Dunedin, Saturday, January 15, 1853.

Otago Witness, Issue 87, 15 January 1853, Page 2

D unedin, Saturday, January 15, 1853.

We have extracted from the " Tara- j naki Herald" the continuation of an j article on the prospect of the amalga- j mation of the Native and European ■ population of New Zealand. The opinion of that portion of our fellowcolonists, who are in constant and close contact with the Maories, is entitled to i consideration ; and the more so from the position in which we are placed with re- I gard to the aborigines by the new Constitution. New Zealand has ever been the victim of romance, and on no point has imagination and poetry been more lively than on the subject of the Maories. A few isolated facts of generosity or forbearance of some of the chiefs, which we with our European notions have construed into generosity, have been taken as a standard of the feeling of the whole nation ; and those philanthropists and poets who have dreamed and pictured to the world the advantages, the innocence, and the beauty of savage life, as compared with civilisation and its many sins, have been delighted to find an instance in which savages were at all redeemable ; — and having found such an instance in the natives of New Zealand, have extolled their merits^ exaggerated their Christian piety, and have suppressed or but slightly glanced at their faults. Thus we find the good people of Exeter Hall so self-deluded as actually describing the Maories to be a superior race of beings to their own countrymen, and making every effort to place these half-reclaimed savages — who twenty years since were eating each other — in a position to command and rule the descendants of men who fought and sacrificed their worldly prosperity and their lives to their principles. Yet, so weak do we find the faith in their own delusion, that, seeing no hope of the natives maintaining their place if left to struggle with the white population, they proposed, and presented a petition to the House of Lords praying, that in future no part of the waste lands of the country to which the native

title has not been extinguished should be purchased by the Government without devoting ss. per acre to the use of the natives, besides the reserves which they already possess, and which, in Otago at least, are an ample provision for their wants.

But how different is the feeling of the actual colonists who are in daily contact with the natives ! To them the whole sentimentality is dispersed ; they find the heroes of the romance dirty, lazy, exacting, mean, and covetous ; their generosity just making a virtue of necessity, their piety insincere, and their morals a compound of the evils of civilization and the sins of man in a state of brutality ; and we have a public journal speaking of the extinction of the natives, if not as desirable, at least without regret. With this feeling we cannot sympathise : capable of improvement as the natives evidently are, it becomes our duty to do what in us lies to effect that improvement. How is it, then, that we find, as the " Herald" says, " it has almost invariably happened that a few months residence among them destroys the vapid Exeter Hall philanthropy of the new comers, and indifference or dislike taking its place ?" Obviously from the imprudent conduct of the Exeter Hall philanthropists af, home, or the selfish interests of a few -colonists. They thrust the Maori into a false position, inflate their pride, and would give them power — which, the moment the savage feels, he looses all discretion in the use of. No more effective means could be taken to lay the foundation of those feelings of heartburning jealousy and hatred between the races, the certain effects of which will be the ultimate extermination of the Maories. The present time, therefore, calls for the immediate efforts of those who are friendly to the natives to strive to prevent their interference in politics, which they cannot understand, and which will inevitably lead to their being the shuttle-cock between two opposite parties ; for who can doubt for a moment their votes would be bought by the largest amount of tobacco or red blankets ?—a system destructive of all political morality amongst them. Even in the mother-country all tjie efforts to put a stop to bribery at elections are unsuccessful, although extremely stringent laws have been enacted, simply because the tone of public morality has not arrived at a standard to brand as unworthy of society either the giver or receiver of a bribe for such objects. If, then, the natives be enfranchised, and the practice be once introduced, it will be impossible at any future period to instil ideas of morality on such a subject, and the hope of introducing the natives to self-government will be utterly lost. And that bribery would be made use of there can be little doubt : efforts are being made to intimidate ; and the former is not likely to be neglected where the latter is practised.

