BLACK AND WHITE SINNERS.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume II, Issue 177, 2 August 1888, Page 2

BLACK AND WHITE SINNERS.

Whatevkr may be said of the Maori in other respects, it is clear that he has a peculiar aptness for adopting the bad qualities of his white brother, though he may not always be able to play his cards so well, because the European can see a fault in the Maori while he is perfectly blind to the fact that it was he himself from whom the Maori took pattern. It was only the other day we had an example of the nonsensical tomfoolery to which our constitutional government can descend, by having all the important business blocked because it is found that the only way a species of monstrous jobbery can be stopped is to sacrifice all business, and obstruct progress of any kind. Now we find that the Maoris threaten the same

course of procedure, and why have they not got as much right to attempt it if they think they are right in what they are doing, as the Europeans have;’ for >s it not the example frequently followed by those who hold their seats by the will of the majority of taxpayers ? But instead of saying one course is as right as the other it would be more correct to say they are equally bad, and show to what a deplorable state the public business may be brought by the laxity of our Parliamentary rules. It does not say much for our representatives when such things are possible, while at the same time we are told that that the business is so backward that the Public Works Statement cannot be brought down. On this occasion it does no t matter much so far as that is concerned, but t.iis in no way condones the evil. Th 3 threatened Maori stonewall puts the matter in so ludricious a light that it might do much subsequent good if they did succeed in keeping up an effectual stonewall for some time, just to act as an irritant on the public pulse, and so disgust people that we might rely there would not be an early recurrence of such childish proceedings. The “stone jug” would be a suitable locality for some of those who are at the bottom of the nonsense. There are times, of course, when the minority must resort to strategy to prevent unfair or oppressive measures being passed by the majority, but it would need to be something more monstrous than is likely to be often attempted to be a justification for this silly mockery.