The Anglo-Maori Warder. TUESDAY, MAY 9, 1848.

Anglo-Maori Warder, Volume 1, Issue 3, 9 May 1848, Page 2

The Anglo-Maori Warder. TUESDAY, MAY 9, 1848.

"There was at least this satisfaction, on reading the account of Governor Grey, that the House must be convinced that the aboriginal population were a people deserving of the greatest care and attention; and who, if treated with consideration, justice, policy, and humanity, itmiglitbc hoped would form an exception to what li3d been hitherto the undeviating fate of tbose savage nations which had come in contact wi'h their civilized Tellow-men. There v.ere grounds for hope that the Maories would form an exception to that rule, and that by fair treatment, they might graduallv become accustomed to us in habits, and constitutional practices, bo .-innigamatcd uith the English nation, as a people of one race, and be capable of enjoying the advantages of a British constitution, Biitish religion, and British liberty." * So spoke Mr. Li not there in the House of Commons, when asking permission to introduce a bill to suspend the threatened Charter fot New Zealand. Among the many reasons assigned for the change of ministerial intentions, the one which greatest sliess seemed laid upon was (his, that by the system of election (imposed, the native ince would remain wholly unu'preseutcd. u title 50 large a majority as they would constitute, was not likely quietly to brook being ruled by an Kmopean minority. Witljaut stopping at present In examine the soundness* of the lattei assumption, let us leinice in. the ilieeimg solicitude for the ngbts and happiness of the Maori population, so generally displayed by- those concerned with 111. at home; really felt by some, and obliged 10 be affected by all the rest; but which, as it has now become of some importance to observe, has been answered out hcie in a corresponding spirit by the northern settlers alone. Still, while heartily joining with Mr. Ladolciiebe in the wishes that he has expressed ; while ready to be among the first to hail the accession of the native race to equal privilege's with ourselves, we must not forget, that fitnessjo be trusted with them is the first and most important point to be considered. To deal out 11 anting against being overtaken bv the necessity of admitting the natives to political privileges, before they should be fitly prepared to enjoy them, sounds trifling and common-place. And yet. this is no imaginary danger; for we have even now no security that preparation will precede concession. So long as the present itch for over-legislation endures, no one can venture to guess what orders the very next mail may bring. By the sudden freak of soA* enthusiastic Secretary of Slate, men vvlfese uneducated intelligence goes only to increase tntf risk, might be trusted with powers which they would understand the nature of just enough to be able to abuse. Such philanthropic fancies might be indulged 111 at any moment ; we know not the hour or the time: sttanger mandates have issued from the Colonial office before now, and it behoves 11s to make-Teadytjor the chance.. Civilization of the aborigines has hitherto " advanced but slowly. The native taste for European luxuries has done more towards its promotion than European teaching. With the exception of some few noble instances in which fortune, comfort, and all prospect of advancement in life, have been freely sacrificed to this end, it must be confessed that a surprising apathy has hitherto been shewn. Time is becoming more precious day by day, as may be proved, over soon, to our own loss and disgrace, unless a general effort at once be made. No man, of whatever degree should consider hjmself excused from putting shoulder to the wheel, from contributing his best endeavours in whatever manner he may find himself best able to render them efficient, towards lightening (he heavy labours of those who have so long devoted themselves to an ill-requited task. Where there is a will, there is a way. Even by bestowing an occasional odd hour on the education of a Maori labourer about the house, direct assistance, and that of no trifling' value, may be given; personal exas each man's circumstance and sph%e*of> Ictioii may render most convenient, should all alike be brought to bear upon the object now in view. The hasty suppiession of the old Maori Gvzettv, now more urgently than ever leqmrcd to bear it:, part m the present onward move, is much lo be legietted. It was once doing its woik under the immediate influence of Government, and doing it well. And the importance of that publication has since been recognised, it we may draw conclusions from the fiequentiy expiessed intention of setting it again on foot. It is well understood indeed lliat its re-establishment would have been already effected, but for the very natural reluctance of those who formed the Protectorate to afford their assistance, after having been once so abruptly dismissed from office. And without that assistance, the -machine could not be brought again into full and effective action, except by slow devices, fol «;oud w rlteis in the native language have been at all times few 111 number . and of 1 hose few theie aie hardly any whose .services government would now be aide to secure for itself.., Our own shale 111 |he work will be an riideavom to sunply tha| loss And we confess to sanguine expectation! of ultimate success By reservation of a Maoit column, for the ixilusive benefit and instruction of the native "if. »e place the lne.nu of llv ill/ttlou a I the u,,p...-,l ~f il„,„. v. 1... are tin las! all,- 1,. promote it luufuuuy ,1 portion i>t this journal lv

