MAORI MEMORIES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 24 December 1940, Page 2

MAORI MEMORIES

HOW TO RESCUE THE MAORI. (Recorded by of Palmerston North, for the "Times-Age.”) Most chiefs referred to in Sir George Grey’s despatch were of the Manaiapoto tribe, yet a very small area of their land was confiscated. The Ngatihaua, who had protected the settlers and favoured the Government until the unprovoked attack by The Queen’s troops, had to forfeit nearly all their fertile lands. The Government plan of a military line of defence from Raglan to Tauranga for the protection of Auckland and the Waikato would entail the services of another 10,000 British troops and many millions of money. Even then the vast forests suited the rebel Maoris as a line of attack and defence far more effective than the Maginot line over which Hitler drove or flew with little loss.

When we consider that the Waikato Maoris, against whom this visionary plan was formulated, consisted of only one-fifth of the native people, its utter futility may be realised.

Whatever the result may have been, there still remained the problem which is the foremost native question today: “How can we help the Maoris ot survive their downfall, which was caused mainly by our failure to teach their children and adults useful and congenial trades and occupations? Colonial' legislators considered only the welfare of colonists and the force of arms. The British rulers and the Governor of that day had a far greater experience and a more unselfish view. They would then, as we should today, revive and extend that splendid Maori Boys’ School at Te Awamutu, which was extinguished by the war in 1863. The folowers of the Maori King and Ratana would be with us to a man and a woman.