MAORI MEMORIES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 14 October 1940, Page 8

MAORI MEMORIES

PROSPECTIVE ROYAL MARRIAGE

(Recorded by J.H.S., o£ Palmerston North, for the "Times-Age.”)

In the year 1860 when the Maori war in Taranaki was causing anxiety, the Waikato hordes directed attention to the British success “under the arbitrary ■ rule of a woman,” and decided to folj low and improve upon that by electing a King. Potatau, an old warrior, was unanimously chosen for his fame in war. His name was translated in several ways according to his varied exploits for forty years, among them being “The door of darkness,” “Gather by night,” “All together," “The fighter,” •Counting his victims,” each justified by his exploits. The Maori idea, however, was to maintain peaceful equality through the medium of Royal rank on each side. So far, our mistakes in dealing with these intellectual amateurs were not those committed, but omitted. For this we must blame our unconquerable desire to become “Land Lords” at the cost of those who had been taught that the land with its forests and birds could be no more parted with by its sole inheritors than the skies and the stars. Our first contact with these kindly folk was one of complete confidence and friendship in which we sought to civilise them. There was then no thought of confiscation or extermination. The early settlers had established ideal relations between the races and a leading chief’s dying words exemplified it thus- —“Kua kaupapa eau te aroha, ma koutou e whaka oti” (we have laid the foundations of friendship for your consummation).

According to the sound judgment of the then Bishop of New Zealand, our only injustice was the wrongful sale of Maori land in Taranaki.