Answers to Correspondents.

Auckland Examiner, Volume IV, Issue 275, 23 June 1860, Page 2

Answers to Correspondents.

Memo.— Eighty laws were passed during last session of the General 'Assembly. Cost of those laws to the colony is computed at more than tin thousand pounds. Ministers woi Iced hard, and in such hot haste as statesmen seldom manifest. A Scotch friend of ours, who noted the zeal with which they legislated, could not forbear exclaiming in Rattling, Roaring Willie English — I’ve met wi’ mony a queer thing in my life, but this beats a’ oot and oot, as the weaver’s wife said when she couldna find . au end to the puddiu’. New laws upon new lau-s followed hard. Some of them arc unimportant, — the law declaring that the Province of Rew Plymouth shall henceforth be called Province of Taranaki, for

example; others are important but either superfluous or mischievous; others again are of no account inasmuch as the home government thought proper todisallow them. Among these disallowed measures is Bay of Islands Settlements Act, and Native Territorial Rights Act. Another Act. which should have been disallowed, is Au Act to grant the annual sum of seven thousand pounds for a term of seven years, from the 30th June, 1859, in aid of schools for the education of the aboriginal race. This act should not be allowed to disgrace our statute book. It is morally wrong in principle. It is legalized robbery in fact. It. is a tub for the clerical whale, and divides among three religious denominations what all are forced to contribute, and all have equal right to enjoy. Clauses 10, 11, 12,13, 14, and 15 say—

X. Every School aided under this Act shall be in connection with some Religious Body, and shall be managed and superintended in such wise as the Governor, in concert with the head or governing body of such Religious Body, shall from time to time determine upon : provided that Schools in connection with the Church of Eng - land, the Society of Wesleyan Methodists, and the Church of Rome, respectively, shall continue to be managed and superintended in the same manner as Schools in connection with the said Bodies and lately in receipt of aid from the sum appropriated by the Constitution Act for Native purposes, are managed and superintended at the passing of this Act, unless and until alterations in the mode of such management and superintendence shall be determined upon in manner aforesaid.

XI. Schools receiving aid upder this Act, shall be inspected once at least, in every year by Inspectors appointed for the purpose by the Governor ; and such Inspectors shall report in writing to the Governor upon .the attainments and progress of the scholars, the nature of the instruction given in such Schools, the food and clothing, cleanliness and health of the Scholars, the state of the School buildings and land, and generally upon the discipline, management, and efficiency of the several Schools: provided that no such Inspector shall be at liberty to examine the scholars at any such School upon any religious subject unless specially requested so to do by the managers. XII. All accounss of the Expenditure of the Schools, and all Reports made by the Inspectors under this Act shall be laid before both Houses of the General Assembly within one month after the commencement of the session next following the receipt of such accounts and Reports; oi, if the General Assembly be in session at the time of such receipt, then immediately upon such receipt. XIII. In the event of applications being made in any year for Grants in respect of a greater number of scholars than the said annual sum will suffice for at the yearly rate per head for the time being in force, Schools in connection with the Church of England shall have a preferable claim to forty-nine per centum of the said annual sum ; Schools in connection with the Society of the Wesleyan Methodists shall have a preferable claim to thirty-two per centum of the same annual sum; and Schools in connection with the Church of Rome shall have a preferable claim to the remaining nineteen per centum of the same annual sum.

XIV. If in any 'year the said annual sum hereby granted shall not be appropriated in payments at the said yearly rate per head, it shall bel lawful for the Governor to apply the unexpended balance in special grants for School buildings and for defraying other expences incident to the first establishment of Schools, and for improvements upon any School estate, and in prizes and rewards for deserving scholars. XV. Notwithstanding anything in this Act contained, it shall be lawful for the Governor at his discretion out of the said annual sum hereby granted, to continue until the Ist day of January, 1859, to make payments in aid of the Schools for Nativesand Half-castes now maintained in connection with the said three several Religious Bodies, at not exceeding the following rates, that is to say, — In aid ofSchools in connection with the Church of England, at not exceeding the annual rate of £3,402. In aid ofSchools in connection with the Society ofWesleyan Methodists, at not exceeding the annual rate of £2,236. In aid of Schools in connection with the Church of Rome, at not exceeding the annual rate 0f£1,362.

To what extent the native population have profited, either mentally or morally, by these native schools is a secret. They are, in truth, mere cloak for crime. The enormous native sham no where shows to such advantage as in the native school. But enlightened colonists who, to everlasting shame of our rulers, are taxed for its support, are disgusted. They now understand how their pocket has been picked that clericals might profit. They now see through the native schools system, and have found out that missionary-educated natives are worst natives of all. They object longer to be saddled with the cost of what is called native educatian. They would have native tub stand on native bottom, and native schools supported by native contributions. When told that to convert the native heathen is first duty of the pakeha Christian, they doubt. Experience has made them consider Maori Christianity a questionable commodity. They look around and see more Maori Christian perverts than Maori Christian converts. They remember that the present rebellion is a rebellion of Christianized natives. They remember that Kingi and his “ chivalrous" followers pro fess Christianity; that the native rebels who assassinated unarmed settlers and helpless children profess Christianity ; that the most determined native foes of european civilization profess Christianity ; and that veriest scum of the native population prefess Christianity. Is it strange if, remembering these things, our enlightened fellow colonists declare against the system of voting Pakeha money for native education, and consider the seven times seven thousand pounds set apart for native schools as just that sum worse than lost to the colony though great gain to its clerical cormorants.