Under the head correspondence •will be found a letter from Mr. Carnegie, in which he contradicts an assertion made at a meeting of the Settlers' Association by Mr. John Adams. Mr. Adams likewise informs the public through our columns of his error. Mr. Carnegie, however, is very anxious to fix the blame upon the " Witness," forgetting that we merely reported what took place. We protest against being made responsible for the statements of parties at public meetings, because they appear in our columns, or we may be held equally responsible for the statements of our correspondents ; and there is no knowing to what extent even Mr. Carnegie may favour us.

Mr. Adams and Mr. Carnegie may settle the matter of the accusation of forgery between themselves. The conclusion which the latter jumps at is unsound. If he refers to the report of the meeting in question,he will find that other parties, as well as Mr. Adams, stated that their names were put down without obtaining their signatures ; and we could inform him of half a dozen cases in which signatures were obtained under false pretences.

It is not true that we ever asserted that the first petition was secret ; we even extracted it from the " Otago News" into the first number of the " Otago Witness." Of the second, of • course, it was no secret, after we ohtained and published a copy • but Mr. Carnegie will surely ■ not deny the extreme anger of his friend and colleague Mr. Coroner Williams, on discovering that we had possessed ourselves of it. There was no object in keeping the first petition secret : in those days they had the command of the Press, and refused the insertion of

letters unpalatable to them ; but yet the name and character of the parties signing^ it were hidden from public gaze, and after being kept for twelve months the document was smuggled away along with a second, to make them appear as cotemporaneous expressions of opinion. The promoters of that petition knew that the signatures would not bear daylight. Can even Mr. Carnegie deny that it is signed by 15 or 16 runaway sailors — by a few persons who have been in trouble because of petty larcenies — and by every shagroon within the district ? Indeed, we were offered a reward if we could name a disreputable person between Waitangi^ river and Stewart's Island who had not signed it, and we were fairly at a loss to suggest one. But how many petitions on various subjects have emanated from the same quarter, and have been kept secret ? Have they not something of the sort circulating amongst the Maories at this time? We do not expect any information on this subject ; our correspondent has got astride of a fact, and will ride it to death.

On Tuesday last we had the pleasure of witnessing the laying of the foundation stone of the mansion house at Brockville, the intended residence of Frederick Brock-Hollinshead, Esq. There were a number of gentlemen present on the occasion, and an elegant and substantial luncheon was provided in a tent erected for the purpose. We were struck with the marked improvement which has come over the aspect of the "Wakari district, which must be attributed mainly to Mr. Hollinshead's operations, the effect of which, coupled with the road to Messrs. Macandrew & Co.'s Lime Work, will be to open up the whole of that fine district, which has hitherto been inaccessible, and consequently lying dormant.

The first Sale of Government Lands outside the Otago Block was held yesterday at the Court-House, Dunedin, when three lots, of 50 acres each, were offered for sale. The first lot was purchased by the present occupier, Mr. L. Longuet, at the upset price of £1 per acre ; the second by Mr. P. Williams, at an advance of £1 upon the lot; and the third by Mr. C. Suisted, the present occupier, at the upset price of £1 per acre.

To the Editor of the Otago Witness.

Sir;— Until within the last few numbers of your publication, you have made so many assertions without giving conclusive proof of their truth, that I consider it due to myself and the public to expose the manner in which some articles are written in your paper. It would be an endless matter were Ito refer to many of the statements which you propound, and which of course go forth to the common readers of the Otago Witness as true. I cannot, however, allow such a glaring misrepresentation of facts to come under the public's notice, as occurred in your paper of 20th Nov. last, without contradicting it. In that paper you give a lengthened report of a meeting of the Otago Settlers' Association in reference to two Petitions sent home, petitioning the Government not to grant to the Otago Association a Charter. I was very much surprised to see, by that report, Mr. John Adams rise up at that meeting and charge the promoters of the petition to Sir George Grey with having forged his name to it. I was not in a position to contradict that party's statement until last week, when, on looking over some • old papers, I found the heading having Mr. John Adams' signature to it, which he has since seen, and acknowledged as no forgery. In your leading article of the same date you charge the promoters of these petitions with putting down names without obtaining signatures. This I deny as being utterly untrue ; and you have as usual jumped at a conclusion, because Mr. Adams chose then to deny his signature. As for the secrecy of these petitions you were informed by one of your own printers, previous to your writing the leading article for that paper, that the petition to Sir George Grey had been printed in the Otago Neics ; and you must remember that the petition to Earl Grey was printed in the Otago Witness. — I am &c, J. C. Carnegie.

