HOW IT STRIKES THE MAORI MIND.

Auckland Star, Volume XLI, Issue 134, 8 June 1910, Page 8

HOW IT STRIKES THE MAORI MIND.

HONE TIKI ON A DELICATE SUBJECT. (By A. A. GRACE.): >- (Author of "Folk-Tales of the Maori," Messrs. Gordon and Gotch; "Tales of a Dying Race," Messrs. Chatto and Windus; "Atareta: The Belle of the Kainga," Messrs. Gordon and Gotch; etc.)

We met at the corner of Korero-street, and exchanged the usual compliments. "How are things with you, Hone?" I asked; "all right?" "Ewerryt'ing werry bad wit' mc," he answered. "T'e Gover'ment no gif mc t'e money for t'e piece land belonga mc an' my 'brntter. 1 hard up: 1 no get t'e money: I no pay tfe deipt." I know Hone well; I saw we were approaching a very delicate subject. I said nothing—it would never do to encourage in him that propensity which is naturally so strong in his race.

Therefore there was a pause in the conversation. But, at length, Hone continued:—

"T'e Pakeha werrv hard -to t'e Maori, werry hard. T'e Pakeha come to. Noo Seelan' wit' t'e money. T'e Maori no got t'e money."

"But," I said, "there's nothing hard in that."

"Hold on: I tell you," said Hone. "T'e Pakeha got t'e sheep, horse, cow, ewerryfing. T'e Maori got nutting. No, no, I wrong—t'e Maori got t'e land. My Korry, yeh! But t'e Maori not know he got t'e land—he on'y know t'e Pakeha got t'e blanket, t'e knife, teak " "The ak, Hone? What's that?" "Teak—make a cut, chop t'e tree down, fall t'e bush." "Oh!—the axe?" "T-that t'e pfeJler. T'e Maori no got teak. He -no got t'e plough, t'e spade, t'e saw—he no got anyt'ing. Werra, py-an'-pye t'e Pakeha come along. He no got t'e land. He tell t'e Maori, 'You likee t'e plough, t'e spade, teak, t'e saw?'

"Te Maori say, 'You bet—l like.' "T'e Pakeha say, 'You likee t'e sheep?

'To Maori say, '1 like. .

"Te Pakeha say, 'All right. You gif mc t'e piece land, -t'ousand acres, two t'ousand, four t'ousand—allasame to t'e Maori: he not know t'e different —'I gif you plenty cow, sheep, plough, ak, blanket, plenty taonga.'

"T'e Maori say, werry good talk.'

'T-that good talk,

"T'e Pakeha pring two cow, tsix sheep, one ole plough, one ak, ten blanket, one pound nail, two pound topacca, nine clay pipe, one bottle wai piro. He tell t'e Maori, *You my frien'. 1 gif all t'is taonga to you pecause you my frien'. I come to lif wit' you. Plenty more taonga py-an'-pye ■where I get t-fhis. 1 gif t'e taonga to my frien'.' "T'e Maori say, 'Werry good talk. 1 likee ymi for ray frien'.' "T'e Pakeh-j. say, 'Shake hand.' "T'e Maori shake hand. He say to t'e Pakeha, 'You drinkee t'e wai piro?' "T'e Pakoha say, 'Oh, yeh, sometime.' "T'e Maori say,~'Haf a dTink wit' me,' "T'e Pakeha say, 'Oh, all right,' and he drink—half t'e bottle. T'e Maori looking at t'e taonga.

" 'Worry good taonga,' he say to t'e Pakoha. 'Plenty more taonga for t'e Maori where t'is come from py-an'-pye?'

"Te Pakeha say, 'Plenty more.' He take out piece paiper. He say, 'Shake hand again.' T'ey shake hand again. T'e Pakcha say to t'e Maori, 'Make a shine—you good pfeller—make a shine.' T'e Maori make a shine on t'e piece paper. T-that all: t-that finish. T'e Maori takee t'e taonga. T'e Pakeha takec t'e land. "Werra, py-an'-pye t'e Maori breakec t'e plough, t'e cow die, t'e sheep go wild, fe blanket wear out, t'e wai piro drunk. He go to t'e Pakeha, an , tell him, 'T'e taonga all finish—l Hkee some more.' "T'e Pakeha say, *What for?' "T'e Maori say, 'T'e land. You takee t'e land.' "T'e Pakeha say, 1 gif yen t'e taonga —long time ago.' "T'e Maori say, 'I want some more. , "T'e Pakeha say, 'Gammon! Get out! .

