The New Zealand Herald AUCKLAND, TUESDAY, AUGUST 30, 1864.

New Zealand Herald, Volume I, Issue 249, 30 August 1864, Page 3

The New Zealand Herald

AUCKLAND, TUESDAY, AUGUST 30, 1864.

SI'KCTEMUn AOT:.\7)O« " Give ovory in?4ii thino ear, but lew tby voico: Take cach man's ccntuiro, but resnrvo thy judgment. This above all, —To tliino ownsclf be truo; And it must fotiow, n» t)io night the day, Thou canst not then bo falso to HDy man."

Wiiex the present war broke out at Tatiirainaika some fifteen months ago, the folly of which the Government had been guilty in 18(51 in concluding an unsatisfactory peace with the Maoris at Taranaki was set in so strong a light to every one that there was little need of lengthy argument to convince men generally that such an act would not be repeated with the consent of this country. Having been forced into war for the third time through the insane monomania of the home Government and its representatives in the Colony, the colonists who, after all, are themselves the chief sufferers in every instance ol the hind, seemed determined (and

their determination was subsequently effectively expressed by tlie action-taken by their teprcaeiitatives in the C4eneral .Assembly) that whatever it cost. such measures should be adopted as would effectually and tor ever put an end lo the recurrence of similar outbreaks lur the future. "tt T o believe thin to be st ill the itentimeiit of the country at large, botn north and south. llow, indeed, could it.be otherwise ? Jt is as much the interest or tho colonists of the Middlo Island as it is our own that the Colony should have rest, from native troubles—that fair and reasonable guarantees should be taken ere a truce is granted to tlie rebels, that no more nativo risings shall divert the country from the legitimate pursuits of peaceful industry. "YVo have, however, all along maintained that it was only when the preliminaries preparatory to the winding up of the contest came to be considered that the probabilities of such a consummation could be fairly judged of.

We arc now approaching that particular juncture of affairs when the greatest circumspection is obviously needed to avoid if possible the taking n false step.. The error of diplomatist at this stage may be more diflicult to repair than the reverses of an army. In actual warfare the general may retrieve to-morrow the disaster of to-day, but the ratification ot doubtful or ambiguous terms of pacification can be followed only by interminable _ heartburnings ending iu future ircsh misunderstandings and renewed rupture. If we would prevent such a calamity wc must ponder well the course we are about to take toward bringing the war to a termination in this province. Wo have already reverted to the subject of disarming the native as one of the conditions on which alone the surrender of the rebels should be accepted. We are prepared to maintain that this is one of the most important features in the whole question of pacification—nay, the most important. The success of the entire scheme of New Zealand fcettlenient may yet depend upon the interpretation which our action at the present moment will appear to put upon this matter. It will be easy enough if we are so minded to reproduce the farce enacted three years ago by specifying conditions to the natives we never intend to carry out. We may lceep the promise to the ear with the colony and break it to the heart, but as certain as this is done in the matter of disarming the New Zealanders on this occasion so certain will flie same results follow as did then in the due course of time, and the next war in prospect with the Maoris, ere two years have elapsed will again become familiar with the colonists as a question of tyne only. Those were no alarmists two years ago who pointed out and foretold the results of Sir George Grey's truckling policy with the misguided natives, any more than we are alarmists now when we give warning ofthe dangers that lie ahead, but while we are anxious to see every obstacle removed to the speedy cessation ofhostilities throughout the island, we have a clear perception of the necessity that exists for looking narrowly to the foundation that is being laid in expectation of permanent peace. We want to seethe element of thoroughness recognized in every stage of its progress with this question. If there is tobea disarming of the late insurgents initiated iu terms, we desire to be assured that the thing is being carried out in fact. ~\Ye repeat the question, therefore, which we put with this view the other day—"What steps have been taken 1o enforce the disarming clause? When wc put this question before we were perfectly aware that ceil ain arms had been brought in by the Tauranga rebels at Ihe time of their surrender. We were equally cognizant of the fact that whereever stragglers have surrendered themselves in any of the disturbed districts they have as a rule brought with them weapons more or less numerous and of various kinds, but surely this was never conceived by any one to imply the sum of the government intention on the subject of disarming. .In our former remarks 011 this point we asked yet Inriher. Ought we to take the Maoris' word of honour in such a case? We may add, ought we to lake fhe word of any man under such circumstances? Wc unhesitatingly reply, No ! ,In doing so we are putting a premium on the crime we are attempting to suppress. In the instance of the Maori this .will be preminently true. If we hesitate to tell him that we claim all his arms as a first condition of peace and that we do so not nominally but positively, not on his word of honour merely, but 011 our own perfect satisfaction that the condition has been complied with, in the spirit as well as in the letter —we do but proclaim that the transaction is a truce and that the arms wc have allowed him to give orwithold at his option are to be used again in his own time, in his own fashion and and at his own pleasure. Can any one doubt that a disarming o.t this character will prove ruinous to the hope of the colonists, and that in point of fact it is no disarming at all ?