the highest and most legitimate functions of the press, unalloyed by its too frequent abuse. We have broken up the ground, and'it now remains for others to find the seed. So far as we ourselves are concerned in it, our wish is to take only a subordinate part. Our own contributions will be studiously rendered trifling in character at first, —secure to do no harm, rather than overhastily active in attempting the good,—subdued by the fullest perception of the tact and caution needed in bringing so powerful an engine to bear upon such a keenly perceptible race. They will consist, for the most part, of useful recipes, or instructions in agriculture, more to create a habit among the natives of looking periodically for something that concerns them, than to produce any marked effect. Those however, who from long and separate residence among them, must have become thoroughly conversant with their real feelings and dispositions, might securely venture to take up higher ground. One section of the plan laid out, although it be ground which one could much wish to see more ably occupied, we shall be probably obliged to work upon ourselves. An attempt, certainly not to be considered premature, by any who are acquainted with the acutenessand remarkable reasoning powers of the native race, will be made to give some insight into the simplest principles of British jurisprudence. For they are already perfectly competent to appreciate, and certain to discuss it keenly among themselves. To which will be subjoined, brief exposition of those particular laws and enactments which bear more directly upon the intercourse between Natives and Europeans. For instance, an elementary explanation of the law of salvage,—one of the commonest sources of dispute, where boats, or timber rafts may have broken adrift; —translations of the sale of spirits, and impounding ordinances, would be of immediate and practical use. And the habit so acquired, of paying attention to English laws, will by degrees impvess the aborigines with a regard for them, doing away gently, like the handling of a colt, with the startling novelty of obedience. There are other subordinate advantages to be derived from a channelof direct communication, I which need not be much enlarged upon. Correspondence, from the natives themselves, though only where the parentage can be distinctly traced, will be received into it. Many among them—although certainly not the great majority, as Captain Grey's despatch affirms—can read and write their own language fluently; and our Maori column besides offering a safety valve for the exhalation of wrath, for the outpouring of complaints or discontent, and the means of quickly explaining all away, will serve as a barometrical expression of the temper of the country. It will elicit much truth and information from the interior, of which we might otherwise have remained in utter ignorance; for it is believed—perhaps not without reason—that government itself is now but scantily supplied with this essential requisite, having contmed to break with nearly all of those whose position enables tbein to afford it. There are at present two schemes afoot for raising the New Zealanders in the social scale ; the one, is to give them education ; the other, to give them certificates of qualification to vote at municipal elections. It is not for us to say which is the more likely to prove efficient.

Sly. 'Tis a very excellent piece of work, madam lady; 'would 'twere done!-Taming of the Shrew. The play was a good play enough, but beyond the comprehension of poor weary Christopher; he could not enjoy it, though lie felt himself bound to applaud. The New Zealand constitution too, may have been a model of ingenuity ; but still much too clever for jolted headed colonists : its merits were thrown away upon us. To our unspeakable relief, the " excellent piece of work" is done. The ministerial house of cards, a pattern for Da-dalus himself in labyrinthine intricacy of construction, is blown over with a breath. Theoretic scheme is met by theoretic objection, and another parchment flits away to the moon to keep company with Governor Fitzßoy's missionary grants, and the donation of Constantiue to the Pope, in Aiiuato's limbo of all things lost on earth. What shall lie send there next ? ForGoverrror Grfy—sotlie SrncTAroß writes m London—has' Suspended the constitution," He obejs instructions "about as much as Santa Anna obeys the government at Mexico—he declines to carry out the law.'' He has cast the long meditated benefaction to the clumbers of the south for u Inch future ages and colonies unborn were to have blessed the memory of Eail Grey—back again onto the donor's hairds. He has demolished the labour of many a weary vigil, with as little ruth or mercy as if it had been no more than a summer's morning work. '• How the knave jowls rt tn the ground," sa_\s Hamlet. ■■ as if it weie Cam's j.m bone, that did the lirst murder. Drd tlu-e bones o>-,t no more the breeding, but to p!.:y a! locals null tinm ' Mine ache to think an't." Having grumbled at so many of Ins K\cellerrc) 'a rue.sprues, we str/e. with sume avidity, so proiui.ing an oppoitunitj tu d" bun light. of the lolonj Alul liol wily llw deed, but