To the Editor of the Otago "Witness

Sib, — At the late meeting of the Settlers' Association, a Petition was brought forward that had been sent through His Excellency Sir George Grey to the Home Government, as a prayer against this continuing as a Class Settlement, at which meeting I was led, through the convictions of my own mind, to state that I had never signed such a document. Through the lapse of time, and my own aversion to the signing of any prayers or petitions whatever to the English Government, the action had altogether left my memory, and I believed myself perfectly justified in stating that I looked upon the signature as a forgery. However, as Mr. Carnegie has satisfactori ly shown me my name in my own hand write to the said petition, I feel in duty bound to acknowledge it in the same pnblic manner in which it has been condemned, thereby clearing Mr. Carnegie, or any of that party, of having used my name, so far as I am concerned, without my concurrence. — Yours, &c, John Adams.

AMALGAMATION OF THE ANGLO-SAXON AND MAORI RACES. We (" Taranaki Herald") resume our observations on the probabilities for the amalgamation of the Anglo-Saxon and Maori races. Sir G. Grey, in his despatch, quoted by Sir J. Pakington in the House of Commons, says, — " Nearly the whole nation has now been converted to Christianity. They are fond of agriculture, take great pleasure in cattle and horses ; like the sea, and form good sailors ; have now many coasting vessels of their own, manned with Maori crews ; are attached to Europeans, and admire their customs and manners ; are extremely ambitious of rising in civilisation and becoming skilled in European arts ; they are apt at learning ; in many respects extremely conscientious and observant of their word ; are ambitious of honours, and are probably the most covetous race in the world.. They are also agreeable in manners ; and attachments of a lasting character readily and frequently spring up between them and the Europeans." With the exception of the " lasting attachment which readily and frequently springs up between the natives and the Europeans," this " description may be regarded as true ; and yet the experience of every settler will tell him that no words could give a more false impression of the natives. Of course^Sif George Grey's account refers

chiefs, and not to the servile members of the tribes, with whom amalgamation is utterly out of the question.

We wish the " Taranaki Herald" could penetrate into Downing-street and catch the eyes of Members of Parliament, who fancy the New Zealand natives are fitted to become electors and legislators, they might then learn something from what follows.

Not very long ago a native Chief arrived in New Plymouth from Wellington. This man, in addition to land and other property, possessed several hundred pounds in money, placed to his credit in the Wellington bank. Yet he scrupled not to beg sixpences and bits of tobacco from all. He professed to be the eager advocate for sale of land to the Europeans ; yet he was detected in using all his influence to prevent the sale.

Again — the chief of the Ngatiawa tribe, the well known William King, spent some time at the house of a gentleman employed in the purchase of native land, and anxious to gain the goodwill of the influential rangatira. This fellow would dress himself like an Englishman, and dine in company with his host and his guests, behaving decently, taking all he could get, and asking for little. Dinner over in the parlour, he adjourned to the kitchen, and there seized all the servants would permit. He then doffed his coat and white trowsers, put on a filthy old blanket, and joining the " mob" of natives who were always about the residence of the gentleman alluded to, would gorge himself with their potatoes and other viands in their barbarous fashion. This man is one of the most greedy and importunate beggars in Taranaki; but he is a principal chief, nevertheless, of one of the most powerful tribes in New Zealand.

