NOTES ON NEW ZEALAND. PIONEERING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 8854, 16 April 1892, Page 1 (Supplement)

NOTES ON NEW ZEALAND. PIONEERING.

-<ja. No. VI. [! - .Y 11. v.. .n.uvis.J Ri'.Tur.NiNC. to Taranaki's early days, and the brief description of the last tribal wars — which are already written history by intelligent New Zealand pioneers,— it may be interesting to quotes a fen" memorable remark- and opinions made to us at the time upon the late Maori campaigns, by Barrett and his European colleagues— smoothed down from their crude vernacular. They were true representatives of the rude invader upon the savage aboriginal habits

and customs, from their own hard ex. iietiences amidst the chronic state of unrest that existed between the four or live governing tribes—north, south, east, and west.

Native plantations were never undertaken without the prospect of some other tribe or section reaping the produce. The prominent features in their constant exercises appeared in the practice of fiendish facial and obscene contortions of the human form, and to exhibit a mode of refined cruelty in the use of their weapons of war, to display intimidation and readiness for battle at all times.

Un the other hand, during quiet domesticity, many pleasing characteristics were observable between hapux and relations of ardent affection — especially that of man and wife—and the most instinctive urbanity to European strangers; free hospitality and immunity from harm—when free from the complicated laws of tapit ; stillpenalties were not enforced in a majority of unwitting infractions by a kunri. The latter excellent traits in the Maori presented a good soil for the missionary's seed-time, but their culture was to prove by long-patient application and a generation of heartbreaking, fitful discouragements ; in the face of neutralising hindrances of guns, ammunition, rum, maddening arrack, etc. At the back of the settlement of Moturoa, on the estate of Mr. Barratt, there were two fresh water lakelets, flanked by steep sandhills. These were frequented morning and evening by European and native bathers; soon all became accustomed to enjoy envelopes of sand friction over the epidermis, and then start down the sandy declivity, turning a somersault into the lake, to the astonishment of the natives at first

Occasionally, upon our return of an ovening, we sat down amongst Barratt's people for a gossip upon the war that had taken place- upon the spot which wo then occupied. During the description of one ami another of the European actors in the tight, one stalwart native after another, or perhaps a line, large-framed faithful spouse of one of the former, would in turns start up on legs, and enact with apt gesticulation some particular scene in illustration of the narrative. THE EUROPEAN" DEFENDERS of Taranaki, or Moturoa, consisted of Barratt and the other whaling headsmen, Love, Akers, Wright, Phillips, and Oliver; wiry, powerful, rough seamen ; each with his Maori wife and children. It was interesting to listen to explanations of Maori acts and motives from these first experts and rude chroniclers of the late political events and times, with which they had been practically " in touch" ; as well as those local sanguinary horrors of the tribal war a few years previously, in which they heroically figured. The epitome of their several opinions may, perhaps, be considered worthy of record, and also entitled to some credence, when the modern mind rellects that the narrators of the various unstudied phases never manifested the slightest hypocrital evasion of their own dissolute habits and lawless acts, but rather exulted in their display of rampant orgies, and bestial practices, that conveyed to our minds intentions availing of every opportunity to oppose and stultify the civilising sunshine of Christianity. Tho Bay of Islands was, at tlio time of the Pcv. Samuel Mar.sden and his colleagues, a veritable Alsatia, where only might and vice prevailed ; a state of pandemonium anarchy, enacted over half a score years, by escaped convicts from the penal colonies, as also runaway whalers throwing up their " lays" to revel in the Bay's bestialities for a season or two.

lb was made apparent that the very aboriginals were becoming vitiated, and were degraded by the newly-introduced convict vices, that never entered their own ingenuity when following their cruel barbarisms, until THE great mixta assumed supremo chieftainship of the North, and essayed, like Napoleon, to bring the chronic contentions of the various rulers into subjection, under a chief dictator. We were also made to understand that New Zealand was claimed chiefly by five independent tribes, generally classed : the Bay of Islands; Hokiangi chiefs under Hongi; the Waikatos, under To WheroWhero ; the Ngatiawas, formerly of East Coast, afterwards of Taranaki and Port Nic. ; the Kawhia tribe, under Te Rauparaha ; and the Taupo tribe, under Te Heulleu, " King of Men." At the time of Hongi, " The Formidable," New Zealand exported upwards of a quarter of a million in oil, flax, etc., and the chief, upon his visit to England, found a wide field for his keen, observant faculties and remarkable intelligence. He promised all his surroundings there, that he would cooperate with mission labours and settlers, that the present wars and revengeful raids should be put down, no European nor Maori molested in his peaceful occupation, and, in fact, that cannibalism should give place to cultivation and grazing the country throughout. lie saw that a force, partly armed with guns, would effect all that ho had promised, bub could find no means of assistance to that, end outside himself, and therefore, upon his arrival in Sydney, he disposed of all the English presents from King George and others, and with the proceeds purchased fire-arms and

ammunition. He afterwards obtained other supplies of native produce, mustered by bis people, and started with 300 stand of .arms to give first lesson to Waikato (they having lately killed his son-in-law). Wars after wars, followed, thousands fell before his guns, thousands were enslaved, and from time to time, when plantations, stores, and other sources of food were exhausted, selections were made from tho vicious and turbulent to furnish the necessary gastronomic supplies for his army. Fiendish heads and leaders of tribes were first victims. The New Zealanders saw at once that the old mode of warfare by clubs, spears, and tomahawks was useless, for they had to abandon a garrison on the Waipa of WOO with a loss of MOO. This was tho TURNING POINT OK WARFARE in New Zealand, and they saw that their existence or slavery depended upon possession of firearms also. All members hastily set to work, producing flax, etc., in exchange, chiefly for old Tower muskets, Brummagem guns, and ammunition, in order to retain their identity. llongi's policy was to overrule aboriginal savagery, and, by reduction of old cannibalistic practices and gross superstitious deceptions, pave tho way for missionary work and settlement of Europeans. This DETERMINED REFORMER was comparatively small of stature, broad, high forehead, quick, piercing eyes, cool resolution, and Hashing at times with fiery energy. His face, of handsome proportions, presented the most elaborate curvatures in tattooing ; not the least space had escaped the artist's chisel ; here and there little curls had been added, winding among the lines as apparently afterthoughts of beauty. In his domestic and neighbourly life he over manifested gentleness and the mildest and kindliest affection.