the manner of doing it challenges admiration. The thing was prettily anil neatly done. For we are not entfrely of the Spectator's mind, as to the summary and autocratic manner of that repudiation. On the contrary, his Excellency seems to have worked out his ends rather by the nicety of management, hy the balmy and soothing tone of an answer which had powers even to assuage the minister's explosion of wrath, when he first learned the fate of his darling scheme. He must have seen at a glance, that the constitution would not work ; that there were screws loose in every part of the machine f that he could not attempt to set it going without stultifying himself, and betraying the visionary weakness of a Secretary of State. There was nothing for it, except to quash the whole. But to tell the head of the Colonial office that his own production was a failure, would have been Quixotic rashness of which no one could suspect any prudent Governor. Tilting at windmills were nothing to it. With the most delicate flattery, he takes his cue from Lord Grev's own mouth. Some* uneasiness had been expressed in the instructions, lest the powers so unreservedly bestowed upon European colonists, should be abused to the injury of the native race. Captain Grev's keen eye saw the point at once, and he makes the most of it. The danger is forthwith exaggerated into a solid objection. " Your Lordship was only too clearsighted ;"—so runs the tenor of the return despatch—"the evil which your Lordship foresaw is of so crying a nature as to preclude me altogether from realising your schemes." The idea was of the happiest. It not only savesthe private feelings of theinventnr.putting hira into good humour with himself again ; but likewise furnishes the male Penelope with a reasonable excuse for unweaving his web; — supplies him with a tale that was to be safely ventured on before an assembly that has never yet shewn much intimate acquaintance with the real state of things out here. In England, where such like benevolent doubts and fears are sure to command attention, the objection must seem plausible enough. But the effect produced upon us colonists, who are in a manner behind the scenes, is exactly contrary. The communications passing to and fro, between Captain Grey and Earl Grfv. 'carry us irresistibly back to the dialogue between Lady Blarney, and Miss Carolina Wilhelmina Amelia Skeggs; not to forget " the very impolite behaviour of Mr. Burchell, who sat with his face turned to the fire, and at the conclusion of every sentence, would cry out ' Fudge.* " " It is the danger," says his Lordship, " that the powers conferred by this great franchise on the representatives of the people, may he perverted into an instrument for the oppression of the less civilized and less powerful races of men inhabiting the same colony." " Fudge!" " Her Majesty," says his Excellency in answer, "will give to a small fraction of her subjects of one race, the power of governing the large majority of her subjects of a different race." " Fudge!" " There is no reason that I am acquainted with, to think that the majority would be satisfied with, and submit to the rule of the minority, whilst there are many reasons to believe that they will resist it to the uttermost." '• Fudge!" For by what, in the name of all that is h - nest, are they ruled at present ? By a very small minority ; unless, indeed, the name of Captain Grey be " Legion." And that they are really ruled, kept well under command to boot, no one can doubt; for the despatches have told us so. It must have required some nerve delibe-j rately to have propounded such an argument r but fortune favours the brave, and has cause J it to be accepted as conclusive. But we are acting an ungrateful part; we ought to be too well pleased with the riddance, : to waste time in ripping up the details of a set- \ tied question; it is not for those, who think themselves clear gainers by his Excellency's success, to pry too narrowly in the means by i which he gained it. I How will the five years suspension be greeted in the South. The direct contrariety of opi- , nion, upon almost every possible question, between the two provinces, is not only curious, I but is a subject for seiiotts leflection. To ns, it has been a matter of triumph • to them, only of legiet. And we fear that the Governor, m spite of his provident care to throw out a tub for the amusement of the whale, suggesting that they might be allowed to return the un-of-ticial members to a Legislative Council, —will lose the last re mains of that popularity nliii.li has been long since on the wane. They will go frantic with disappointmentThere they have been waiting for a constitution with petulant anxiety, holding prematuie meetings, aitanging details, bargaining for the heaiskm before Bruin was killed. And to complete the farce. His Kxcellency was there examining the nislrmtious along with them ; ilnnung in with then feelings and wishes . p,ilitelyeuuuiiing fioiu time to tune whether there weie anv l.ttle alterations they would like to have made, and so foilli;—all the vvlnle having written home to throw cold water on the whole .itl'.irr. The ileiiiinenea, ul irii ») uipjlhy urU:t have L.'cri .tJiiiii.ililv,

When tTie Hostess was looking on at Falstaflf's play extempore, nothing delighted her so much as the perfect gravity of the actors. "0, the father, how he holds his countenance." At Nelson, or at Wellington, she would have gone off into an extacy, had she only known that it really was a play. It was cruel perhaps o( the Governor to banter the Southerners as he did, seeing what store they set by the promised boon ; but he has afforded us a hearty laugh, and we heartily thank him for it.