CHATS WITH THE FARMERS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1404, 19 October 1878, Page 3

CHATS WITH THE FARMERS.

A Visit to the Farm of Mk Thomas Pratt (Haereroa), Maori Chief and Native Assessor, Maori Reserve, Waikouaiti. Mr Pratt, who is now forty years of age, was born at Ruapuke, an island in Foveaux Strait. His father was the captain of a whaler, and his mother a niece of the Chief Haereroa, who inherited the right to fish and hunt over the district of Outakou, from Wanaka and the Lindis to Waikouaiti and Kaitangata. He was adopted and reared by Haereroa, whose nearer relatives had died and who removed -with him to Waikouaiti whenhe (Pratt) was ten years old. At that time the Maoris lived in pahs and subsisted chiefly upon fish, swamp hens, and the roots of ferns. They usually cultivated little patche3 of ground and became acquainted with the use of the spade, the hoe, and the reaping hook. The principal tribe represented at Waikouaiti is the Katihuirapa, but there are some also belonging to the Katirakiamoa and other tribes. In 1848, 1800 acres of land were vested in trustees and reserved for their use at Waikouaiti, which was 14 acres for each man, woman and. child.' An addition of 593 acres was afterwards made to the grant, and when the whole was surveyed, in 1868, it was found that the total was 8000 acres. About one-third of this is timbered, and the remainder' is most excellent arable land. There are now 202 who have claims upon the land, but they do not all reside upon it. There are at present upon the reserve between 40 and 50 adults and 30 children. There are only 17 married couples, and within the last four years there have been 30 births and 15 deaths. The greatest mortality was in 1868, when 14 children died of whooping cough. Of the married couples all are pure Maoris except three who are half-castes. Besides Mr Pratt there are four other chiefs, whose names are Kereikahuti, Merekihereka Hape, Wiremu Pohio, and Hona Pauahi, who take part with him in the management of the affairs of the settlement. The oldest man — Tewahia — is 75, and the oldest woman 65. The head of each family owns a comfortable wooden cottage, and has more or less land fenced in and cultivated. This year they will have 100 acres of wheat, 150 of oats, 20 of potatoes, and 300 of English grass. The largest farm is owned by Mr Pratt, who has 200 acres fenced in. The next largest farm on the reserve is worked by Daniel Caponi, who has 100 acres fenced in, about 35 of which are under grain. He has four or five horses and a flock of 200 sheep. The rest cultivate from 20 to 30 acres each, and have each from 50 to 200 sheep. The soil is an excellent black mould varying in depth from six to twelve inches, upon a clay subsoil. They have owned a steam threshing machine for four years, and there are in the settlement four of Reid and Gray's reaping machines, besides double furrow ploughs and other improved implements. We hear of the virtues which distinguished the Maori race before the advent of the pakeha — of the truth, honour, generosity and hospitality for which they were noted, and of the moral and physical change for the worse which they have undergone through contact with the white man; but taking the Maori as we find him here, we cannot see that there has been any deterioration. The population has not very sensibly increased, but the people have made decided progress in the arts and customs of our so-called civilized life. They are as honourable in their dealings as any other class of people, as truthful and as generous, while they are not so ignorant and superstitious as their forefathers. As a Christian people, they are fully as religious and well conducted as their white brethren, and compare very favourably with them in most othor respects. Notwithstanding all the religious teaching which in the early days they received from Wesleyan and Church of England missionaries, they were at one time, through the influence of the rum-bot-tle, on the downward path. Through the efforts of the Rev Mr Creed and a Mr Baker, as well as the chiefs, Taiaroa, Haereroa, and Matiaha, they were induced to abandon the use of intoxicating drink entirely, and since then their progress has been onward. Fortunately there rose up in their midst a man endowed with a rare capacity for ruling wisely. That man was Haereroa (Thomas Pratt) and to him is most certainly due, in a great measure, the comparatively prosperous condition of the settlePjpent. He never received any education in English, but he reads and writes the Maori language, and is naturally a man of intelligence, sound judgment, honesty and energy. He sets them an example worthy in all respects of imita-. tion. He shows great interest in educational matters ; he is strictly temperate himself, and lie sees that cases of drunkenness or disorderly conduct (which now rarely occur) do not go unpunished. He not only tells them what to do, but shows them how to do it. Fifteen or sixteen years ago there was only one of their number — Job Pikahu — who could use a plough. When they got horses they employed him, and when there was more work than he could perform, Mr Pratt engaged a. European ploughman, from whom he learned himself. He understood the Maori character ; he knew there was no use in saying to these old savages, you must do so and so. The Anglo-Saxon blood in his veins told him that he must not only show them how it is done, but he must make them do it. Having taught them how to plough he purchased a reaper, and one of his relatives soon learned to run it. His next step was to introduce a steam threshing machine, and this they have used themselves for the last four years. In the meantime Mr Pratt was not unmindful of the intellectual wants of his people. He urged the importance of education, and it was only after a tedious agitation that he succeeded in having ft school established. Fortunately they secured a good teacher, and the school has made most satisfactory progress. Their church was blown down in April last, and they now meet on Sundays in their Runanga, or Council Chamber, where one of their number reads the Church of England Service in Maori. Up to eight or pine years ago they kept cattle, Mr Pratt coo..

