The Daily News WEDNESDAY, JULY 22. A GREAT HISTORICAL EVENT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 181, 22 July 1908, Page 2

The Daily News WEDNESDAY, JULY 22. A GREAT HISTORICAL EVENT.

The Maori Congress now being held in Wellington is in the nature of a great historical event, although outside the circle of those who are taking part in it there are probably very tew who so regard it. In times past there have been large assemblies of representatives of Maori tribes, notably that which took place ut liotorua upon the occasion of th« visit of the Duke and Duchess of York, but their objects and their character were widely different from the Congress in Wellington. From what can be gathered, the promoters of the Congress seem to have had several objects in view. The first is to preserve the history —so far as is its yet known—the sentiment, and the individuality of the, Maori people. It i s with this" view that j a series of entertainments, highly intev-; eating and instructive, are being given by what is tailed "The Voting Alaoii Party," in which hakas and games, songs and dances, and tableaux illustrative of Maori life in the olden time are being rendered. The second is to define the industrial pursuits best suited to the nature of the Maori, and. although not distinctly slated, assert for him a higher social position than that allowed at the present time.

Even amongst Europeans, as every one knows, people, through circumstances over which they have been unable to I exercise control, drift into professions and trades to which by nature they were entirely unsuited. The nature of the Maori'being distinct and much more general, it may be judicious to allocate certain lines oi' industry in which in the future he should endeavor to walk. This, at all events for a time, as a step-ping-stone to wider developments. Every . man's social standing, in very large niea-"' sure, depends upon himself. There be some who force themselves into positions, but if, through deficiency in education or vulgarity in manners they are found unworthy, they are very quickly "dropped." Thirty years ago, no doubt through feelings engendered by the memory of their comparatively recent strife, the sentiments entertained towards the Maori were very different from what they are to-day; added to which, it may be said the Maori has changed. He' has become more EuroIK'.mised. It is easy to understand that in the United States, where those of the negro race were once all slaves, regarded as little more than beasts of the field,' the pride of caste should prevail; but English people of modern days have had no painful experiences of slavery in their midst, and arc almost wholly free from prejudices in regard to "color." If in these, colonics strong objections are urged against the Chinese and the Japanese, it is because of much weightier reasons than, that they are yellow. On the whole, to-day the Maori is respected iptite as much'as he deserves to be, ami in the future, for him to be respected still more, depends entirely upon himself. One of the objects of the Congress is to seek to advance him in that regard.

The third object of the Congress is stated to be "lo demonstrate, to tin* people of New Zealand what the Stale had done and was doing for the Maori race." This work may, no doubt, prove instructive, but from* a practical point of view it is questionable whether it will help the-Maori much. The fourth object, "to assist in unifying the race bv defining and promulgating a race policy of progress," displays more fully the desire to maintain the individuality —the exclttsiveness—of the race. Whilst avowedlv striving for social equality, it is evidently sought by the Congress to keep the Maori" people "united as a race." In the nature of tilings this can scarcely be. It is not the policy of this country to have two markedly distinct races in New Zealand; and if it were, in tlte evolution of time the forces of nature would assuredly prove too strong. Out of one million souls the Mauri people number some forty thousand: in a comparatively few years there will he millions of' Europeans in this Dominion. It is the inevitable fate of the Maori to lose himself in absorption. The wisest course is to look that absorption iuthe face and prepare himself for it. This is the great point—the crux of the who'.e position—the Congress has to master, and apparently it is not recognised. Indeed, from the fourth article, quoted above, it would appear that the design of the Congress is to travel in an opposite direction.

To the fifth and sixth articles of the Congress general approval may be cordially extended: "To exert a healthy educational and stimulating influence among the Maoris generally: to all'ord the race an opportunity that- it hail never vet enjoyed of making widely known, -through its accredited and enlightened representatives, its views, its needs, and its grievances." The general disposition of leading Maoris to-day. especially in Taranaki. is to assume ih» role of the capitalist: to live on the rents derived from their lauds: to he lazy. A healthy "educational," and more particularly a •'stimulating'' iiilluence is much needed. If the Congress can succeed in inspiring a spirit of healthful industry it will prove more advantageous than volumes of idle talk. To strive for the rectification of grievances, is quite within Maori rights. In this*"r.:spect the European is precisely in the same category as the Maori. The European always has had grievances and always will have them. He is contiuualiy striving after "rectifications." What do we hold our public meetings and our Parliaments for but to rectify grievances'; It may appear to be "rather rough" upon the present "accredited and enlightened representatives" of the Maori people to be. told that the race has never yet enjoyed the opportunity of making its needs and its grievances known, but that is a matter which may be left to the Congress to settle. On the whole, there is no European colonist who does nut heartily sympathise with the Maori iu any effort made towards the uplifting of the race. Considering that in days lo come the race will be absorbed, it may he suspected that the sympathy is a selfish one, but there it is for what it is worth.