CRADLE OF NATION

Evening Star, Issue 21637, 5 February 1934, Page 10

CRADLE OF NATION

Waitangi Celebrations Commence Governor-General’s Address Closing the Door on Strife [Pek United Press Association.] WAITANGI, February 5. The greatest and most significant assemblage of Maoris and pakehas in New Zealand since the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi ninety-four years ago .is now being held at Ti Beach, Paihia; just across the Waitangi River from Busby’s old home, where the treaty was signed. Over 5,000 Maoris are present. Every tribe in New Zealand is represented, any old differences having been buried, and all being united to acknowledge the Vice-Regal gift or the Treaty House and land to the nation, and to discuss the operation ol the treaty under which Queen Victoria extended her protection to the Natives and conferred on them all the rights of British subjects. All the tribes are therefore represented on the Marae of the Ngapuhis, and a colourful scene, with the appropriate historic background, marked this, the first of the two days’ celebrations. x ~ c , , , n This morning Mr Forbes and members of Parliament, Mr Stewart (Commonwealth) and Mr Weaver (New South Wales) were received and welcomed. ' In the afternoon, Lord and Lady Bledisloe were accorded an elaborate ceremonial welcome. The Maori imagination has been fired by their Excellencies interest'in the Native people, and by the gift of the historic property to the country, and their sentiments were conveyed in song and action and speeches by representatives of the tribes. ~ ■ To-morrow the scene of the ceremonies will be transferred across the new bridge to the Treaty House.

His Excellency prefaced his speech afc Waitangi this afternoon with the Maori phrase “ E Te Iwi Tena Ra Kotoa.” He said that he was deeply impressed and much touched by the loyal and enthusiastically cordial welcome which the great ■ assemblage of Natives and Europeans had extended to Her Excellency and himself. That the Maori race should have signalised their modest gift to the people of New Zealand of the adjoining estate—the cradle of the nation—by these anniversary celebrations was characteristic of their unswerving loyalty to the British Crown, and was a gratifying testimony on their part to the sincerity of British honour and integrity. To-day the Maori was walking confidently in step beside the pakeha, and the pakeha was walking in friendship and comradeship beside the Maori. Moreover, in bringing together Maoris of different tribes and sub-tribes from all over this dominion—from Te Reinga to Murihuku (from the North Cape to the Bluff) — the meeting was a proof that the Treaty of Waitangi had served to unify the Maori people. On the part of those who belonged to the British race it afforded an opportunity of renewing their obligations to the Maori people. He hoped that Waitangi would be to all a “ Tatau Pounamu ” —a happy and precious closing of the door for ever upon all war and strife between races and tribes in this country—the place where all erstwhile antagonists clasped hands of eternal friendship. It was well to remember on the present occasion that one hundred years ago the British statesmen were confronted by problems originating on the shores of this very bay, problems which in' their solution called for the pledge of national faith to the Maori people. That pledge was given by Britain’s then responsible Ministers through the Treaty of Waitangi. Towards the beginning of the nineteenth century irregular British settlement was taking place in New Zealand. Its wildinjxxstice called aloud for reform, and its sporadic character for regulation. The only remedy for this chaotic condition was the intervention of the British Crown. But the lianas of the Crown were more than full with similar responsibilities elsewhere. Only the most far-sighted statesmen saw any wisdom in maintaining outposts of Empire at the risk of international jealousies and national impoverishment. Fewer still could appreciate the wisdom of adding New Zealand to these colonial problems. But the claims of humanity and the clamant need for ordered government in this country become so insistent that they could not be ignored. The formidable difficulty facing Queen Victoria’s Ministers was the fact that New Zealand was a foreign country and outside their jurisdiction. The alternatives open to them were conquest or negotiation. As conquest with all its horrors was repugnant to the British mind and conscience, Captain William Hobson, of the Royal Navy, New Zealand’s first Governor, was invested with consular powers and authorised to negotiate a treaty with the Native chiefs for the cession, upon equitable terms, of their sovereignty to the British Queen. The honourable intentions of the British Government in this matter are fully and eloquently demonstrated in tjie instructions furnished to Captain Hobson by the Colonial Secretary, Lord Normanby, before leaving England. Emenently just in spirit, broadly humanitarian in principle, they formed a document which any nation might be proud to have enshrined within its archives. How. on this very spot, Captain Hobson carried out his instructions was well known. MAORI MAGNA CARTA. Inevitably and admittedly the assumption of British authority, with the advent of different ideals and an entirely different code of ethics and of law, involved some misunderstandings and some heartburnings, but an impartial survey of the situation as it exists after ninety-four years of actual experience disclosed the fact that the Maori people still believed that the Treaty had a “ mana ” of its own, and still regarded it as the Magna Carta of their political rights, while the European population were resolved to fulfil faithfully their obligations to the Maori people. Ninety-four years ago the Maori people were grievously puzzled and much agitated as to what course they should pursue. Should they yield up the sovereignty of the country and come under the protecting wing of the Great White Queen ? In the face of conflicting opinions and conflicting advice, no one could blame them if they approached the issue with doubt and fear, with mistrust and misgiving. Fortunately there was among the Maori chiefs one man who thought with the mind of a sage, who saw with the eye of a seer, and who spoke with the voice of a prophet. That man was Tariiati Waaka Nene, who, after reasoning with his own people that it was now too late to turn the Pakeha away, and pleading with Captain Hobson to remain as “a Governor and a father” to them, delivered himself of the following magnificent declaration of his confidence in British honour:—‘‘l am walking beside the Pakeha; I’ll sign the puka puka ” —a spontaneous expression of trust which carried to the minds of his colleagues the assurance of Britain’s good faith and British integrity.

