THE MAORIS IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Hawke's Bay Weekly Times, Volume 2, Issue 86, 24 August 1868, Page 205

THE MAORIS IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

The second act of the great political farce has been performed, and the grave and reverend seigniors of the New Zealand parliament have been edified by listening to the outpouring' of the wisdom of the native race, as shown in the addresses of the repre : sentatives of that people on the occai sionof. the late debate concerning tlid policy "of ministers. A report of the speech made by Tareha appears- in our columns this day, and it may betaken as a fair! specimen of the whole. It is difficult to discover the bearing of these addresses oh the question before the house, but as a kind .of interlude from real busiuess they, were no doubt; acceptable. When Tareha approached the native difficulty we can fancy the eagerness with which honorable members listened to the interpreter—tliercwas a chance of. knowing from the representative of the. Maori what they- thought: ofourHrelations jvith them, and the remedy;'they had; to propose, to ; meet. tlie 'r existing - difficulties. j Some of th'e tbings done by you pakebas l, dpi uotl look peaceably upon.” . Now, thought the house, we shall hear” > what"'the^Maori considers ground of and anxiously they listened for the grievance; but what must HAve been, their disappoint-; meiit to find that it simply amounted to a complaint that he had been forced to submit to ,the law in having his cattle driven to a public pouud for trespass 11 Surely never was there a more striking illustration of the old payable r of the mountain and the ridiculous moi&e thin this. . I, a chief, have bad to submit, to your law,. but when I made.a law ; ;you.would.hot submit to it, for “ when I thought to have a pound to myself T was taken into the Court!” i . •'

-Hi . -- '.-.v.:* -4 -- , However the liouse. may have felt at such a terrible descent ; as this, there is more in it than at first appeark; ! -It ! is, *in- fact, a true illustration of Maori grievances, and^' the', hei proposes is idehticaiiy. the same as. that demandedbybis from thetreMraints, of liberty: to do as they please without fear of : It-m'eets us' at^ve^tfli!fi; f!l ' :i . : Wiisiiiiii < Kingi at Taranaki years ago in effect said: Givo up tiie point in dispute

to me,* and there will he peace.” The same has been said by the rebels ever since, and is ** If you want peace,' give hack the lands you'. have taken, and let U 3 sdono.” ; “ Let us do. as we think right in our own eyes, and fighting will be at an end.” : . . Let those who have confidence in the native race lay this to heart, for there is no real, distinction between one party and another. One tribe is friendly because there does not happen to be at present anything very much opposed to their inclinations; but let a which brings them face to face, with the restrictions of the law, and it will be discovered that they, like their fellows, will rebel. The Government know this as well as .any one, else why the non-enforcement of particular laws? . Why was the Native Land Purchase Ordinance not enforced against the squatters of past days? and why is'the law against liquor-selling to the Maori allowed to become a dead letter ? The answer is plain, too plain, as in the case of Tareha and the public pound, the enforcement of these laws would clash against the will of the Maori, and possibly show the depth of his loyalty and respect for law and order.

Mete Kingi showed a little of this spirit in his speech, which followed Tareha’s. He advocated that the Patea murderers should be pardoned, and peace offered to them without their seeking it, and against the probability of their accepting it. He also had a grievance, in that after he had fought for the Government,, and land was confiscated, that land was not given over’to him, to the entire ignoring of the ciiiiins of other tribes, although, such claims were acknowledged by the Court; and when money was paid him instead of the land he was aggrieved that it wds not simply as a 'Tight on account, of his claim j but partly as a recognitiotLof his good behaviour;- Indeed, he seepis to hold 1 out a sort of threat if his wishes are riot

fulfilled, for. he says: V Let a measure 1 be laid down with regard to this new riiurder. I" hav.e 'advised the Maori people to remain and to -see whether in the''present session of the Assembly the matter may not be considered.”