A BOGUS KING.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 12927, 22 November 1912, Page 4

A BOGUS KING.

The suggestion made' to the Maori chiefs at Waahi that the title of "King" should be discarded "with, the death of Mkhuta will have the approbation of every .thoughtful -European, and ■ of « mkny sensible /Maoris- A few days c^o it was a'nno'uhced t'haV tlie ' title was to be conferred on Mahnta's son, and ""there was to be a great, cbroilation ceremony that seemingly would cast into the shade the extensive preparations made in. connection with the tangi. There is no need to criticise Mahuta or to refer to the manner in which he upneld the "title." Many another, chief might have filled the position "with even less dignity arid probably had Maliuta not been called to the Legislative Council he would have., remained, in" the minds o'f most people, a parsonage of great importance, a chief among chieftains, and a man to be looked up to in all matters pertaining to the native race. It is perhaps a satisfaction to many natives to know that he remained a "king" in iiame up to the time of his deathj' and there is no cause to regret that the title was so misused, as .no one but the natives themselves— and probably not many of them — were misled 'thereby. But it is a very different matter to sanction the continuation of the caricature title. It is unfair to the' young chieftain by whom it would ill- the ■<) rdiiiiryj course be assumed, and it is a distinct reminder that the Eurbpeanising of. the Maori is still far off.; Any increase in mana among the Maoris will be coun-ter-balanced by the "cheap-jack" idea inspired in the minds of Europeans who contemplate the thought of any person having a bogus title conferred oh him, and theiv going- through the mockery of a kind of circus ceremony that will act as a magnet ior the riatives. The tangi itself is one that should be discouraged excepting as far as' it is a manifestation of ' ,'jenuinej mdurnuvg for a member 'of o, tribe, a-nd] the interest created among other tribes in proportion to fhe humble or exalted pqsition held by the departed one. But whatever, may be said # for or against, the tangi, there is no argument to offer' on behalf bf the continuation of - the title, and as the advice of Sir James Carroll has not been accepted, a fitting opportunity should be taken to intimate to the Maoris concerned that the sham title, if not altogether distasteful to Europeans, is regarded as a mere pandering to vanity. • Perhaps the easiest way out of any dilemma, on the part 'of the authorities would' be for "the* newspapers to cease making any reference to the title '^of "king" as applied to any successor to Mahuta, for ; tlie fine distinction -of always setting it forth between inverted commas would not -be so clearly understood, by .the natives aa absolute, refusal to 'uefe the word^ "knyj" in any form as applied toa native who has no right to use it. In, the meantime ; it is • pleasing to know 'that -the Prime' .has discovered .that urgent business elsewhere will prevent his visiting Waahi arid being made a party j to the cerdriation mockery. . \