JUSTICE FOR THE MAORI

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22724, 10 May 1937, Page 12

JUSTICE FOR THE MAORI

Sir, —Air. J. W. Hedley's reiterated demand for justice for the Maori seems to be based upon a contention that, by settling New Zealand and winning the Maori wars we. the whites, have inflicted a bitter and inexpiable wrong on the aboriginal race. Well, he might as justly and forcibly urge the same argument in Australia, both tho Americas, all the Pacific Islands and the whole Continent of Africa. It would not be given much of a hearing in any of those countries, and in none of them have the conquered aboriginal inhabitants been treated with as much consideration as the Maoris in New Zealand. To give the Maori full justice on the lines of Mr. Hedley's contention we should put him back into the stato in which his great-grandfather lived. Only the settlement of this' country by the" British made New Zealand of tho remotest economical or political importance; and only that settlement gave tho Maori motor-cars, pensions, wireless sets, weather-tight houses and police protection. Shall we, then, deprive him of these things, prohibit him from obtaining liquor and permit him to scratch a vegetarian living from the soil, as he did in Tutanekai's day? It would be interesting to hear the collective view of tho Maori race itself on that suggestion. Mr. Hedley strongly urges the Maori's exclusive paramount right to New Zealand by discoveiy and conquest. Does lie imply that no other race possesses that right? lhat mythical Kupe of A.D. 900 is to be remembered to the exclusion of historical James Cook of 1772 and almost contemporary Edward Wakefield? It is verv easy to grow hysterical and extravagant. in-sympathy for a defeated warrior. but, lost we be worried by the idea that we are grievously wronging the Maori, lot us remember that there are only four countries on earth 111 which a black or brown man is considered equal —or superior—l 6 a white man, namely, Haiti, Dominica. Liberia and IScw Zealand. Only in the latter is tho white population the more numerous. Bombay. • Laixg.