R. B.— The topics ad,verted to are well handled by our faithful contributor Cosmopolite who, in a letter dated VMh insl., says : —Sir, — Our Ruler s menial faculties have been perceptibly undergoing decomposition ; a constitutional anxiousness aids the process of decay. A few months, and not a trace of where intellect might have lodged will\be discoverable. Addled brains, and curious skulls, are best adapted to shelter deceased minds. Il would be a pity, therefore, that Fum should be disturbed ; let him enjoy, unmolested, the luxury of his fuddleism. A prelude to further temporising with the natives has been manifested in a Commissioner having been recently despatched to the Southward for the purpose of inviting the chiefs at Wellington, and other places, to congregate here, in order to discuss the war question. Although Fum has been pretty well drenched with Maori verbiage his thirst is

unsluked. He will find that Bosh.ee is 100 subtle to be out-manoeuvred; that he will be only expending his strength for nought. There are two points to which I shall hereafter advert, for native consideration; ij acquiesced in, our differences are adjusted and peace permanently established. It is patent to all the old settlers—men thoroughly conversant with the intricacies of native character — that the barefaced swindling of the governmen t eould not long be hidden from the penetrating eye of the Maori. Many and despicable, are the shifts practised to effect —the unlawful laws enacted to screen and sanction—wholesale robbery in this Eldorado of iniquity, where the legal thief looks forward —not for impunity, of this he is sure —but actually for commendation, of which he is also sure, providedhis inherent vileness is perfected, in driving a clinching, swindling, and overreaching bargain—a bargain that “Sir Giles Overreach” would chuckle at. In such a case the official pilferer ranks high for tact in villany, and business like rascality, and is on the high road to preferment in this Land of Fum. When I meet with a highwayman I know with with whom I have to deal; a highwayman rides boldly up to you, demands your purse, fearless of your being armed or not; there is no sneaking, roundabout way with him to denude you of your property; when he gets your purse he civilly wishes you good night, and is off. Not so the red tape vermin; they rob by wholesale, they coax, they cringe, and lard you with their fulsome hypocrisy, to enveigle you; they do not merely tempt you with a shrimp to catch a salmon, but, by ojficialcraftjwpe to completely enmesh you, and everything belonging to you. Who would not prefer the bold acts of the highwayman to the preconcerted villany of the red tape parasites ; the robbgry is morally the same, the difference is in the manner of performing it. By way of parenthesis I take leave to relate a little occurrence that took place some time back:—An influential chief, the head of a warlike tribe—a large land owner, —called on me. After some conversation he asked for a piece of chalk, with which he drew out a plan of a block of land; he divided it into four quarters—“ This quarter I wish to sell; with the price I could purchase cows, horses, agricultural implements, and a mill; I should then be enabled to stock and cultivate the other three quarters, and become a rich man.” “ Fou had better name your wishes to the government,” said I. The chief took his passage for Auckland. He soon returned, in full feather —“ I have done it,” he said, “all right; government very good; tell me I can sell a quarter oj my land, or as much as I please!’ “ Very good,” I replied, “ but did the government tell you at the same time that there was also a law prohibiting the Pakeha from purchasing your land The man stood aghast. “I’m a fool!” he exclaimed ; his looks indicating th at he felt sensible of the miserable piece of cajolery put upon him. Well, assuming that the illustrious Fum succeeds in alluring the Southern chiefs to assemble at Auckland to discuss the war question —no doubt but those of Waikato will be also requested to attend, —it re\ mains to be seen how Fum will open the ball—whether by lead or by flour. Perhaps iu this way—‘ My friends, I have requested your attendance here to submit for your consideration two alternatives, one or other of which you must choose ifahope be entertained of bringing the existing differences to a peaceable termination. I must solicit that Ibe not interrupted until I have delivered myself, for I am big with the fate of New Zealand. I will lay before you two propositions. Some of the tribes have been (innocently perhaps) led into rebellion at the instigation of designing white men. This consideration has influenced me to spare shedding your blood by punishing the rebels as they deserved. I have no inclination to waste your precious time by prolonging the talk, but come at once to my first proposition. Premising that only one sovereign can be recognized in N<w Zealand, throughout the length and breadth of the land, the rebels must, to a man, surrender, and tender their unqualified submission to our Queen. They must, disband. Should any prove stubborn, or refractory, and persist in continuing in rebellion, it should be made known to them that we possess the power of exterminating them were they a thousand times more numerous. Native ignorance of British power has led them into error. As a preliminary step topeace, Potatou’s flag must be struck, and the Taranaki murderers be given up to be dealt with according to law. I will allow you a month to consider your reply ; if that answer be in the negative, war will be commenced at once, and vigorously carried on, until not a shred of rebel be left.’ Such, Sir, is the only safe way. Here you have the dark side of the picture; I will shotv the bright side in your next.