PAKEHA AND MAORI

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 123, 26 May 1928, Page 21

PAKEHA AND MAORI

EARLY. RELATIONS A BEAVE MISSIONARY "A Pioneer Missionary Among tho Maoris (185,0-1879)." By Tliomas Samuel Grace, edited jointly by S. J. Brittan, G. ¥„ 0. W., and A. V. Grace, Palmerston North: G. - H. Bennett and Co., Ltd. This work serves to illustrate tho hard conditions of life at an isolated mission station in the early days of settlement,' and the dangers and hardships encountered by missionaries wWen travelling in roadless and bridgeless districts. The dangers were multiplied prodigiously during the Maori War years. The Eov. Mr. Grace made a vast number of journeys!? many of them on foot, throughout the Gisborne, Hawkes Bay,, and Whanganui, Taupo, Bay ()£• Plenty, and Auckland districts. This work seems a record of. almost ceaseless discomfort, privations, and suffering, the innumerable tribulations of a zealous and devoted missionary. One marvels at the courage and endurance displayed by ti.e worthy helpmate of our missionary, and at the often Spartan-like conditions of lif.o among their offspring. The numerous expeditions made during the war years, when Mr. Grace travelled far and wide over the disturbed districts, on several occasions he narrowly escaped death. At page 194 we are told that "Potatoes, -three times a day for weeks together, with a little ■ tea) with or without sugar, is as much as can bo expected on these long inland journeys." Note, too, at page 225, where horse and rider went over a'waterfall, an experience such as was all too frequent. AVhen reading the account (p. 49) of the arrival of Mrs. Grace and family at faupo in 1855 one regrets that the illustration of that event given in a missionary journal, "Scenes and Incidents of Missionary Labour, 18G0," was not reproduced; it depicts a highly picturesque scene. In February, 1851, Mr. Grace walked from Gisborne to Tauranga, anij tho tramp over tho bush ranges to Opotiki consuming six days. On tho way was encountered a Maori woman, who was carrying, as, light refreshment for her journey, some' 601b of potatoes! "THE TOUCH OF DEATH." In 1851 our missionary wrote "the contact of Europeans with Natives is, at present, the cold touch of death to the Native." He was much concerned anent Natives selling land to Europeans, and the effect of contact with Europeans, n6tably in connection with the liquor traffic. In post-war years ho refers to.'the dejected attitude of Natives, and to their miserable mode of life. At page 22 oepurs a peculiar remark that looks Mice a "lapsus calami," viz., "in most cases the best Natives are those furthest from the station "—i.e., tho missionary station. The "queen" mentioned at page 30 recalls ■ the famous Hine-matioro of East Coast fame, and the 1500 miles of foot travelling in six months referred to at page 45 makes one sympathetically footsore. We are told that the local form of leprosy was common at Taupo in the 'fifties, and on page 82 that, during five years' residence at Taupo our missionaries saw only "the bishop'and one or two Europeans." At page 40 we sco how the 'Patipo Mission was provided with a boll. , In 1907 Mr. Downes saw a part of the old mission bell in use as a gong at a Tpkaanu hotel. A part of the Maori inscription is on tho surviving piece of the bell. The account of tho introduction of European agricultural methods and implements at Turanga (Gisborno), Mr. Grace's first post, is of much interest. Tho keen desire displayed by the Natives to acquire ploughs (pp. 01-02) illustrates a well-known proclivity; and the critical remarks on tho training of Maori children in European ways, without industrial schools, with the result thereof (pp. 79-80) are just and enlightening. The worthy missionary was hopeful with regard to tho introduction of sheep and the art of weaving, but the disturbing influonco of war brought those hopes to nought. His remarks on Government dealings with ■ Natives are often scathing, and Europeans generally come in for a good deal of blame. A FLEET OF CANOES. The arrival at Pukawa, Taupo, of the fleet of eleven canoes described at page 49, is well rendered, and the discomforts of a shortage of supplies, with tho miseries of carrying such from Matata to Taupo-(pages 102, 105, 106; 107, etc.), all show .us the tribulations of these gallant souls haled -irom old world homes by noblo ideals to the inhospitable pumice lands of Taupo-nui-a-Tia. The remarks on Maori character at pago 66, and on tho growth of tho king movement (pp. 75-76) aro. worthy of perusal, as also are those at pages 256-258 on' the subject of Maori bishops. "We ought to givo Native churches Native bishops," wrote Mr. Grace to the editorial secretary of tho Church Missionary. Society on 19th July, ,1877. The reader should observe at page 178 the ingenious mode of writing adopted by a left-handed Native. Mr. Grace writes strongly of what he is pleased to describe as massacres of Maori hostiles who were endeavouring to wipe out European settlers, and who met with some success in those endeavours, as at Turanga and Mohaka, though he makes no mention of such incidents. This peculiar mental attitude is shown at pages 203-204 and elsewhere. Wo have at pago 285, some remarks 'on To Kooti, '' the greatest general on cither side," and, at pago 256, on Maori Christianity. The story of the abandoning of (.the mission station and the weary march of the family to Matata is a talo of heroic endeavour. That of tho murder of tho Bey. Mr. Volokner and the escapo of Mr. Grace, shows us some of the horrors and dangers of those- trying times, while page 209 gives us a narrow escape from To Kooti. Many later journeys arc described, with their innumerable trials and discomforts, but it is consoling to find (pp. 156-158) that many copies of the "Sinners' Friend" were- by such means distributed. Visits to military posts at Eunanga, Tarawera, Te Haroto, Eunanga, Opepo, To Niho-o-te-kioro, etc., aro described, but a sad lack in such narratives is tho omission of the names of Europeans encountered in remote places. Hochstotter's visit to Taupo is not mentioned; Tho book might have been much nioro useful, but it certainly docs record the trials to which early missionaries were subjected. ! Bearing in mind that tho work was printed in London, there are singularly few mis-spelt Maori words in the text. ——X