its establishment in these islands down to the present hour, has been invariably marked by kindness. I will noi count the hospitals founded for the benefi of your sick; the schools provided for the education of your children; the encouragement and assistance given you to possess yourselves of vessels, to cultivate wheat, tc build mills, and to adopt the civilisec habits of jour white brethern. I will noi

• enumerate the proofs which have been i. given you that your interests and well-be-F ing have been cared for, lest you should i think that I am ungenerously recalling past favors. All will admit that not only i have your ears listened to the words of i kindness, but that your eyes have seen atid • your hands have handled its substantial > manifestations. 1 16. I will not now detain you by alludr • ing to other matters of great importance, t but will communicate with you from time [ to time and call your attention to them bei fore you separate. Let me, however, remind , you that though the Qeen is able, without s any assistance from you, to protect the i Maoris from all foreign enemies, she canl not without their help protect the Maoris s from themselves. It is therefore the duty 5 of all who would regret to see their race 5 relapse into barbarism, and who desire to I live in peace and prosperity, to take heed ) that the counsels of the foolish do not pre- ■ Vail, and that the whole country be not thrown into anarchy and confusion by the ) folly of a few misguided men. i Finally,—l niust congratulate you on l the vast progress in civilization which your people have made under the protection ofI the Queen. Cannibalism has been ex--1 changed for Christianity; Slavery has been i abolished; War has become more rare; s Prisoneis taken in war are not sla?n ; Euro- • pean habits are gradually replacing those i o\' our ancestors of which all Christians are i necessarily ashamed. The old have reason • to be thankful that their sunset is brighter , than their dawn, and the young may be ' grateful that their life did not begin until - the darkness of the heathen night had been t dispelled by that light which is the glory of I all civilised nations. i Earnestly praying that God may grant His I blessing on your deliberations and guide you • in the right, I leave you to the free discussion F of the supjects I have indicated, and of ' any others you may think likely to promote ' the welfare of your race. THOMAS GORE BROWNE, Governor. After a Maori version of this Address ' had been read by Commissioner Me Lean; ; Chiefs Kawana Paipai, and Mite Kingi ■ laid two mats and a hane before his Excel- ' lency who was graciously pleased to accept s them. All parties then went to an adjoin--1 ing building where one hundred and ten F Maori Chiefs solemnly presented to his Ex- ■ cellency some odd shaped foolscap cards, ! each with the name of the giver inscribed 1 thereon. An East Cape Chief favored i his Excellency with a bone tomakawk. i These ceremonies gone through selon Us t regies of Maori lite. Natives and Euro- ; pean reassembled in the church to discuss 1 what his Excellency had said.— 'Auckland ' Examiner.