DOMINION’S EARLY DAYS

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 53, Issue 3842, 4 December 1936, Page 9

DOMINION’S EARLY DAYS

MATERIAL of history. AN IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTION (By Archbishop Wand in Brisbane Mail.) All of us in the Southern Hemisphere are conscious that we are making history. Evidence of that fact can be seen in the interest we take in the records of our immediate predecessors. Those records are being collected and published at a great pace. The latest example of them is a discursive, but well documented volume by Eric Ramsden, entitled “Marsden and the Missions.” It is advisedly that we say “entitled” because actually the book covers much more ground than the mere relation of Samuel Mprsden to the missions in New Zealand. An alternative title suggests that the book is written to answer the question how the Maoris met the impact of civilisation. This is nearer the ''truth; but even so it is not the whole truth. A would-be reader who expected that he was being offered a scientific treatise on the conflict between a native culture and that of modetn Europe would soon find himself undeceived. A “PRIMARY” BOOK. What we have here is a book typical of many that are now being written in this country, and it is a fine example pf the type. It is not history. Much less is it anthropology. But it is a collection of the materials that must be carefully collated before either science becomes possible. It may truly be described as a “primary” book. The author has had the good fortune to discover a considerable amount of hitherto unpublished information with regard to the early contact between the Maoris and the white race. Most of this information is in thd form of letters and diaries.

He had intended originally to write a memoir of Martha, Marsden’s youngest daughter. However, he discovered additional material relating to the Anglican and Wesleyan missions in New Zealand, and consequently enlarged his book to deal with the wider question. In addition to this he seems also to have come across private documents in the possession of the family of James Busby, the first British resident in New Zealand, and this has tempted him to stray still further afield and to ascribe some of the difficulties inherent in the absurd Governmental arrangements iof the time. All this means that the book has suffered considerably in formal structure. Many readers, however, will forgive this fault because of the wealth of fresh knowledge of a detailed and intimate kind which is how made available for all those who are interested in the early history of New Zealand. To say of a book that it is a mine of information is something of a commonplace; but in this case it is certainly true. There can be no doubt that this volume will be a mine from which the future historian will dig some priceless materials for the construction of the scientific and classical history which still waits to be written. LINK W|ITH AUSTRALIA. It may sdem surprising, in view of the all but complete separation of the two countries at the present time, how closely knit were the fortunes of Australia and New Zealand a century ago. This is, of course, true with regard to the missions, for Samuel Marsden, the apostle of New Zealand, arrived in that country from Australia, and the headquarters of the Wesleyan Mission were for long in Sydney. It is true also in the sphere of Government, for the first British Resident, although he was appointed from London, was responsible to Governor Bourke; and very bitter were their relations. It is true finally of the bulk of the white population, who caused so much trouble and distress both to the Resident and to the missionaries. Escaped convicts and deserters from Australia were in the closest contact with the Maoris, and the captains of Australian vessels sought their trade and exploited them by nefarious means. It is a miserable fact that each of these three sections of Australian influence was often at loggerheads with the others, and as if this were not enough each of the three parties nourished divers feuds within itself. It is remarkable that in such circumstances the work of civilisation could be carried on at all. It would not be unfair to say that in spite of many things which laid them open to violent criticism the missionaries were really the heroes of this tangled story. At the least they acted as buffers between the Maoris and the interests represented by the traders and the Government. INEFFECTIVE CONTROL. The Government was extraordinarily ineffective. James Busby seems to have acquired the position of Resident at his own solicitation. He never had any serious backing from Sir Richard Bourke. He was despised by the natives because ho had no mili-

tary or police force by which to support his decisions. He often complained because the missionaries consulted him so little; but it is evident in every lino of the story that they had to deal with the Maoris direct because their own persuasions, based on the religion that they taught, were far more effective than any appeal from a Resident who could not enforce his requests. Bourke himself affirmed that Busby did not posses even the power of a magistrate. And the Maoris in their picturesque way described the Resident as “A Man of War without guns.” Yet the author shows us by copious extracts from Busby’s own correspondence! that he had the welfare of the Colony at heart, and he sums up his career by saying: “A conscientious and capable, if over-zealous officer, James Busby deserves well of his fellow countrymen.” If that epitaph is true then a good deal of blame must rest upon Sir Richard Bourke, who seems to have allowed personal animosity to impede official action and must consequently be held responsible for a large part of the comparative failure t>£ the British administration in New Zealand.

