The Wairarapa Daily. SATURDAY, JULY 24, 1886. THE TARAWERA RELIEF FUND.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VIII, Issue 2355, 24 July 1886, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily. SATURDAY, JULY 24, 1886. THE TARAWERA RELIEF FUND.

His Excellency the Governor has inaugurated a Tarawera relief fund, and as a rule n movement under such auspices is not open to criticism, In the present instance, however, it is difficult .without some misgiving to endorse the project as far as it affects the native race. The Maories driven from their homes liy tho' late eruption have Ibrniany years enjoyed more of thegoodthings of this world without the slightest effort' or exertion on their part than any other community, either in New Zealand or out of it. The daily existauce of these natives is represented to have consisted in loungiug in tepid water through the day, emerging oidy from their luxurious baths for their periodical meals, and for-a little festival m the evening when the money supplied by' the constant stream of Pakeha visitors was expended on stimulants, Their lives have been wholly devoted to pleasure, and now that a reverse has befallen them, is it right that money earned 1 by honest toil should ho collected from one end of the colony to the other to reinstate them in,their former condition of utter indolence and degradation. It appears to us that the temporary: assistance which tbey need should be given sparingly, by the Government, and that their land should be made to bear the burden of their further maintenance W'th the industnouß European setfcleis who have lost'their alf through the late catastrophe w,e have, a strong sympathy, bnt'> they stand on ; a different footing .to -the natives whose supreme - idleness has been one of .the. marvels of . the New Zealand wonderland. We do not say that no help should be extended to them jn their.misfortunes, but merely, that the assistance given 'should he in the direction of weaning, them from the wretched and demoralising indolence in. which : they: have* so'lo'ng existed, Our Native policy 'in,this colony has-always been a cruellrkind one, wince it has had the effect of mak-

ing the.Maories proverbially idle from oiwendof the North'lsland to the : other. ■ Wealth, never dreamt of by their ancestors has been -allowed to flow into vthey ..haye never been'tauglit how to' lise^it/'or how to'.' earn; it, iGiving • money, to '.themihaSifceen'lilce giving ••it' vfco.';-;cliil-idretfy' and ! iti: expenditure.- ihnsv sira ply, hastened the 'extermination, ■of the race. It would lie idle lo protend that the Maori race can be raised to a level with the European population as regards thrift and. industry, hut we have aright to expect that any changes brought about by the Government and Legislature should be in the direotion of improving their idle careless, habits, Mr Beethara's suggestion in the House that the. Government. should, purchase the interests of the Rbt'omabana natives in the Lake Distriot is a gbdil "one; because these interests are amply sufficient to place them financially in an independent position, and the r charitable public throughout the colony ought not to be called upon to bear the burden whioh their own shoulders are quite capable of carryiug.