Nothing short of an authoritative demand for all arms lield by the natives can meet the circumstances of the case, or satisfy the reasonable expectations of the colonists. !3ueh demand should bo at once followed up by the creation by legal enactment of a properly organised system for carrying out the intentions of the authorities. The Government does not want for precedents if it is disposed to institute practical measures in the matter of disarming the natives of this country. Whenever such a step has been deemed desirable, the possession of amis without license has invariably been declared illegal; the extent of the illegality is fixed, and rewards arc offered l'or information against offenders in that behalf, to be proceeded with under sueli guards and restrictions as may secure the smallest possible amount of annoyance to the peaceable subjects consistent with the attainment of the objects of the measure. Any profession of disarming the Maori at the present time that does not embrace some such provision, eannnot possibly result in anything practical. "\Ve believe a measure of this nature to lie absolutely necessary at this crisis in New Zealand. ~\Vo declaie at once we have no faith whatever in a system of voluntary disarmament on the part of rebels themselves. The few comparatively worthless firelocks presented to the Government at Tauranga and elsewhere even if they amounted to several hundreds, do not represent the arms in the possession of the natives.

"Will any one believe tlmt it is judicious or sale to permit a semi-civilised race, excitable to a proverb, and wlio. within the ppnee of twenty years, have just passed

through their third war, with the Europeans in the country, the option of deciding for themselves how many or how few of these arms they will deem it expedient of their own free will to denude themselves? Wo think we may safely leave rhe answer to this question with the entire body of the settlers, both north and south. Let it. bo remembered that the question is now or never! If, while yet the troops are m the country, we cannot disarm thorouHilv the tew natives who have already submitted to us, when, may we ask, do we expect that tins will be done? "We esteem the question in this view of vital importance at the present moment. If the natives are disiirmed now, they will never be disarmed. it they are not disarmed, on what a smouldering volcano are we attempting for a third time to consolidate peace ! Do we suppose that the semi-savage— accustomed to war, and loving it for its own sake, who has never yet obeved our laws, or made himself familiar with regular industrial pursuits—will settle down with arms and ammunition 111 his hands.and never more give the Government or the country trouble ? . We implore both country'and Government to consider well how they decide tins matter.

The Maoris, wo doubt not, in many instances are distressed and humbled, and are anxious for peace, but generally oil no better piinciple than their temporary necessity. Clothe and feed them, and let them have arms and ammunition without practical contiol as heretofore, and we are but paving the way for future disaster—we are, ill effect, tempting the native people by a system of war-inade-easy to plunge once morc'at their convenience into violence and bloodshed. ''® u comes to this again, let it be i emembered Ave shall have to fight our own battles, both in money and in men—and what we now do or leave undone, will yet have to be accounted for at 110 distant day not simply after the fashion of a formal approval or condemnation of a system or a theory, but in the inexorable results of weal or woe to all concerned.

