THE The New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. SATURDAY, MAY 23, I903. THE END OF AN ERA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XL, Issue 12278, 23 May 1903, Page 4

THE The New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. SATURDAY, MAY 23, 1903. THE END OF AN ERA.

The ceremony of yesterday at Government House, when Mahuta was sworn in as a member of the Legislative Council of New Zealand and of the Executive, is really an event of unique interest. At the signing of the deed by which Scotland agreed to give up her independence and" to be joined with England to form Great Britain, one of the great Scottish Lords empowered to attach his signature, exclaimed as he did so, " And there's the end o' an auld sang !" And we take it that the consent of Mahuta to come into the Council of the pakeha is the end of even the pretence of a kingship in New Zealand apart from the Crown of Great Britain. The Maori assertion of kingship has not lasted long as history goes, but its annals, for the first part at all events, have been written in blood. There . has been dispute as to whether at first the Maoris desired to assume the title of king. In the first instance they spoke of an "Ingiki" instead of "kingi," and it was said that William Thompson (Te Waharoa) had been hearing read some parts of Robertson's History of America," and was struck with the word " Inca." At all events what the Maoris wanted was clear enough. They desired a leader who should unite the different tribes, and who would prevent the encroachments of the Europeans.

Early in 1857, William Thompson (Te Waharoa) visited Auckland to lay the grievances of the Maoris before the Governor. It seems that he was denied access to Governor Gore Browne, who did not know the Maori language or the customs of the people. Thompson went home, determined to ask no more favours, and in February, 1857, sent a circular " to all Waikato," declaring that his tribe, the Ngatihaua, agreed that Potatau should be King of New Zealand. At a meeting at Rangiriri, a flag was erected—white, with a red border, and two red crosses as symbols of Christianity, and the words, "Potatau, King of New Zealand." The Union Jack was hoisted near the new flag. Takirau tied the flags together, saying, "Our king will be friendly with the Queen," and asking for the blessing of God on New Zealand. There can be little doubt that at first the leaders were loth that their king movement should assume an appearance of hostility to the English power. They desired to have a king to pub an end to disputes amongst themselves, and to prevent the encroachment of European power. William Thompson, the Kingmaker, in a letter to the Governor, asked : " This great name of God, which is spoken of to me, why is this free to me, while of the name of king I am told, 'It is sacred ; mention it not.' Let the pakeha look to Deuteronomy xvii. 15. Was not the Queen English, Nicholas Russian, Buonaparte French, Pomare Tahitian, each from his own

people? ... I, of this island, am of a different race, not nearly connected. ' My only bond with you is in Christ' (Ephesians ii. 13). . . I say, O friends, that the things of God are for us all. . . . Do you grudge us a king, as if ii: were a name greater than that of God? If it were so that God forbade us, then we would give it up." Thompson went on to say that Potatau was set up in 1857 " to put an end to land feuds, to put down troubles, to hold the land of the slave, and to judge the offences of the chiefs." He continued : " I do not desire to cast the Queen from this island, but from my own land. I am the person to overlook it." He called to mind that he was converted to Christianity at the Rotorua war in 1836, and had ever afterwards laboured with the missionaries for peace, and to stay the rivei- of blood which war made to flow in the land. Thompson was undoubtedly the leader in the erection of the kingship, and his statements of its objects must be taken as true and accurate for the party who acted with him. A great meeting was held at Ngaruawahia in 1860, to confirm Potatau as king, and to erect his flag. The flagstaff was erected on May 29, and was named after Potatau's ancestor, Te Paue. William Thompson said:—"Let us not take up an unrighteous cause. Let us search out the merits of the case, that if we die we may die in a righteous cause." But the influences on both sides against a peaceful settlement were too great. Many of the younger Maoris were delighted at the pros-

pect of war, and thought they could beat the English soldiers. And a majority of the European settlers of Auckland and Taranaki, who saw that the king movement would put a stop to the advancement of settlement, were averse to the use of anything but force. And so the colony drifted into war, which lasted for some 15 or 20 years. The first Maori king was Potatau te Wherowhero, the head of the Ngatimahuta tribe, and paramount chief of all the Waikatos. He died during the war, and his son Tawhiao succeeded. During his kingship the power of the office greatly declined. But 'there were still many of the natives who were averse to yielding up the kingship. During Tawhiao's reign most of the great chiefs who had founded the king movement, and who had been spared by the war. —men such as Tamati Ngapora and Rewi Maniapoto. The younger generation could see that nothing was to be gained. Sir George Grey, while Premier, attended native meetings at Te Kopua and Hikurangi, and the effect was to bring about the result of yesterday. The offer which Mahuta has now accepted was made to his father, but he declined, as he felt that acceptance would mean the loss of prestige, or mana, amongst his fellow countrymen. Mahuta has been in no hurry ; he has acted deliberately, and after full consideration. It would have been interesting had some of the principal chiefs of the North Island been invited to be present at yesterday's ceremonial, and also some of our older citizens, such as the Rev. Dr. Purchas and Mr. John Webster. Henare Kaihau, who is credited with having done much to bring about this result, belongs to the Ngatiteata (Sons of the Morning) tribe, of Waiuku, and is nearly connected with the family of Potatau. Major Mair, who was present, may well represent those who served throughout the war. He was present at nearly every engagement, he fired the last shot in Waikato, and I he commanded at the capture of the : i Te Teko pa, the most brilliant event I of the campaign on the East Coast. It was appropriate that this event j should take place on the day when i the School for Maori Girls was opened. We Europeans must keep in mind that this surrender of the kingship and of all pretence to a I separate power means also responsibility for us. And that is, that we 1 must treat the remnant of the race with all respect and care. We must see that sanitary laws are enforced amongst them, that industry and sobriety are promoted, that the means ! of education are abundantly afforded.