Ho adhered to all the soldier-like display that ho could muster; always went, into battle in his chain armour, and eventually mot his death wound by a surprise ball through the back whilst fighting at. Whangaroa in IS'27. But on a lingering, dying bed, lie had sufficient time to issue his mandates for the absolute protection of all Europeans, nwl that the number of mission stations already established should be added to and encouraged throughout the land, to succeed Maori savagery and war ; and although working with cannibalistic material, he at the same time placed members of his family, child ren and youths, under the missionary's educating care. Hongi was restless to work out a reform at once, without applying himself in the first, instance to Christianising influences ; but went forth to stamp out the barbarism and tohutuja practices of the Maori. He had forbearance with the escaped convicts, who held aloof from taking part in fighting ; for he had observe'! when in England the shipload* of chained nun and shiploads of poverty stricken women and youths ; enslaved—according to hi* views. He was informed that for venial crimes, down to the offences of satisfying hunger with theft of a piece of bread, or the snaring of a bird or rabbit, gave cause for this condition of things; and, considering the broad distinction of the palxha classes, saw that there was a chance of a better condition for the Maori.

Hongi sought by every means to curb and admonish lawless Europeans, and demanded also that Maoris should abandon heathenism and the now vico of drunkenness. His whole soul was exercised to civilise; and from the absolute command winch he believed was attainable over tho Maori, to raise him to a higher standard than the vice-crammed beings -around, who were gradually undermining and obtaining complete possession by rum of tho capacities of his own chiefs.

Tho three great outposts of Hongi's operations were Waikato, East and West Coasts ; ami so soon as the wily Te Rauparaha saw the subjection of Waikato he sought, with almost abject entreaties, to unite with Taupo to put down these nationalities (the conqueror and the conquered), bub the HUGE TE HEUIIEU looked down contemptuously upon tho smaller Te Rauparaha, and smiled a very supercilious refusal to descend from his high Imperial position. Thus was tho Machiavel of Kawhia warned of his untenable position, ami, upon his return, he took to flight with his people, over soma 400 miles of coast, down to Kapiti. Waikato set to work upon flax with great determination, in order to obtain some shipments of the new weapons, heeding no more of Hongi's peace conditions than the lion in his domain. Emissaries to tho Arawas, via Maketu and Waikato in the thermal Lake country, had been repeatedly sent from Hongi with warnings of a new order of things. That there should be no more killing and eating each other, that KOIMN'fiS ALIVE should cease ; that food should be obtained by labour in the ground, and the breeding of grazing animals ; finally, that, should tho tribe injure any missionary, his family, or his assistants, who might arrive amongst them, immediate extirpation of tho tribe would be made. These inland tribes had attained the notoriety of being the most ferocious savages and vilest cannibals that existed in New Zealand. They made raids on their coastal neighbours, and existed upon killing and eating them, in preference to relying upon the cultivation of the soil, although considering themselves secure from retaliation from the secure nature of their distant strongholds.

In the course of time—whether fomented by designing pcikcha- Maoris or not —at the Thermal localities, where some brutalities hail occurred, a salutary lesson to the Arawas was considered to be necessary, and a war expedition was prepared. Of course such violent resorts were ostensibly discouraged and repudiated by the gentle ■pakefia of the Bay, but they were, nevertheless, looked upon with mental eyes approvingly askance. Ifongi sailed down tho coast with his fleet of canoes, and, upon arriving at Maketu, all stores of food were there seized, and tho Ngapuhis at once commenced to haul certain of their canoes overland to the first lake—a distance of 25 miles—thence across the two isthmuses, on to Rotorua. There the Like barbarians wcro utterly defeated with great slaughter, and numbers scattered to the mountainous country beyond the plains. The foremost savages captured, were killed and cooked in tho numerous boiling sarcophagi, whenever natural rations became scarce in the commissariat of Hongi's army.

The apt minds of tho Waikato were intensely exercised over the successes of Hongi, and they no doubt in tho course of time would have arrived at his suggested mode of governing the tribes, precisely as they did a few years afterwards; but this was hindered by the commercial enterprise of certain Sydney traders, who were soon to the front, with some small cargoes of frectrade, consisting of old condemned Tower muskets and blasting powder. Thus a few scoro of arms were obtained by Waikato, and their valour became exalted to tho height of fighting to regain their prestige and revenge their relatives, or to bo eaten to a man.

After Hongi's death, I'omare succeeded him, a brave chief, who endured for a time the insolent revilings and raids of Waikato. Pomare was pledged to maintain the policy of Hongi, and an expedition to the Waipa was carried out; but on this occasion the seige was maintained with a large expenditure of powder on both sides, and the Waikatos became the conquerors. Sydney blasting powdr utterly routed all Hongi's executive, army, and prestige ; for only ten men escaped to relate the disaster, and Pomare's tattooed head was preserved and displayed on a staff by the Waikatos, as a great trophy, entitling them—they considered— to the majesty of New Zealand, which they afterwards sought to maintain. As to the one-sided history of the great Hongi and his pristine chivalry, Shakespeare's remarks may apply :

The evil that men do lives after them, The good is oft interred with their b >nes.