SLIP-PANELS.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume I, Issue 63, 17 November 1880, Page 2

SLIP-PANELS.

The Premier and the Native Minister are about to travel from Opunake to New Plymouth, en route to Auckland. It is said that their main object is to inspect the Maori fences and to pass tbe obstructiona to traffic, if the slin-aanels are moderately easy to take down or put up. A long and painful experience of slippanels has convinced us that all the combined forces of the Law, the Government, and his Satanic Majesty would fail to enforce the re-erection of a set of slip-rails on a public thoroughfare. The manly colonial spirit of independence objects to shutting a gate, and draws the line at slip-rails. As a rule, the noble savage reaoiuteiy scorns to put up a set of bars for a European, and even the Native Office could hardly expect the pakehas to be more obsequious to Maori claimants of confiscated land. If it has really been decided by the Ministry that, subject to t"he approval of the Premier and Native Minister, the Maori slip-panels 6hall be allowed to remain, then we would humbly suggest that the office of slip-panel erecter be conferred on the most patient and docile man to be found in the A.C. It is, however, quite possible that in the whole of the ranks of that force, none could be

found willing to undertake so base and humiliating a duty. Imagine the feelings of a gallant A.C., if a number of small Maori hoys were to ride, say at intervals of ten 'minutes, up and down the road, calling upon the defender of his country to perform the menial office of gatekeeper for them as often as seemed good to them. It would not be safe to instal any of the unemployed at the post, because no man whose spirit had never been subjected to a long course of strict military discipline could he depended on to withstand the constant fire of chaff from passers-by of both races. Still leBS could he bear the humiliating disappointments and trials of temper attached to Maori slip-bars. Ab a rule, three rails out of five fit any of the mortises, but the other two will go into the places intended for them, but into no other. No man would believe, until he had tried it, how many painful shiftiugs and changes this sort of thing involves. Then if one of the heaviest upper rails happens to be a little short, the chances are that during the fitting and changing, an untimely shake causes that rail to fall suddenly with a # crash on to one's shins or pet corn. Suppose, that in addition to the above little drawbacks, the day is cold and wet, and the gate-way a little muddy — then picture the agony of the unfortunate being who has been officially appointed to the post of Government-Maori slip-rail-erecter. Poetical justice would be meted out to the Maori squatters who claim the wheat-field, if the devil (in the image of the above important official) were to sow a liberal dose of pakeha tares among the Maori wheat.