Tiieiie can be no doubt whatever that the English people have quite made up their mmds that English troops shall not continue to be furnished at the cost of English tax-payers to fight against the natives of aSew Zealand. Imperfectly informed as to the real merits ot the case, and erroneously looking upon the present war as one causecl by the colonists, in pursuing a selfish and unkindly policy toward the natives, a decision has undoubtedly been arrived at which clearly hands the natives over to us, and with them a legacy of ill-will and strife caused in reality by mismanagement on the part of the mother country and her servants in the colony. But as we have before spoken 011 this .subject we shall not now enter into it, but direct the thoughts of our readers into a channel that may lead to some practical good in connection with our future management of the natives.

Pursuing the train of thought which has dictated several former articles on this subject, we again especially revert to education, 011 account of its vast importance. It is in fact the keystone of the social, moral, and intellectual fabric we desire to raise 011 the ruins of Maori barbarism and ignorance. Civilization is 111 reality another term for education. They march onward hand in hand. They are "twin sisters that cannot be separated, and especially when accompanied by the teachings of a pure religion. Civilization without education is as impossible as the 110011-day light without the 110011-day sun. To expect one without the other, is to expect to reap where we have not sown, to gather fruit before wo lwe planted the. tree. To expect the fruits then of civilization, until education has prepared the soil, is to expect to gather grapes of thorns and figs of thistles. There arc very many ways in which a people like the Maoris can be receiving various forms of education. The word is used by us in its fullest sense, a leading forth of the faculties of the mind generally, and feeding and nourishing those faculties with proper food. Wo now advocate something more than Ihat education which is in truth being silently carried on, without effort on our part, by the simple contact of the natives with the colonists. This is of great value, but it is very subordinate to that of direct education, and the gradual inoculation of the Maori with European knowledge and ideas by a system of instruction established by Government, x and energetically and wisely carried 011.

| Again, how can we expect that the native will cease to be a child if lie is always treated as such ? Keep him constantly in leadingstrings, constantly apply to him rules of conduct that will euervate his mind and prevent the growth of all manly feelings of honor and independence ; continue to treat him as a pauper of a dangerous class whose good conduct must be secured by bribes of blankets, Hour, potatoes, and such like, at the time that he bus large landed estates that would enable him to purchase all things necessary for him, and also strong active limbs quite as capable of exertion as are those of the white man, and as sure!}' as we do so,we present a barrier to his advancement in civilization, and are inpoiutof fact, therefore, his enemies rather than his friends. The native requires anothersy stem of' education than this. His mind requires bracing up, and feeding with correct views of J Eft; and his duties. ' He requires to be taught that " labour is the Jaw of G-od, and the lot of man," aud the full dignity of manhood, and independence, aud self-relinncc, rather than trained to be a constant waiter upon Providence in the shape of .Native Ministers aud Native sympathisers, who are looked upon as.- au unfailing source from whence streams of bounty flow. The Maori, instead of being trained to "look for this parish relief given through the NativeOffice, should be taught that he has not only the means of a comfortable subsistence within his grasp, but that he has also the menus of wealth Jyiug every where around him. This would be far greater kindness to him than that most pernicious system of bribery which has hitherto prevailed; a system that would sap the root of all personal self-respect and self-dependence, and sense of manly honour, among a white population •, and which most, assuredly prevents the growth of these recipients of a bounty degrading alike to the giver and receiver, in all the higher and ennobling and civilizing qualities of mankind.