sidering that sheep would be more profitable tried a flock, and met with so much success that nearly all of them sold off their cattle and bought slieop. Once a year, usually towards the end of October, they have a general mustering of the sheep, when they are shorn, and the lambs belonging to each flock receive a distinctive ear-mark. Their shearing takes place earlier than the usual time, that the young men may be enabled to work at shearing for tho settlers. Most of the wheat which they grow, they have ground into flour at Waikouaiti, paying Is per bushel for grinding. They have fish, but they lay up no store for the winter, as they are busy shearing during the fishing season. In June or July their friends in Southland send them mutton-birds salted or preserved fresh in their own fat, for which they send them in return flour and sugar. Some of tho old people hanker after the root of the fern, which they dig up and roast. Mr [Pratt informs us that he took from his first paddock three crops of wheat and three of oats in succession, There was an evident falling off in the yield, and he sowed it down and allowed it to remain in grass for five years. Last year he took a crop of wheat off it which yielded quite as well as the first crops. From the next oldest field, ho took four crops of wheat and two of oats. The average yield of wheat he estimates at 40 bushels per acre and of oats 40 to 50 bushels. Potatoes yield well where there is not too much clay. This year he will have 10 acres of wheat, 25 of oats and five of potatoes and turnips. He has 20 head of horned cattle, old and young, 20 horses, and 700 sheep. He has two doublefurrow ploughs, and three fine draught horses for each. Among his horse stock are six brood mares, two of which are of good Clydesdale blood. He lately purchased from Mr Duncan of Cherry Farm, a young shorthorn bull. As already stated, he has a reaping machine. He keeps two milch cows, and has pigs, poultry, &c. The steam threshing macnine is owned by the settlers in 80 shares of £1 each. The sheep are of the Merino and Leicester cross. They have, paid very well. Some are fattened for market. The wool is sold in the grease.

Mr Pratt has a family of ten childrenfour boys and six girls— the oldest, a son, being 21 years of age. Two years ago he put up a handsome five-roomed house, which is well furnished and fitted up with iron tanks for water. Two acres have been enclosed around it. In front there is a nice grass plot with borders of flowers, and on one side is a kitchen garden, and on the other an orcliard. Very few of our European farmers have grounds which are kept in better order. Cabbages, peas and onions appeared to be leading crops. The ground for the orchard has been well trenched, and tho fruit trees seemed to be cmito healthy and thriving. Pinus Insignis and other trees have lately been planted and will hereafter add greatly to the appearance of the greund3. Five years ago Mr Pratt joined Mr Daniel Ellison, another settler, who had a whaling station at the Kaik. They have two whale boats, boilers, tanks, &c, Ellison had taken two whaleß before Pratt joined him. The first year they took two whales, the second none, the third year two, and although there have been several false alarms they have taken none since. The welcome shout of He ika inoana, " the fish of the great sea," arouses the whole settlement, and the six or ssven hands required to man each boat are soon in their places. A good whale would be worth at least £400.

Two years ago through Mr Pratt's influence a co-operative store was established. There were 282 shares at £1 cash per share. All were taken up, and tbe store was started under the management of Mr Ellison. It made good progress, but the rules were not strict enough in regard to credit. The sum of £82 was lost by navvies, and as many of the shareholders had. goods on credit, capital ran short. Mr Pratt bas lately taken charge, for the purpose of collecting the money due, there being more than enough to pay off all liabilities. He intends that it shall hereafter be conducted upon cash principles. In company with Mr Pratt we visited the Maori school, in which he takes a good deal of interest, and had some conversation with the teacher, Mr Michael Moloney, who is known to the readers of The Witness through some contributions upon ancient Irish history. Mr Moloney was assistant master in one of the National Schools in the County of Kildare, Ireland. He was selected for this school by theNativß Department, three years ago. He commenced with 24 pupils. During the quarter ending June 30, there was an average attendance of 33. Before the late Education Act came into force he was making a small charge for European children, which added a littletohis already small salary, but these perquisites he has now lost, as the children are taught free in the State schools. The schoolhouse is a very substantial and comfortable one and has been supplied with books, maps, &c, by the Native Department. Nelson's series of books is used. The Inspector of Native schools, the Rev Mr Stack, pays a visit once a year. It is fortunate for the settlers that they have secured for the school a man of Mr Moloney's ability as a teacher. He appears to be thoroughly devoted to his work. The children have, apparently, quite as good acapacity for learning as those of European parentage, and under Mr Moloney's tuition they have made extraordinary progress.