MAORI MEMORIES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 6 April 1939, Page 4

MAORI MEMORIES

THE RULE OF THREE. I ' (Recorded by J.H.S. for “Times-Age.”) The goodwill of the cute lady Te Paea induced the gentlemen of the Cabinet to build a Maori hospital on 30 acres not far from the school; a house-surgeon to be in charge, and a medical officer to travel the Waikato to improve sanitation, heal the sick, and send serious cases to hospital.

Just at this time Mr Fox’s government party was turned out of office for having ruled that cabinet, and not the Governor, should govern the Maori race. The colonists and the majority of their representatives decided that Sir George, who represented the Queen, should be virtually a dictator so far as the mutual interests of the Maori and Pakeha were concerned. Just as this was decided, a despatch was received from the British Cabinet accepting Mr Fox’s proposal which had been made six months previously. It had taken 80 days each way on a fast sailing ship! Here was a deadlock. An indignant protest was sent to the Queen complaining that the British Government had mismanaged and misunderstood the Maoris, and when war threatened had left the difficult problem to the colonists to solve.

Hope was felt that the British Cabinet would change its decision, and meantime our Colonial Ministers were definitely warned not to assume the dangerous responsibility. The Governor was equally reluctant to exercise a power which his chief in England had already relinquished. This inconsistent double authority so impressed the Maori King’s people with the weakness and inconsistency of our position, where neither the premier ■ nor the governor dared to move, that war was declared- against us.