MAORI OPINION OF EUROPEAN HOSPITALITY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 8664, 5 September 1891, Page 1 (Supplement)

MAORI OPINION OF EUROPEAN HOSPITALITY.

Mr. James Mackay writes A few days ago;I was ranch amused by a discussion between some Maoris respecting the hospitality exercised by themselves, as compared with that of the Europeans. It was stated "that when pakehas visited Maori settlements they were invariably entertained to the besb that the people could place before them ; and while there both guests and hosts would be on the most friendly terms; bub when the Maoris, in their turn, came to European places, those who had previously accepted their hospitality in many instances would not recognise them." This led to a discussion about the reception accorded to Tawhiao, the Maori king, and his followers when they first visited Auckland, after their long absence from it, and their almost; complete isolation from Europeans in the King Country, subsequent to the Waikato war. One party of the disputants contended, that " tho reception committee had been formed and entertained Tawhiao and his people with the sole object of inducing him to throw open the King Country for European settlement." The other side maintained that " it was meroly a pakeha method of making peace after a time of war." However, it was eventually settled by both parties coming to the conclusion that " the Europeans were a very strange and grasping people, and that no one could fathom their motives or designs." At this point I deemed it expedient to put in a word or two on behalf of the pakeha ; and for tho benefit of my other Maori friends will now repeat what I said :-p----"The reception committee had not been formed through any selfish motives, bub to give to Tawhiao and his followers a hearty welcome to Auckland, after their prolonged absence from it, caused by the war between the two races. That the Europeans wished to show that they had no ill-feeling towards the Maoris, and respected them as a brave and able foe. Also to express their desire for the future unity and maintenance of permanent peace and goodwill between the two peoples. I further pointed out that tho hospitality extended to Tawhiao and his followers was not confined to that of the reception committee alone, but that they had been in addition the guests of many private individuals. I instanced the case'of Mr. George R. Mcßae, the wellknown cooper, who was the first person to invite them to a .private entertainment, which took place at his residence, Fairlie Farm, Mangere, where a large number of our most influential citizens had been requested to meet them. Tawhiao and his party, together with the European visitors, were entertained with true Highland hospitality by Mr. and Mrs. Mcßae and their two daughters, the latter attending to the wants of Tawhiao's wife, Pare Hauraki, and the other native women who were present. It was impossible for Mr. Mcßao to have any selfish object in view, as he was j not engaged in any land or other transac- j tions connected with the natives. His only motive was to cement good feeling between the Maori and the pakeha races, and to welcome his Maori friends back to their old district of Mangere. I also cited the entertainments given by Messrs. J. W. Clark, J. C. Firth, and J. M. Shera, which were meanb as cordial welcomes to the 'Maori visitors and as rejoicings for the renewal of friendly relations with them." _ The Maoris should remember that it would bo utterly impossible for the Europeans to invite all travellers and passers-by into their houses and entertain them, the same as tho Maoris do at their settlements. I am well acquainted with .the hospitality of the Maori people, and have very often experienced it; and would not like to see any diminution in their well-known generosity. I would, however, like to impress on the Maoris the desirability of giving up the wasteful expenditure of time, money, and provisions at tangis (crying over the dead) aud meetings (frequently of no utility whatsoever) extending some times over several weeks; the Maoris, in order to gratify the vanity of their tribe, running into debt, impoverishing themselves in every way, and sometimes being reduced to a state of semi-starvation for months after the giving of the feast. It would bo well if the Maoris would now as far as possible conform to European habits and customs, and adapt themselves to the altered circumstances of their country, and whatever may be their opinion of European hospitality, they should endeavour to copy what is good in the pakeha, disabuse their minds of the idea that we do nothing, except through selfish and sordid motives. - '