Sacred Rights of Waitangi Treaty

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 142, 6 September 1927, Page 9

Sacred Rights of Waitangi Treaty

“MAORI MAGNA CHARTA” REPLY TO BISHOP OF WAIKATO "The Treaty of Waitangi is the Maori Magna Charta and the rights given therein are sacred,” states Mr. G. Graham, a member of the Akarana Maori Association, replying to a statement on native rates made recently by Bishop Cherrington, of Hamilton. Expressing the opinion that while the Maoris enjoyed practically equal privileges to the white population they should also be on the same basis in regard to their liabilities, Bishop Cherrington stated that no concessions should be allowed. “There was a danger of allowing the Maoris to drift into a tendency to contract liabilities without responsibility,” said his Lordship. “The Rt. Rev. the Bishop of Waikato having taken a hand in this much discussed question, according to reports published in THE SUN,” states Mr. Graham, “I find it necessary to explain the matter a little further, because unless his Lordship’s expressed opinion is questioned, it might be assumed to be a. qorrect one. “For the opinion of a cleric in his high position is properly to be deferred to —even though, as in this case, his Lordship admits ‘he had not studied the matter fully.’ That admission undoubtedly accounts for his Lordship’s lack of logic. LANDLESS MAORIS “Briefly he says that it will be to the advantage of the Maori to have removed those various legislative enactments which remain to protect him from becoming landless, a condition to him which will undoubtedly make him a pauper. “That is the normal condition of the landless Maori. He is a consequent charge on the State, whose loose legislation has already manufactured an undue proportion of this unfortunate class of Maori —dependent on charitable aid boards, old age pensions and so forth. ... , “His Lordship, despite his admitted lack of knowledge of the position (and therefore of the results of such a. policy as approved by him) says: ‘The natives, if unable to pay, should lose part of their land. That (he adds) ‘seems the best method of dealing with the problem.’ _ , “I am sure,” states Mr. Graham, “that when his Lordship has made himself more fully acquainted with the history of this country and the factors that go to make the present tions between European and Maori, he will materially alter his opinions in these matters. A SOLEMN PLEDGE “Has he ever heard of the Treaty of Waitangi? Does he know that the King Country area was opened to European occupation on express conditions and solemn promises as to observance of same, which were given by Her Majesty’s representatives? One of such conditions was that until ‘leased or sold . . . none of this land . . . will be proclaimed under the Rating Act.’ Again, there was a distinct pronouncement made at the same time that. ‘There is no danger to be apprehended that the lands referred to will be brought under the Rating Act.’ “Similar sacred treaty rights and promises made apply to every inch of Maori tribal land throughout New Zealand. Surely his Lordship, in his high position, is one whom the Maori may confidently look up to as a sure protector of his rights in these matters. "The Treaty of Waitangi is the Maori Magna Charta. The numerous promises made throughout the subsequent years are supplementary thereto, and are well worthy of his Lordship’s support, even as his predecessors aforetime at Runnymede assisted to enforce the observance of promises made by the Crown. “His Lordship, in taking up the See of Waikato, is surely not desirous of alienating the friendship of the Maori people by advocating the ethics attributed to him. They, in fact, look to him to assist in protecting Maori land ownerships and rights. The upholding of the guarantees thereof made on behalf of the Crown are indeed part of his temporal duties. "These promises were made—not as a matter of mere political expediency at the time—but as a solemn pledge to be respected for all future time.” “If time alters conditions these promises still remain sacred, and must still be held so until the Maori releases the Crown in respect thereof.” “This, the vigorous Maori protests heard from far Northern Ngapuhi, to the remote South, show that the Maori has not done. He still calls us to respect our obligations to him, and it is the duty of Church and State to see to it that these things are not as mere ‘scraps of paper.’ ”