We desire to give the natives all the credit due to them for the traits of character indicated by the Governor — but it will be well to fill up his sketch. They are generally " extremely conscientious and observant of their word when it suits their purpose, but unfortunately their knowledge and aptitude for " learning" has taught them that no bargain is binding unless it is in writing even for the most trivial affair. To accuse them of theft is an insult — nevertheless it has happened that a door was stolen from one white man, raupo tha.tch from another, glass for windows from another, and so on until a native church was built !

The fact is, that the cunning natural to the the barbarous state — indolence, want of gratitude, superstition, and .selfishness, in addition to unbounded covetousness — are the characteristics of the Maori, and have produced lamentable effects upon the minds of numbers of wellintentioned settlers who came out full of Euro T pean notions of Maoris ; firmly determined to like, and to find them little less than angelic savages. . . . Contact with Europeans does not appear to have induced the Maoris to adopt habits, customs, or laws, which seem at first so suited to their intellects and character.

The natives deserve commendation for their attention to agricultural pursuits and their breeding of cattle, hoises, and pigs; but their adoption of the comforts and luxuries derived by Europeans from these sources is nowhere observable. On the contrary, it is well known that nearly all the produce of their farms is sold to Europeans. Even milk is not in use amongst them. They still prefer potatoes and rotten maize, stinking sharks, and decayed karaka berries.

As to "lasting attachments" existing to any extent between the two races, where is it observable ? Rare instances there may be, but that is all ; for the native character, habits, and customs are opposed to it. as we have sufficiently shown in a former number. The truth is, the Maori ra*ce is doomed wherever the Anglo-Saxon appears. The fire-water or blanket, the small-pox or musket-ball, will do the work of extermination. Hereafter the " green stone mere," or a half obliterated mound, will be the only trace of them — just as these objects indicate the aboriginal inhabitants of Great Britain who were annihilated by Scandinavian hordes.

We subjoin an extract from an interesting letter on the behaviour of the natives from the Rev. W. Woon of Waimate :—: —

*t * *■ " The natives of my district are altering fast, and are certainly taking leave of their senses. They try me to the utmost in my endeavours to lead them in the right way. They are continually holding meetings to prevent the land being sold to the Europeans. The greater part of the Ngatiruanui met at Whareroa on the 27th Sept. last to adopt measures to secure it; a letter having ai rived from some Solon in the South, advising them to hold fast, stating that in " Ruha" (surely he does not mean Russia ?) the pakehas work the Europeans like oxen, driving them with a whip, and that they may expect similar treatment if they part with their land. In one of the Taranaki Heralds it is stated that the natives are likely to sell a part of Patea. For the information of all concerned I can assure them that were they to cover the land with, gold, the Pateans would not part with it. They are like the " dog in the manger" — they cannot enjoy it themselves, nor will they let others have it. They have wonderful ideas of its value ; and for their' wheat they expect a most exorbitant price. Thousands of bushels lie on the stacks, which must necessarily rot, because Europeans will not satisfy their demands. In this matter they are all of one mind, and who can control them?

" The rebellious part of the community commit themselves by illicit intercourse with the females. The chiefs have a plan, that if a man or woman do wrong he or she must pay for it. This has arisen from their notions of our laws and usages, and from what is exacted from Europeans when they do wrong. Hence a rebel will say, — I'll commit adultery or fornication because I can pay for it. This is something like sinning that grace may abound. A man committed adultery the other day, and the friends of the female demanded £600 for the offence ! A woman also reflected on her husband because he had such bad legs, and she had to pay for her bad expression. Death having carried off so many, there is a great disproportion between the sexes. A lad ran away from New Plymouth last week to his f rie ads here to be married, and because I would nut.

marry him on account of his youth, they took him and his bride to the native belonging to the Episcopalians, who is appointed to marry by his Minister, who joined their hands, leaving the other part of the ceremony for him to finish. I told them that they would bring babies next to be married."