TWO GREAT MEN. Among the European negotiators two men stood out as champions of British sovereignty—the Rev. Henry AVijliams and Mr James Busby, the British Resident. What this country owed to the sterling patriotism of these two men, coupled with the intimate acquaintance of the former with the language and the aspirations of the Maori race, was scarcely yet appreciated. Taking their courage in both hands, they faced the opponents of the treaty, answering argument with argument, and eventually carrying conviction not only by virtue of the strength of their case, but because of their trnsparent integrity and the confidence which the Natives reposed in their personal veracity. The Treaty was signed, and slowly the mists of uncertainty, the clouds of doubt which confused the issue in 1840 had been dispelled, so that to-day they did not look askance at the treaty or view it with mistrustful eyes. The most abiding impression which the present meeting was calculated to convey was the almost magical effect which the treaty had had in unifying the Maori people. Just before systematic British colonisation took place, the Maori race seemed to be advancing towards self-extinction. The last intertribal battle was fought at Waikanae (Kuititanga) on October 16, 1839. Then came the Treaty of Waitangi, bringing with it British sovereignty, the majesty of the law, together with the pakeha system of adjusting disputes, and from that day no tribal wars had taken place. Who could estimate that immense benefit this respite from incessant strife had conferred upon the Maori race or what the resulting sense of security had meant to a people who were essentially cultivators of the soil. To-day all could sow their land in the sure and certain knowledge that tomorrow they would reap what was theirs under the protection of the treaty, and that- no one would dispute their title. Gradually the barriers between the tribes had been broken down, until to-day they saw mingling together with courtly dignity men and women who a century ago might have been engaged in deadly warfare. His Excellency extended a welcome to the Governor of Fiji, who had come to represent the people of his colony; representatives of the Federal Government of Australia and also of the Government of New South Wales, of which for a short time this country was a dependency; and very specially the band of visitors from the delectable island of Rarotonga, children of the same _ traditional ancestors as the Maoris, Rangi and Paua. To the beneficent teaching of the Christian missionaries they largely owed the softening of the ancient animosities, the radiation of trustful friendship, the reign of peace," which were the outcome of the Treaty of AVaitangi, “ AAe should offer up our grateful thanks to Almighty God in that He has afforded the British nation the privilege of being the humble instrument in His hands of bringing about so marvellous a change in the lives of His Maori people.” PAKEHA RESPONSIBILITIES. Speaking to the pakeha population of the dominion, His Excellency said that if there was one conclusion more than another that he drew from the gathering to-day it was that_ nothing had occurred in the years which had intervened since 1840 to relieve them of the responsibilities then solemnly undertaken. On the contrary, those responsibilities had increased rather than diminished. As the senior partner in the compact entered into ninety-four years ago, upon them devolved, in a larger sense, the obligation of seeing that they observed the terms of a treaty which not only placed the Maori on a footing of political equality with the pakeha, but enabled him to march forward side by side with them in social life, in education, in industry, and in sport. Whatever capacity the Maoris had for assimilating the benefits of Western civilisation should not be •starved, but warmly encouraged. The surest way to make the Maori a good citizen and a real asset to this Heavenblessed country was to train him how to use his land to the best economic advantage within the limits imposed by his numbers and capacity. The Native Minister had inaugurated developments of incalculable benefit to his race which would earn him the gratitude of posterity. They should encourage the Maori to cultivate his own land, to grow his own food, to preserve the purity of his language, the poetry of his race, the romantic beauty of his folk-lore—to cultivate, in fact, not only the soil, but also a love for the Polynesian arts of his ancestors. It would surely be / a dull day for New Zealand if the charm of Maori music, handcraft, and dancing were to vanish into the limbo of things forgotten or become merely the hobby of the antiquarian and ethnologist. Let them also encourage their Maori compatriots, in consonance with the advice of their late eminent rangatira, Sir Maui Pomare, to develop in their settlements all those wholesome conditions which contributed to good health and long life. As his distinguished predecessor, Sir George Grey, insistently emphasised, the most certain way to ensure full justice to the Maori people and their heart-whole co-operation in the forward progress of this country was to develop a wider knowledge among their European fellow countrymen of their language, their traditions, and their outlook upon life and its problems.

His Excellency expressed the fervent hope that a nationalised Waitangi might be instrumental in developing throughout the whole community a greater sense of solidarity, a deeper spirit of nationhood based upon pride in its not unworthy beginnings, and of a past history of which it had no reason to be ashamed. On a spot clearly visible from the Waitangi estate Samuel Marsden, the pioneer of Christianity, preached his famous Christmas sermon 119 years ago to a fascinated Native audience, bringing the cheerful message of peace and goodwill to a people sunk in heathen darkness, it was the earnest hope of Her Excellency and himself that peace and goodwill between both races and all classes, based upon national unity and steadfast faith in God, (night ever flourish and abound in this dominion, and that Waitangi might not be without its influence in promoting them in days to come. “Ka nui takn aroha kia kotu.” ‘ Maori people, yon have our affectionate regards. Kia ora, kia ora.”