THE EARLY HISTORY OF NEW ZEALAND.

Marlborough Press, Volume XXI, Issue 1250, 26 November 1880, Page 4

THE EARLY HISTORY OF NEW ZEALAND.

LECTURE BY DR T. M. HOCKEN, Of DUNEDIN. (From the Otago Witness.) Amongst the few still remaining I may mentiorj the Bishop of Wellington, Octavius Hadfield, a zealous man, and one of lofty character; Archdeacon Maunsoll, now of Auokland, who compiled a New Zealand Dictionary, and was a, if not tho, principal translator of the Old Testament into Maori ; the Venerable Bishop William Williams, author of " Christianity amongst the New Zealanders,” who was in Dunedin a fow years ago at the Church of England Synod, will, no doubt, be well remembered by most here. He was one of the earliest New ’ Zealand missionaries, arriving in 1825, to join bis brother, Archdeacon Henry Williams, who arrived in 1823 He died at Napier about four years ago. He completed the translation of the New Testament. Many interesting stories did he recount of the early times when he, in common with his brethren, indeed carried his life in bis hands; the Rev. Mr Buller, author of the recent work *' Forty Years in New Zealand,” and the father of Dr Bailer, the ornithologist; and the Rev. W. Oolenso, of Napier, so valued a contributor to the Transactions of the Institute M ssionary influences was a phase much in men's mouths forty years ago and later. By their enemies the missionaries were accused of being avaricious, greedy of land bought from the Natives at small valuation, in hospitable, desirous of establishing a sort of hierarchy, and of endeavouring by every means in their power to hinder the settlement of the country by Europeans. Tho outbreak of the early Native hostilities, the difficulties besetting the purchase of land from the owners of the soil, and the initiation of Government measures distasteful to the early settlers were attributed to missionary influence. That some of the number became unfitted to discharge their high functions and were dismissed from the body in consequence is quite true ; but it is equally true that we who have come after are to an extent indebted to them for the, at any rate, partially successful effort of civilising the Natives and of teaching them the peaceful arts. Was it not their duty to step between them and the landshark—as he was then first called—and prevent the sale of thousands of aores of-valuable land at the price of a few hatchets, blankets, and a little tobacco ? Were not their fears well founded that the fruits of their many years’ labours would be destroyed by a tido of immigration which might bring in its flood the scum of European population and of ex-oonvicts from the neighbouring Colonies, specimens of which they so frequently saw ? Were they not right in endeavoring to stem such a possible torrent ? And when an English Government was founded, now to its position, from whom could it seek better oouusel than from the missionary ? Scantily recompensed as he was, exposed to many a danger, and with little opportunity of educating his ohildren or of bringing them up to professions, did be not exercise but common prudence in making provision for them by the purchase of land ? In New South Wales,,it was customary to make grants of land in favor of the early missionary’s family, who had left the comforts of home and of society. All this and more must be fairly pleaded in their favor, and yet I must conclude, from research and much conversation with men of education and integrity, that the missionaries often assumed ah attitude unwarranted by circumstances, and savouring of suspicion, if sot of hostility to the settlers. Some of the more highly educated missionaries were fait 1 above entertaining any such feeling In England the hostility of the Church Missionary Society to the movement of British colonisation in New Zealand was deoidedly of the most open obaracter. Mr Danderson Coates, its lay secretary and deolared that be would oppose the step by every means in his power. In it he saw the gradual but certain deterioration and extinction of the Native race, and the thwarting of tho missionary’s best-laid efforts for their moral and religious advancement. Representations such as these had great weight with the British Government, and threw most serious obstacles in the way of the New Zealand Company. At all events, religious labours amongst the Natives have long waned ; indeed for many years past they have almost wholly or entirely ceased. In 1867 1 remember Bishop Selwyn, when leaving these shores for his Lichfield diocese, mournfully deploring that this should be so. He did not seek to explain it, but. like a true Ctiristian, bowed his head! and left the. .mystery in tho hands of God. Often, the missionaries complained that they were like men crying in the wilderness! ' 1 Perhaps tho seed fell : on sterile ground. Perhips, and probably, tho ad vent of Europeans and their habits imparted none of their own virtues and all their vices. Atid'perhaps'some thoughtful men may see in Christianity but a lever introducing the civilisation of a dominant rape; and that the leverage is now accomplished so far as New Zealand is concerned. When Hawke’s Bay was erected into a province some clever satirist proposed that this should be its seal :—ln the background was tho westering sun, whose face was oovered with a broad grin ; towards it were hurrying a missionary and a Maori, the latter still clad in his native mat. In the, foreground facing to the east was a settler, at whose feet was a plough, Clever, severe, underserved. The first book printed in New Zealand was by him. It was printed at Paihia at the newly erected Missionary Press, in 1835, and is a trans-

lation of the Philippians and Ephesians. Previously all necessary printing was done at Sydney, by G. Eager, of King street. These facts are mentioned as of some historic interest, and this will be the proper place to say that the New Zealand language was reduoed to law and order from chaotic confusion, and rendered susceptible of being written by Professor Lee, of Cambridge, in 1820, who subsequently imposed on the vowels the open or Italian sound. Previously the phonetic qualities of the vowels were represented by tho writer in accordance with bis own idea of their orthography- Henoe the clumsy appearance of Poonamoo, VVytangy, Wyeatto, Honrackee, Some Native names in use among us to this day offend agaiußt the cannons laid down by Professor Lee. The language is particularly soft and sweet, abounding in vowels, and every word terminating with one ; bo fair a tongue deserves the full beauty of ; the Italian dress. It was Mr Kendall, one of the first of Mr Marsden’s missionaries, who, visiting England in 1820, assisted Professor Lee in his labours on the language. He was accompanied by the celebrated chief Hongi Hika, the Napoleon of New Zealand, as he was called, also a friend of Mr Marsdeu’s, and on® who, as you will remember, so greatly aided in the introduction of Christianity. Hongi. whose visits to Sydney and association with the white man had fired his curiosity, was restless to visit England, and thither he went with Mr Kendall, in his own words, to see King George’, and bring back missionaries, carpenters, blacksmiths. Europeans, and 20 soldiers.” In England he was invited to visit the King, from whom he received a present of a suit of armour. He saw the greatness and grandeur of the kingdom, its soldiers, and its military preparations ; he heard the stories of Nagoleon’a battles, with which all Europe then rang ; and inflamed with all the warlike spirit of his race, he exclaimed “There is hut odo Kiog for England: there shall be but one for New Zealand,”

(To be continued.)