To root out rather than to sow these seeds that produco such worthless fruit, is our duty. To tench him to scorn aid, while lie

can do without thaE aid, ft' the greateetf service we can render hiriV. To implant inhim tliose feelings which have So often been? displayed bv the English peasant- asd \vork~ ing man—feelings that look upon public charity as a degradation, and that would;I rather sutler,' and almost die, than be therecipients of relief from public sources, —will elevate his moral tone and feelings of manly independence. These are the feelings which have characterised thousands of ill-clad, iIH fed, famishing Englishmen. These are the feelings that have been shown in such numerous cases by the distressed factory operatives, and they speak in a clear loud voice that cannot be mistaken of the nobleness of the character and the honest manly principles of a brave and independent and selfreliant heart, a heart that depends rather oil itself than on others, and that parades not its sorrows and wants before Ministers or Governors, expectingto be fed by the common funds of the country, while there is labour to be done, and strength and health to do it. This is a kind of education that would be most valuable to the natives of these islands, arid one which everybody who has at all studied human nature will at once see, that though it be much more difficult and more troublesome to practise, than to hand a blanket or an order for a bag of Hour, it is infinitely more valuable. But there must also be direct education such as is popularly so called, and we can never expect any great advance in civilization until the native has learnt the- language of civilization. His intercourse is at present all but exclusively confined to those who, like himself, are still blindly groping their way in the dark, and who have no clearer perception of any higher and better way than lie has himself. Instead of cutting, or at least loosening, the cords that tie him so closely to his own race, and the manners, customs, habits, opinions, and tone of thought of that race, we leave him still tied and fettered, and keep out of his reach the greatest and best possible means of aiding him to elevate himself.

No iban with any knowledge of the world could predicate anj'thing but failure of the system tliat has hitherto prevailed. That system must be changed, and the blessings of education, based upon the English language, must be carried with its fructifying, leavening, elevating influence into every Maori - 'village in the Province. The light of the sun of knowledge must be poured into the dark and gloomy recesses of the native mind, and the Maori will soon feel the benefit of its warming and cheering rays ; will soon appreciate that great gift which illumines hiß progress and guides his advancing steps as he moves onward on the path of civilization, of comfort, and of happiness,—the path of peace and harmony with both Native and European.

.And in considering this most importantsubject. the position of the female portion of the Xatives must be specially kept in view. "Woman's position in society, and the influence she exerts, is always in exact proportion to the decree of enlightenment of the race to which she belongs. She is sunk the lowest, and her influence is least, in the lowest depths of barbarism ; she rises with civilization as surely as a ship floats when water is adnittted into the dry dock in which she may be placed. And she rises the highest in importance where the highest type of civilization, viz.. that of religion in its purest form, exisis. In the one extreme, she is little better than a beast of burden, in the other she is man's help mate, but softening and refining, and elevating him : robbing trouble of half its power, and more than doubling his jovs and pleasures. The Maori women and girls, therefore, must be especially cared for, and be taught not only some book learning, but more especially all those feminine duties and accomplishments which are required to make a. home comfortable and enjoyable. The word home is one, the full significance of which has yet to be taught them. And they will best learn it by being taught general household work in addition to the ordinary routine of school lessons. In fact, industrial training is of the very highest possible importance, and the establishment of industrial schools, such as that established by her Majesty at "Windsor, and personally visited by her, must be founded throughout the Native districts of the Province. Schools where cooking, baking, washing, starching, ironing, as well as sewing and cutting out clothes, are daily taught. And it is found in practice that children who devote a portion of their school time to industrial work, lose nothing intellectually by devoting less time to book work than is usual. The adoption of the plans we here suggest carried out with wisdom and discretion, would attract the Maori girls by its novelty, would wean them from many of their present modes of living, of eating, and of dressing, and implant in thein higher and more refined tastes, and do much to elevate them in a very short time, to a very much higher Btate of civilization than that in which they now are. This system would be a great means of developing individual talent, taste, and ability, and of giving it. full scope ; just as individualising property and breaking their tribal arrangements will free the energy both of men and women, and cut the Gordian knot which now binds the prudent and energetic, the spendthrift and the slothful, and keeps all 011 one monotonous dead level of idleness and carelessness, and prevents therefore, talent, energy, merit, and ability from rising to (heir proper position. The spread of education will make this tribal fabric loiter, and at last so undermine it that it will 110 longer exist, and the new life will be imparted to many a Maori, when lie sees that he can. secure the labour of his hands to hio own individual use.