MAORI MEMORIES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 3 December 1940, Page 9

MAORI MEMORIES

WHY THE MAORI REVOLTED. (Recorded by J.H.S., o£ Palmerston North, for the "Times-Age.”) The Maori King’s Councils of Administration (Ope) were almost as numerous as our Institutions and Associations of today, and were working apart instead of combining in one great effort for the same good objective. One section of the King’s party threatened to go to the Queen’s side if their Ope took away its leader's second wife. Another Ope renounced its allegiance to the King if bigamy were permitted. Bach party had a frequent feast (Hakari) and invited members of other parties with the object of gaining adherents and weakening all other institutions. All difficulties were left to “the other parties” to solve. The Chiefs had to 1 admit that as the result of this divided interest, the Maori race had become incapable of governing themselves. They complained bitterly that we robbed them of their land, and now denied them the privilege of sovereignty such as England and every other land enjoyed. Though thus weakened in domestic policy the Chiefs were strong and unanimous in their allegiance to their King. Sir George Grey’s policy of aggression by military power in an attempt to justify the seizure of their beloved home-land only served to strengthen' the loyalty to the King. The weakness of the Maori administration, lay in the want of money, which came only from voluntary contributions, the largest of which was £3OO from Hawke's Bay. The men .in bitterness and the women in sorrow withdrew their allegiance to the several religious denominations for various reasons. The churches refused to unite, their finance was devoted to their own support rather than to help the poor, and they joined the Government in acquiring Maori land. The personal regard of the Maoris for the missionaries alone saved the church buildings from destruction.