If it is difficult judicially to apportion praise and blame between the Government officials, it is often more difficult to adjudicate precisely upon the various problems raised by the missionaries themselves. They were here, as always, hampered by denominational differences. In spite of many acts of kindness and hospitality to each other, Weslayans and Anglicans often showed an unworthy suspicion of each other, and both united in extreme opposition to the Roman Catholics. The last named were unfortunate in being represented by a French Prelate, and he in turn was unfortunate in being supported by the Anglo-French Baron de Thierry, whose own claim to be King was looked upon with natural dislike by the British Government. LOST PRESTIGE. But worse than the interdenominational difficulties were the moral lapses of at least two of the, leading missionaries. Both the Anglicans and the Wesleyans were unlucky enough to have their principles betrayed by one of their number, and this naturally involved a considerable loss of prestige among the natives. Indeed, it is remarkable that in the circumstances the Maoris behaved as well as they did, and it is noticablei how much the influence of Samuel Marsden did to restore the balance. At a time of greatest difficulty and trial, when he was an old man not far from thei grave, he was ready to sacrifice! his personal convenience and safety in order to travel back to New Zealand from his comfortable post at Parramatta. He was received with universal delight, and >was carried everywhere with the, greatest care by his old converts, who recognised in him a true apostle of the Gospel and were ready to pin their faith to him when everything else seemed to fall. He was not the only one who deserved well at their hands. At a time of war the missionaries were the best peace-makers and some of them showed considerable courage in their efforts to persuade the belligerents to make peace with each other. Of these the most remarkable was Henry Williams, a friend of Marsden, who perhaps as an ex-naval man felt himself especially at home in this kind of atmosphere. At the time of the trouble between Titore and Pomare Mrs Williams tells us “Henry saw a movement among the canoes; was off and up the river in his dressing gown before we knew he was gone.” And when all other efforts to bring about peace had failed, the author tells us: “As usual, it was the missionaries who succeeded. With a white tablecloth flying from the masthead of their little vessel they proceeded accompanied by several neutral chiefs to Otuihu.” “CIVILISING” THE MAORIS. Other difficulties were caused for the missionaries by the very nature of their task. Some of them were prepared to identify Christianity witn Western civilisation, and felt that the best way to accomplish their ends was to Europeanise the Maoris. There is a slightly ridiculous description of the marriages of Christianised natives. “Bridegrooms disdaining their picturesque Maori attire arrayed themselves in a nondescript collection of European clothing. The brides imitated their European sisters as best they could. The Missionaries saw nothing incongruous in a neat print gown and other garments corresponding.” To his great credit, Samuel Marsden was not one who held this view. He never despised the native culture, such as it was. One of the reasons for the break-up of the Maori social system was that the missionaries had taken from the people their belief in Tapu, which Marsden believed assisted in the maintenance of law and order in the community. There is something modern in the way in which Marsden himself appreciated the value of the native reverence and endeavoured to build upon it. Indeed, he went so far as to believe that some teaching in the arts of civilisation ought actually to precede the teaching of Christianity. How easy it was for the converts to misinterpret the intention even of the New Testament appears in an

amusing story of a Maori boy who once appeared before Williams reeking with oil. When the missionary remonstrated with him he indignantly replied that he) was only doing what our Lord himself had commanded, “Did not Jesus himself say that we should anoint our heads with oil when we fast? Wall, a pig had stolen his breakfast that morning, and as he had been obliged to fast, he had anointed himself with oil.” FANATICISM. An even worse difficulty was created when a young Maori picked up from a Hebrew sailor some knowledge) of the God of the Old Testament, together with a certain measure of skill as a juggler and ventriloquist, and proceeded to combine both with elements taken from the native religion. This was the beginning of a serious fanaticism leading to a war which had a close parallel to the outbreak of the Hau Hau teaching later on. But worst of all was the trouble aroused by the traders who brought liquor into the country and taught the chiefs to live on the rewards of prostitution. In spite of all these difficulties the spread both of Christianity and of civilisation did continue, and Marsden himself on his last visit, had the delight of being entertained by the first Maori dairy farmer. It is said that all visitors of the period paid tribute to the industry and enterprise of this former cannibal. He had a modern farm near Kaikohe. He not only supplied his own children and those of his neighbours with milk, but sent 801 b of butter every week to the Bay. And this was a man who, years before, had killed a chief, taking his widow and children prisoners. The latter were killed and eaten in the presence of their mother. To make a successful dairy farmer out of such unpromising material would seem to many a sufficient justification for the life and work of Samuel Marsden.