"T'e Maori say, 'You no gif mc t'e taonga V

"T'e Pakeha cay, 'I no gif.' Te Maori say, 'You werry hard man. Gif mc back t'e land.'

"'No- fear,' t'e Pakeha tell him; 1 got t'e deed. You make a shine.'

"T'e Maori say, T-that cm'y piece paper.'

'T-that nutting.

"My Korry! py-an'-py ■when he go to t'e Court, he find he TOrong. T'e Pakeha keep t'e land all right. Werry hard man, fe Pakeha.

"Werra, py-an'-py t'e Maori want t'e sheep, t'e cow, t'e blanket, t'e taonga, -werry bad —worse t-than pefore. He go to t'e Pukeha. again. He tell t'e Pakeha:

'"I -want t'e cow, t'e sheep, an' t'e taonga—you got plenty taonga.' '/T'e Pakeha say, 'Where t'e money? You gif mc t'e money, I gif you t'e taonga.'

"T'e Ma-ori say, 1 no got t'e money.'

"'All right,' t'e Pakeha. tell him. •Nefer mind t'e money. You come to my place, plough t'e land, feed t'e pig, milk t'e cow, shear t'e sheep—l gif you t'e money.'

"Werr-a. t'e Maori he want t'e taonga werry bad. He say, 'How much you gif?

'Te Pakcha tell 111111, 1 gif you plenty money —pound a week an' t'e kai.'

"T'e Maori lie know t'e Pakeha now. He say, TTou gif mc plenty kai?'

"T'e Pakeha say, 'Plenty kai—potato, mutton, tea, sugar, bread—plenty kai. .

" 'All right,' came to-morrow.'

t'e Maori tell liim; 1

"So t'e Maori -work for t'e,Pakena. He plough—plough —plough, t'e pig, milk t'e cow, shear t'e sTreep. An* t'e Pakeha gif him t'e pay—oh! yeh; t'e Pakeha gif t'e pay. When t'e Maori get tire, he tell t'e Palceha, 'You gif mc t'e money. , "Te Pakeha say, 'All right. Here yon are.' "But t'e Maori -want t'e taonga. He say, 'What price t'e taonga?' "T'e Pakeha say, 'Oh, cheap. T'e taonga werry cheap. What you buy?'

"So t'e Maori buy t'e blanket, teak, t'« topacco, t'e sugar, t'e tea, all sor* t'e taonga belonga t'e Pakeha. T'en he go to t'e pa wit' t'e taonga in t'e cart. T'e Pakeha lend him t'e cart.

"T-that t'e way. T'e Pakeha take all t'e money belonga t'e Maori. He got t'e land, too, an' plenty more taonga. Te Maori got on'y t'e taonga—werry little taonga.

'Ty-an'py, when he meet t'e Pakeha, t'e Pakeha. say, 'Tena koe. How you get on? How t'e taonga f

Te Maori tell him, Te sugar all eaten, tfe tea all finish, t'e topacco all smoke, t'e taonga all gone. ,

"T-that aU rigbt,' t'e Pakeha tell iimv Ton come to my place, you work far mc again—l gif "you t'e money—yon buy plenty-more taonga. , , " i Sttt t'« Wuad acer, •*&> few, I ■&% £• tafan ißWtti iam- sue to- moxk

when you tell mc. Do t'e work yourse'f.'

"T-tha,t it. T'e Pakeha get ewerryt'ing. T'e land belonga ie Pakeha, t'e money belonga t'e Pakeha, t'e taonga belonga t'e Pakeha. Soon t'e Maori belonga t'e Pakeha, too, I t'ink."

"But, stop, Hone," I said. "Why does the Maori sell his land to the Pakeha? Why doesn't he work it himself?"

"Gammon!" exclaimed Hone Tiki. "Too much t'e work! Too much t'e work!"

He certainly seemed in a great state of excitement. I was beginning to think he was eriously exercised in his mind, when suddenly his face broke into" a smile, and he said:

"Mitta Kerehi, you t'e frien' to mc?" "Why, yes, Hone," I said feelingly. "Certainly."

"T-that werry gobd," be said. "You lend mc ten bob?"

\ At last the bolt had fallen; at last the blow was truck—and how scientifically.

Need I saw what I did? Is it not a fact that you would have done the same, in my place?